Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Azithromycin is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg PO q24h for 5 days, then q72h long-term in cats, per Plumb's 10th ed printed p.122, Azithromycin monograph spanning p.120-122. Azithromycin is used in cats for Feline upper respiratory infection, Upper respiratory infection, Cryptosporidiosis. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Azithromycin in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Zithromax
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q24h for 5 days, then q72h long-term | 5-10 days | Feline upper respiratory infection | Strong | Plumb's 10th ed printed p.122, Azithromycin monograph spanning p.120-122.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO |
| 5–10 mg/kg |
| q24-48h |
| 5-7 days or pulse dosing |
| Upper respiratory infection |
| Strong |
| Plumb's 10th ed printed p.122, Azithromycin monograph spanning p.120-122. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Azithromycin monograph, printed p.122, CATS: "a) Upper respiratory infections (extra-label): 5 - 10 mg/kg PO every 24 hours for 5 days, then every 72 hours." Same monograph, printed p.121: "Azithromycin also has activity against Mycobacterium spp, but it is not recommended for Mycobacterium avium complex."Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q24h for 3 to 7 days | 7-21 days | Cryptosporidiosis | Weak | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023), printed p.122, CATS - Susceptible infections (extra-label). No superscript is printed on this dose sentence.Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.57 | to a total of 5 doses; for upper respiratory tract disease: 5-10 mg/kg p.o. q24h for 5 days then q72h. Specialist texts should be consulted. AZT see Zidovudine |
| 5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.57 | 5-10 mg/kg p.o q24h for 3-5 days; 5 mg/kg p.o. q24h for 2 days then every 3-5 days up to a total of 5 doses; for upper respiratory |
| 5–10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.97 | • 5-10 mg/kg, once daily for 7 days, PO, followed by administration q48h; or |
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Binds to 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Concentrates in tissues with long half-life.
CONTRAINDICATED orally in rabbits and guinea pigs (fatal dysbiosis). May cause GI upset. Long tissue half-life means prolonged effect after discontinuation.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Azithromycin dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: PO 5–10 mg/kg q24h for 5 days, then q72h long-term; PO 5–10 mg/kg q24-48h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q24h for 3 to 7 days. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Azithromycin in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Azithromycin in cats include: 5-10 days; 5-7 days or pulse dosing; 7-21 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Azithromycin is indicated in cats for: Feline upper respiratory infection, Upper respiratory infection, Cryptosporidiosis.
These are general warnings for Azithromycin across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. CONTRAINDICATED orally in rabbits and guinea pigs (fatal dysbiosis). May cause GI upset. Long tissue half-life means prolonged effect after discontinuation.
Why a species-specific page? Azithromycin 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.
| 10–15 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.97 | 10-15 mg/kg daily for 3 days, followed by the same dose twice weekly, PO. |
| 15 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.97 | • Upper respiratory infection: 15 mg/kg, initially for the first 3 days, then q72h, |
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.