Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Furosemide is dosed at 1–3 mg/kg IM, IV, SC q6-8h 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.563, Furosemide monograph spanning p.563-567; 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.564, Furosemide monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Furosemide monograph, printed p.566 (corpus PDF p.593), CATS, Extra-Label Dosages: "Severe acute cardiogenic or pulmonary edema (parenteral administration): 1 - 3 mg/kg IV, IM, or SC […]" [CEILING REDUCED 2026-08-12, two readers — the served 1-4 mg/kg is the canine bolus figure printed on the facing page, printed p.565.]. Furosemide is used in cats for CHF when IV not available, Acute CHF (emergency), CHF, pleural effusion, Pleural effusion (chronic management). Routes documented in cats: IM, IV, SC, IV, PO, SC. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 5 cited dose rules for Furosemide in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Lasix, Salix
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM, IV, SC | 1–3 mg/kg | q6-8h | Until stabilized | CHF when IV not available | 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.563, Furosemide monograph spanning p.563-567; 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.564, Furosemide monograph; the page cited previously does not carry it. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Furosemide monograph, printed p.566 (corpus PDF p.593), CATS, Extra-Label Dosages: "Severe acute cardiogenic or pulmonary edema (parenteral administration): 1 - 3 mg/kg IV, IM, or SC […]" [CEILING REDUCED 2026-08-12, two readers — the served 1-4 mg/kg is the canine bolus figure printed on the facing page, printed p.565.] |
| IV | 1–4 mg/kg | q1-4h | Emergency | Acute CHF (emergency) | Weak | Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th Ed., 'Furosemide', Small Animal Dosage, printed p.348 (corpus page 376): 'Cats — Start with 1 mg/kg, then increase as needed, within a range of 1-4 mg/kg q8-24h IV, IM, SQ, or PO.' — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th. — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855 |
| PO | 1–2 mg/kg | q12-24h | Chronic; lowest effective dose | CHF, pleural effusion | Strong | Cote E. Feline congestive heart failure: Current diagnosis and management. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2017;47(5):1055-1064. PMID: 28647113 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.593 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.563, Furosemide monograph spanning p.563-567; 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 |
| PO | 1–2 mg/kg | q12-24h | Chronic | Pleural effusion (chronic management) | Strong | Cote E. Feline congestive heart failure: Current diagnosis and management. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2017;47(5):1055-1064. PMID: 28647113 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.593 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.563, Furosemide monograph spanning p.563-567; 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 |
| SC | 1–2 mg/kg | q12-24h | Chronic | CHF maintenance | Moderate | DeFrancesco TC. Management of cardiac emergencies in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2013;43(4):817-842. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2013.03.012 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.593 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.563, Furosemide monograph spanning p.563-567; 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.193 | • Acute, life-threatening congestive heart failure: 1-2 mg/kg i.v., i.m. q0.5-4h as required, based on improvement in respiratory rate and ef |
| 1–5 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.193 | l effusion present. • Chronic, congestive heart failure: 1-5 mg/kg p.o. q6-12h. Typical maintenance doses for mild to moderate CHF are 1-2 mg/kg p |
| 1–2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.193 | d to moderate CHF are 1-2 mg/kg p.o. q8-24h (dogs) and 1-2 mg/kg p.o. q12-48h (cats). The goal is to use the lowest dose of furosemide that effective |
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Inhibits sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter (NKCC2) in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, producing potent diuresis.
Monitor electrolytes (hypokalemia, hyponatremia). Ototoxicity at high IV doses. Dehydration risk. May worsen renal azotemia. Adjust dose based on clinical response.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Furosemide dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IM, IV, SC 1–3 mg/kg q6-8h; IV 1–4 mg/kg q1-4h; PO 1–2 mg/kg q12-24h; PO 1–2 mg/kg q12-24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Furosemide in cats: IM, IV, SC, IV, PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Furosemide in cats include: Until stabilized; Emergency; Chronic; lowest effective dose; Chronic. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Furosemide is indicated in cats for: CHF when IV not available, Acute CHF (emergency), CHF, pleural effusion, Pleural effusion (chronic management), CHF maintenance.
These are general warnings for Furosemide across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Monitor electrolytes (hypokalemia, hyponatremia). Ototoxicity at high IV doses. Dehydration risk. May worsen renal azotemia. Adjust dose based on clinical response.
Why a species-specific page? Furosemide 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.
| 2–4 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.193 | g/kg i.v. If no diuresis within 1 hour, repeat dose at 2-4 mg/kg i.v. If no response within 1 hour give another dose at 2-4 mg/kg i.v. Alternatively |
| 2 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.193 | ly monitor fluid input and output. Give furosemide at 2 mg/kg i.v. If no diuresis within 1 hour, repeat dose at 2-4 mg/kg i.v. If no response with |
| 1 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.376 | • Start with 1 mg/kg, then increase as needed, within a range of 1-4 mg/kg |
| 1–4 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.376 | • Start with 1 mg/kg, then increase as needed, within a range of 1-4 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.