Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Butorphanol is dosed at 0.2–0.4 mg/kg IM once (single premedication dose) in cats, per Lascelles BDX, Robertson SA. Use of thermal threshold response to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of butorphanol in cats. Am J Vet Res. 2004;65(8):1085-1089. — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.157, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Butorphanol monograph, printed p.161, CATS, "In combination as an anesthetic or sedative adjunct (extra-label)": "butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg in combination with (preservative-free) alfaxalone 3 mg/kg drawn up in the […]"; "butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg combined with dexmedetomidine 25 ug/kg and ketamine 3 mg/kg as a single IM injection". Butorphanol is used in cats for Pre-anesthetic sedation, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, Analgesia (mild to moderate pain). Routes documented in cats: IM, IV, SC. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Butorphanol in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Torbugesic, Torbutrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | once (single premedication dose) | As needed | Pre-anesthetic sedation | Strong | Lascelles BDX, Robertson SA. Use of thermal threshold response to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of butorphanol in cats. Am J Vet Res. 2004;65(8):1085-1089. doi:10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1085 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.157, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed, Butorphanol monograph, printed p.161, CATS, "In combination as an anesthetic or sedative adjunct (extra-label)": "butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg in combination with (preservative-free) alfaxalone 3 mg/kg drawn up in the […]"; "butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg combined with dexmedetomidine 25 ug/kg and ketamine 3 mg/kg as a single IM injection". |
| IV | 0.1–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | As needed | Visceral pain, sedation adjunct | Strong | Lascelles BDX, Robertson SA. Use of thermal threshold response to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of butorphanol in cats. Am J Vet Res. 2004;65(8):1085-1089. / 45. Ansah OB, Vainio O, Hellsten C, Raekallio M. Postoperative Pain Control in Cats: Clinical Trials with Medetomidine and Butorphanol. Vet Surg. 2002;31(2):99-103. doi:10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1085 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.157, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. |
| SC | 0.2–0.4 mg/kg | q2-4h | As needed | Analgesia (mild to moderate pain) | Strong | Lascelles BDX, Robertson SA. Use of thermal threshold response to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of butorphanol in cats. Am J Vet Res. 2004;65(8):1085-1089. doi:10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1085 — Plumb's 10th ed printed p.157, Butorphanol monograph spanning p.157-163. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2–0.5 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.71 | 0.2-0.5 mg/kg i.v., i.m., s.c. |
| 0.2–0.8 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.122 | • Analgesic: 0.2-0.8 mg/kg q2-6h IV or SQ or 1.5 mg/kg q4-8h PO. |
| 1.5 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.122 | • Analgesic: 0.2-0.8 mg/kg q2-6h IV or SQ or 1.5 mg/kg q4-8h PO. |
| 0.2–0.4 |
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.
Kappa-opioid receptor agonist and mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Provides visceral analgesia and sedation.
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 cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Butorphanol dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IM 0.2–0.4 mg/kg once (single premedication dose); IV 0.1–0.4 mg/kg q2-4h; SC 0.2–0.4 mg/kg q2-4h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Butorphanol in cats: IM, IV, SC.
Cited course lengths for Butorphanol in cats include: As needed. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Butorphanol is indicated in cats for: Pre-anesthetic sedation, Visceral pain, sedation adjunct, Analgesia (mild to moderate pain).
These are general warnings for Butorphanol across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Short duration of action (1-2 hours). Better for visceral than somatic pain. Ceiling effect on analgesia. May cause sedation and mild respiratory depression.
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 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.
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.122 |
| • CRI: Loading dose of 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IV, followed by 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/hr. |
| 0.1–0.2 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.122 | • CRI: Loading dose of 0.2-0.4 mg/kg IV, followed by 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/hr. |
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.