Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Diazepam is dosed at 0.5–1 mg/kg IV q5 min (max 3 doses) in cats, per BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A - Canine and Feline (2020), printed p.121 (corpus PDF p.137), 'Cats: Emergency management of seizures including status epilepticus' — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705. Diazepam is used in cats for Status epilepticus, Appetite stimulation. Routes documented in cats: IV, PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Diazepam in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Valium
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 0.5–1 mg/kg | q5 min (max 3 doses) | Emergency | Status epilepticus | Weak | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A - Canine and Feline (2020), printed p.121 (corpus PDF p.137), 'Cats: Emergency management of seizures including status epilepticus' — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705 |
| PO | 0.2–0.5 mg/kg | q12-24h | Short-term (1-3 days) | Appetite stimulation | Weak | 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.378, Diazepam monograph spanning p.378-381; 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.381, Diazepam monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
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 (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • CRI: 15 mcg/kg/min (1 mg/kg/hr), which can be decreased by 50% in some |
| Dose (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • CRI: 15 mcg/kg/min (1 mg/kg/hr), which can be decreased by 50% in some |
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Enhances GABA-A receptor activity by binding the benzodiazepine site, increasing chloride ion conductance, producing sedation, anxiolysis, muscle relaxation, and anticonvulsant effects.
HEPATOTOXICITY in cats (oral use — acute hepatic necrosis, sometimes fatal). Short duration in dogs (rapid redistribution). Avoid IM (erratic absorption). Reversible with flumazenil. Controlled substance.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Diazepam dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IV 0.5–1 mg/kg q5 min (max 3 doses); PO 0.2–0.5 mg/kg q12-24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Diazepam in cats: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Diazepam in cats include: Emergency; Short-term (1-3 days). Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Diazepam is indicated in cats for: Status epilepticus, Appetite stimulation.
These are general warnings for Diazepam across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. HEPATOTOXICITY in cats (oral use — acute hepatic necrosis, sometimes fatal). Short duration in dogs (rapid redistribution). Avoid IM (erratic absorption). Reversible with flumazenil. Controlled substance.
Why a species-specific page? Diazepam 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.
| Dose (mg/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|
| 1–4 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • Behavior treatment (cats): 1-4 mg/cat q12-24h PO. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2–0.4 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.136 | 0.2-0.4 mg/kg p.o. q8h. |
| 0.1–0.2 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.136 | 0.1-0.2 mg/kg i.v. once. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th edition: Part A - Canine and Feline |
| 0.5–1 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.137 | f seizures including status epilepticus: bolus dose of 0.5-1 mg/kg i.v. or intrarectally if venous access is not available. Time to onset of clinical e |
| 1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • CRI: 15 mcg/kg/min (1 mg/kg/hr), which can be decreased by 50% in some |
| 0.2 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • Appetite stimulant (cats): 0.2 mg/kg IV. |
| 0.5–2 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • Behavior treatment (dogs): 0.5-2 mg/kg q4-6h, PO. |
| 1 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • Status epilepticus: 0.5 mg/kg IV, 0.5-1 mg/kg sprayed intranasal, or 1 mg/kg |
| 0.5–1 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • Status epilepticus: 0.5 mg/kg IV, 0.5-1 mg/kg sprayed intranasal, or 1 mg/kg |
| 0.5 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.257 | • Status epilepticus: 0.5 mg/kg IV, 0.5-1 mg/kg sprayed intranasal, or 1 mg/kg |
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.