Clindamycin for Cats

Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg

Clindamycin is dosed at 5.5–11 mg/kg PO 5.5 q12h or 11 q24h; max 14 days in cats, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.282, Clindamycin monograph spanning p.282-285; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Plumb's 10th ed printed p.283, Clindamycin monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Clindamycin is used in cats for Skin infections (deep wounds, abscesses) and dental infections. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Clindamycin in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

US trade names: Antirobe, Cleocin

Contraindicated in Mouse, Pet Rat, Gerbil, Prairie Dog, Horse (Equine), Cattle / Sheep / Goat, Rabbit, Chinchilla, Hamster, Degu, Guinea Pig

Mouse: Lincosamides cause fatal diarrhea in MousePlumb's states of the lincosamides: "Do NOT give this medicine to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs, as it may cause fatal diarrhea," and elsewhere that "the lincosamides are considered contraindicated for use in horses, ruminants, rabbits." The mechanism is the same selective destruction of gram-positive gut flora that kills rabbits. Added 2026-08-11 after an audit found this species unreachable by any token, so this warning could never fire for it.
Pet Rat: Lincosamides cause fatal diarrhea in Pet RatPlumb's states of the lincosamides: "Do NOT give this medicine to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs, as it may cause fatal diarrhea," and elsewhere that "the lincosamides are considered contraindicated for use in horses, ruminants, rabbits." The mechanism is the same selective destruction of gram-positive gut flora that kills rabbits. Added 2026-08-11 after an audit found this species unreachable by any token, so this warning could never fire for it.
Gerbil: Lincosamides cause fatal diarrhea in GerbilPlumb's states of the lincosamides: "Do NOT give this medicine to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs, as it may cause fatal diarrhea," and elsewhere that "the lincosamides are considered contraindicated for use in horses, ruminants, rabbits." The mechanism is the same selective destruction of gram-positive gut flora that kills rabbits. Added 2026-08-11 after an audit found this species unreachable by any token, so this warning could never fire for it.
Prairie Dog: Lincosamides cause fatal diarrhea in Prairie DogPlumb's states of the lincosamides: "Do NOT give this medicine to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs, as it may cause fatal diarrhea," and elsewhere that "the lincosamides are considered contraindicated for use in horses, ruminants, rabbits." The mechanism is the same selective destruction of gram-positive gut flora that kills rabbits. Added 2026-08-11 after an audit found this species unreachable by any token, so this warning could never fire for it.
Horse (Equine): Lincosamides cause fatal diarrhea in Horse (Equine)Plumb's states of the lincosamides: "Do NOT give this medicine to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs, as it may cause fatal diarrhea," and elsewhere that "the lincosamides are considered contraindicated for use in horses, ruminants, rabbits." The mechanism is the same selective destruction of gram-positive gut flora that kills rabbits. Added 2026-08-11 after an audit found this species unreachable by any token, so this warning could never fire for it.
Cattle / Sheep / Goat: Lincosamides cause fatal diarrhea in Cattle / Sheep / GoatPlumb's states of the lincosamides: "Do NOT give this medicine to horses, cattle, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits, mice, rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs, as it may cause fatal diarrhea," and elsewhere that "the lincosamides are considered contraindicated for use in horses, ruminants, rabbits." The mechanism is the same selective destruction of gram-positive gut flora that kills rabbits. Added 2026-08-11 after an audit found this species unreachable by any token, so this warning could never fire for it.
Rabbit: Oral lincosamides cause fatal dysbiosis in rabbitsSame mechanism as oral beta-lactams — selective destruction of gram-positive hindgut flora. Never administer oral clindamycin or lincomycin to rabbits.
Chinchilla: Oral lincosamides cause fatal dysbiosis in chinchillasClindamycin and lincomycin destroy gram-positive hindgut flora and precipitate fatal Clostridium enterotoxemia in chinchillas. Never administer.
Hamster: Oral lincosamides cause fatal enterocolitis in hamstersClindamycin and lincomycin are among the antibiotics that induce fatal Clostridium difficile enterocolitis in hamsters. Never administer.
Degu: Oral lincosamides risk fatal dysbiosis in degusExtrapolated from chinchillas and guinea pigs (shared caviomorph hindgut physiology): oral clindamycin/lincomycin should be treated as contraindicated in degus.
Guinea Pig: Oral lincosamides cause fatal dysbiosis in guinea pigsClindamycin and lincomycin cause the same fatal Clostridium enterotoxemia in guinea pigs as oral beta-lactams. Never administer.

Dose ranges

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	5.5–11 mg/kg	5.5 q12h or 11 q24h; max 14 days	14-21 days	Skin infections (deep wounds, abscesses) and dental infections	Strong	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.282, Clindamycin monograph spanning p.282-285; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — figure located 2026-08-05 at Plumb's 10th ed printed p.283, Clindamycin monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

What each reference text prints

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.

Printed doses in mg/kg for this drug and species, by source
Dose (mg/kg)	Route	Source	As printed
5.5	PO	BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.108	• 5.5 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 11 mg/kg q24h.
11	—	BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.108	• 5.5 mg/kg p.o. q12h or 11 mg/kg q24h.
25	PO	BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.108	25 mg/kg p.o. daily in divided doses; increased doses of 30-50 mg/kg p.o. daily have be
30–50

Report an error in this entry

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.

Calculate for this cat →

Mechanism of action

Binds 50S ribosomal subunit, inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. Bacteriostatic; bactericidal at high concentrations.

Side effects & warnings

CONTRAINDICATED in rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and chinchillas (fatal dysbiosis). Good bone penetration. May cause GI upset, esophagitis in cats.

Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.

Frequently asked questions

What is the dose of Clindamycin for Cats?

Clindamycin dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 5.5–11 mg/kg 5.5 q12h or 11 q24h; max 14 days. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.

How is Clindamycin administered in Cats?

Documented routes for Clindamycin in cats: PO.

How long is Clindamycin given in Cats?

Cited course lengths for Clindamycin in cats include: 14-21 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.

What conditions does Clindamycin treat in Cats?

Clindamycin is indicated in cats for: Skin infections (deep wounds, abscesses) and dental infections.

What are the side effects of Clindamycin in Cats?

These are general warnings for Clindamycin across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. CONTRAINDICATED in rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and chinchillas (fatal dysbiosis). Good bone penetration. May cause GI upset, esophagitis in cats.

Other Antibiotic drugs with cat dosing

Amikacin Amoxicillin Amoxicillin Injectable Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Ampicillin Azithromycin Bacitracin Carbenicillin Cefaclor Cefadroxil Cefazolin Cefdinir

Clindamycin dosing in other species

African Grey Parrots African Pygmy Hedgehogs Dogs Domestic Pigeons Ferrets Lovebirds Mice Pet Rats

See all species for Clindamycin See all drugs for Cats

Why a species-specific page? Clindamycin 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.