Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Doxycycline is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg PO 5 mg/kg q12h or 10 mg/kg q24h in cats, per Lappin M. Chronic feline infectious disease. Presented at: Western Veterinary Conference; 2006. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.463 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833. Doxycycline is used in cats for Upper respiratory infections, Mycoplasma, Chlamydophila, Bartonella (cat scratch disease), Susceptible bacterial infections (incl. acute respiratory infection), Feline stomatitis adjunct. Routes documented in cats: PO, PO, IV. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 5 cited dose rules for Doxycycline in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Vibramycin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | 5 mg/kg q12h or 10 mg/kg q24h | 14-21 days | Upper respiratory infections, Mycoplasma, Chlamydophila | Strong | Lappin M. Chronic feline infectious disease. Presented at: Western Veterinary Conference; 2006. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.463 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833 |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | 28 days | Bartonella (cat scratch disease) | Moderate | Lappin M. Protozoal and miscellaneous infections. In: Ettinger S, Feldman E, eds. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Diseases of the Dog and Cat. Vol 1. WB Saunders; 2000:408-417. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.463 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h at 5 mg/kg, or q24h at 10 mg/kg | 14-28 days | Susceptible bacterial infections (incl. acute respiratory infection) | Weak | Lappin MR, Blondeau J, Boothe D, et al. Antimicrobial use guidelines for treatment of respiratory tract disease in dogs and cats: Antimicrobial Guidelines Working Group of the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases. J Vet Intern Med. 2017;31:279-294. doi:10.1111/jvim.14627 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.463 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | 14-28 days | Feline stomatitis adjunct | Moderate | Bonenberger T. Typical cat bite abscess, or not: chronic draining tracts & nodules. Presented at: Western Veterinary Conference; 2009. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.463 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia — ISBN 9780813811833, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780813811833 |
| PO, IV | 5 mg/kg | q12h | 28 days | Hemoplasma (Mycoplasma haemofelis) | Strong | Greene C, Hartmannn K, Calpin J. Appendix 8: antimicrobial drug formulary. In: Greene C, ed. Infectious Disease of the Dog and Cat. Elsevier; 2006:1186-1333. doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-2406-4.50080-6 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.463 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.436, Doxycycline monograph spanning p.433-437; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Doxycycline monograph, printed p.436 (corpus PDF p.463), CATS: "Mycoplasma haemofelis ... (extra-label): 10 mg/kg PO once daily or 5 mg/kg PO every 12 hours for 2 to 4 weeks." Corroborated: Papich MG, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th ed, printed p.276: "5 mg/kg q12h PO or IV. 10 mg/kg q24h PO." [CEILING REDUCED 2026-08-12, two readers — the page prints two alternative regimens, and 10 mg/kg belongs to the q24h arm, not this row's q12h arm. The primary reference, Greene Appendix 8 (2006), is not held and was not retrieved.] |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.157 | 10 mg/kg p.o. q24h with food. |
| 5 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.304 | • 5 mg/kg q12h PO or IV. 10 mg/kg q24h PO. |
| 10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.304 | • Heartworm treatment (dogs): 10 mg/kg q12h, PO, administered for 28 days prior |
| 5 | — |
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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.
Inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 30S ribosomal subunit, preventing aminoacyl-tRNA attachment.
Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Doxycycline dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: PO 5–10 mg/kg 5 mg/kg q12h or 10 mg/kg q24h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h at 5 mg/kg, or q24h at 10 mg/kg; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Doxycycline in cats: PO, PO, IV.
Cited course lengths for Doxycycline in cats include: 14-21 days; 28 days; 14-28 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Doxycycline is indicated in cats for: Upper respiratory infections, Mycoplasma, Chlamydophila, Bartonella (cat scratch disease), Susceptible bacterial infections (incl. acute respiratory infection), Feline stomatitis adjunct, Hemoplasma (Mycoplasma haemofelis).
These are general warnings for Doxycycline across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).
Why a species-specific page? Doxycycline 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.
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.304 |
| • Ehrlichia (dogs): 5 mg/kg q12h for at least 14 days. |
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.