Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Buprenorphine is dosed at 0.01–0.02 mg/kg IM q6-8h in cats, per Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01).. Buprenorphine is used in cats for Moderate pain, Moderate pain, peri-operative, Moderate pain, post-operative, Moderate pain (Simbadol formulation). Routes documented in cats: IM, IV, OTM, SC. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 4 cited dose rules for Buprenorphine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Simbadol, Buprenex
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q6-8h | As needed | Moderate pain | Strong | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). |
| IV | 0.01–0.02 mg/kg | q6-8h | As needed | Moderate pain, peri-operative | Strong | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). |
| OTM | 0.01–0.03 mg/kg | q6-8h | As needed | Moderate pain, post-operative | Strong | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). |
| SC | 0.24 mg/kg | q24h | Up to 3 days | Moderate pain (Simbadol formulation) | Strong | SIMBADOL - Buprenorphine Injection for Cats [US Product Label]. Kalamazoo, MI: Zoetis Inc; 2017. Distributed by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3395bb4d-e032-4c16-81cf-d8f364033bb8 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.180 (2026-08-01). |
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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.
Partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors with high receptor affinity. Provides analgesia with a ceiling effect on respiratory depression.
OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Buprenorphine dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IM 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q6-8h; IV 0.01–0.02 mg/kg q6-8h; OTM 0.01–0.03 mg/kg q6-8h; SC 0.24 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Buprenorphine in cats: IM, IV, OTM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Buprenorphine in cats include: As needed; Up to 3 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Buprenorphine is indicated in cats for: Moderate pain, Moderate pain, peri-operative, Moderate pain, post-operative, Moderate pain (Simbadol formulation).
These are general warnings for Buprenorphine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. OTM (oral transmucosal) absorption effective in cats. Ceiling effect limits maximum analgesia. Difficult to reverse with naloxone due to high receptor affinity.
Why a species-specific page? Buprenorphine 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.