Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Amantadine is dosed at 3–5 mg/kg PO q24h in cats, per Madden M, Gurney M, Bright S. Amantadine, an N-Methyl-D-Aspartate antagonist, for treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in a dog. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2014;41:440-441. doi:10.1111/vaa.12141; Lascelles BDX, Gaynor JS, Smith ES, et al. Amantadine in a multimodal analgesic regimen for alleviation of refractory osteoarthritis pain in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2008;22:53-59. doi:10.1111/j.1939-1676.2007.0014.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.74 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.45, Amantadine monograph spanning p.45-46; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Amantadine is used in cats for Chronic pain (adjunctive). Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Amantadine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Symmetrel
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 3–5 mg/kg | q24h | Long-term | Chronic pain (adjunctive) | Weak | Madden M, Gurney M, Bright S. Amantadine, an N-Methyl-D-Aspartate antagonist, for treatment of chronic neuropathic pain in a dog. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. 2014;41:440-441. doi:10.1111/vaa.12141; Lascelles BDX, Gaynor JS, Smith ES, et al. Amantadine in a multimodal analgesic regimen for alleviation of refractory osteoarthritis pain in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 2008;22:53-59. doi:10.1111/j.1939-1676.2007.0014.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.74 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.45, Amantadine monograph spanning p.45-46; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.31 | 1.0-4.0 mg/kg p.o. q24h; start at the lowest dose and increase slowly. This dose recommendation is anec |
| 3 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.53 | • 3 mg/kg q24h PO for treatment of pain, up to a dose of 5 mg/kg in some cases. |
| 5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.53 | • 3 mg/kg q24h PO for treatment of pain, up to a dose of 5 mg/kg in some cases. |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your cat's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
NMDA receptor antagonist that reduces central sensitization (wind-up pain). Also has dopaminergic and antiviral activity. Used for chronic/neuropathic pain.
Adjunctive analgesic for chronic pain (combine with NSAIDs or gabapentin). CNS excitation at high doses. Renal elimination — adjust in renal disease. GI upset.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Amantadine dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 3–5 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Amantadine in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Amantadine in cats include: Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Amantadine is indicated in cats for: Chronic pain (adjunctive).
These are general warnings for Amantadine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Adjunctive analgesic for chronic pain (combine with NSAIDs or gabapentin). CNS excitation at high doses. Renal elimination — adjust in renal disease. GI upset.
Why a species-specific page? Amantadine pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cats — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.