Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Amitriptyline is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg PO q12-24h in cats, per Monteiro BP. Feline Chronic Pain and Osteoarthritis. Vet Clin North Am Small Animal Pract. 2020;50(4):769-788. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.02.003 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.89 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.58, Amitriptyline monograph spanning p.58-61; 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. Amitriptyline is used in cats for Inappropriate elimination, anxiety, feline idiopathic cystitis. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Amitriptyline in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Elavil
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5–2 mg/kg | q12-24h | Long-term | Inappropriate elimination, anxiety, feline idiopathic cystitis | Moderate | Monteiro BP. Feline Chronic Pain and Osteoarthritis. Vet Clin North Am Small Animal Pract. 2020;50(4):769-788. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.02.003 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.89 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.58, Amitriptyline monograph spanning p.58-61; 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/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5–7.5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.63 | • Idiopathic cystitis: 2 mg/kg/day PO, or a range of 2.5-7.5 mg/cat/day. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5–1 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.39 | 0.5-1 mg/kg p.o. q24h. Amlodipine (Amodip, Amlodipine*, Istin*) POM-V, POM |
| 0.5–1 |
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Inhibits reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. Also has anticholinergic, antihistaminic, and alpha-adrenergic blocking properties.
Allow 2-4 weeks for behavioral effects. Sedation, dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation. CONTRAINDICATED with MAOIs. Serotonin syndrome risk with tramadol. Cardiotoxic in overdose.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Amitriptyline dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 0.5–2 mg/kg q12-24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Amitriptyline in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Amitriptyline in cats include: Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Amitriptyline is indicated in cats for: Inappropriate elimination, anxiety, feline idiopathic cystitis.
These are general warnings for Amitriptyline across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Allow 2-4 weeks for behavioral effects. Sedation, dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation. CONTRAINDICATED with MAOIs. Serotonin syndrome risk with tramadol. Cardiotoxic in overdose.
Why a species-specific page? Amitriptyline 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.
| PO |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.63 |
| • 2-4 mg per cat/day PO (0.5-1.0 mg/kg PO per day). The dose for cats may be |
| 2 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.63 | • Idiopathic cystitis: 2 mg/kg/day PO, or a range of 2.5-7.5 mg/cat/day. |
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.