Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Fluconazole is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg IV q12-24h 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.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; 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.532, Fluconazole monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Fluconazole is used in cats for Severe systemic mycoses, CNS cryptococcosis, Nasal cryptococcosis, Cryptococcosis, dermatophytosis. Routes documented in cats: IV, PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 4 cited dose rules for Fluconazole in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Diflucan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 5–10 mg/kg | q12-24h | Until oral feasible | Severe systemic mycoses |
| 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.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; 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.532, Fluconazole monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| PO | 10–15 mg/kg | q12h | 6+ months; until antigen negative | CNS cryptococcosis | 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.532, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; 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 | Until antigen titers negative | Nasal cryptococcosis | Strong | Vaden SL, Heit MC, Hawkins EC, Manaugh C, Riviere JE. Fluconazole in cats: Pharmacokinetics following intravenous and oral administration and penetration into cerebrospinal fluid, aqueous humour and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1997;20(3):181-186. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2885.1997.tb00093.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.559 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics — ISBN 9781118855829, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781118855829 |
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q12h | Weeks to months | Cryptococcosis, dermatophytosis | Strong | Vaden SL, Heit MC, Hawkins EC, Manaugh C, Riviere JE. Fluconazole in cats: Pharmacokinetics following intravenous and oral administration and penetration into cerebrospinal fluid, aqueous humour and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1997;20(3):181-186. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2885.1997.tb00093.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.559 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.530, Fluconazole monograph spanning p.530-533; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics — ISBN 9781118855829, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781118855829 |
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/animal) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.358 | • 50 mg/cat per once daily PO; in refractory cases, increase to 50 mg per cat q12h |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.183 | coccus infection. • Dermatophytosis, nasal cryptococcosis: 5 mg/kg p.o. q24h. For dermatophytosis, administer for 3 periods of 7 days, with 7 days wit |
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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 fungal cytochrome P450 enzyme 14-alpha-demethylase, blocking ergosterol synthesis and disrupting fungal cell membrane.
Hepatotoxic: monitor liver enzymes during prolonged therapy. Drug interactions via CYP450 inhibition. Good CNS and ocular penetration.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Fluconazole dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IV 5–10 mg/kg q12-24h; PO 10–15 mg/kg q12h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h; PO 5–10 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Fluconazole in cats: IV, PO.
Cited course lengths for Fluconazole in cats include: Until oral feasible; 6+ months; until antigen negative; Until antigen titers negative; Weeks to months. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Fluconazole is indicated in cats for: Severe systemic mycoses, CNS cryptococcosis, Nasal cryptococcosis, Cryptococcosis, dermatophytosis.
These are general warnings for Fluconazole across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Hepatotoxic: monitor liver enzymes during prolonged therapy. Drug interactions via CYP450 inhibition. Good CNS and ocular penetration.
Why a species-specific page? Fluconazole 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.
| 5–10 |
| — |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.183 |
| 5-10 mg/kg q24h. |
| 10 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.358 | PO (10 mg/kg q12h). In most cases it is administered once daily. |
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.