Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Cetirizine is dosed at 5 mg per cat PO q24h in cats, per Griffin JS, Scott DW, Miller WH, Tranchina MM. An open clinical trial on the efficacy of cetirizine hydrochloride in the management of allergic pruritus in cats. Can Vet J. 2012;53(1):47-50. PMID: 22753962 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.267 (2026-08-01).. Cetirizine is used in cats for Allergic pruritus. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Cetirizine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Zyrtec
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 5 mg per catmax 10 mg total | q24h | Long-term | Allergic pruritus | Weak | Griffin JS, Scott DW, Miller WH, Tranchina MM. An open clinical trial on the efficacy of cetirizine hydrochloride in the management of allergic pruritus in cats. Can Vet J. 2012;53(1):47-50. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.267 (2026-08-01). |
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Active metabolite of hydroxyzine. Selective peripheral H1 receptor antagonist with minimal CNS penetration and minimal anticholinergic activity.
Less sedating than first-generation antihistamines. Ensure human product does not contain pseudoephedrine (Zyrtec-D). Used for allergic pruritus. Limited efficacy as sole anti-pruritic agent.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Cetirizine dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 5 mg per cat q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Cetirizine in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Cetirizine in cats include: Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Cetirizine is indicated in cats for: Allergic pruritus.
These are general warnings for Cetirizine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Less sedating than first-generation antihistamines. Ensure human product does not contain pseudoephedrine (Zyrtec-D). Used for allergic pruritus. Limited efficacy as sole anti-pruritic agent.
Why a species-specific page? Cetirizine 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.