Butorphanol for Cat
Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Butorphanol is used in cat for Pre-anesthetic sedation, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct. Routes documented in cat: IM, IV, SC. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in cat, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
Trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
Dose ranges
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | As needed | Pre-anesthetic sedation | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
| IV | 0.1–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | As needed | Visceral pain, sedation adjunct | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
| SC | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | As needed | Pre-anesthetic sedation | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th Ed |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
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.
Mechanism of action
Kappa-opioid receptor agonist and mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Provides visceral analgesia and sedation.
Side effects & warnings
Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cat may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Other Analgesic drugs with cat dosing
Butorphanol dosing in other species
Why a species-specific page? Butorphanol pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cat — 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.