Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Loratadine is dosed at 0.5 mg/kg PO q24h 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.777, Loratadine monograph; 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 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Loratadine monograph, printed p.778 (corpus PDF p.805), CATS: "Antihistamine (extra-label): Anecdotal dosages of 0.5 mg/kg PO once daily or 2.5 - 5 mg/cat (NOT […]" [CEILING REDUCED 2026-08-12, two readers — the 1 mg/kg figure in Muller & Kirk's Table 8-3 sits in the DOG column, and that row's cat cell is empty.]. Loratadine is used in cats for Allergic dermatitis. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Loratadine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Claritin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5 mg/kgmax 5 mg total | q24h | Long-term; very limited feline data | Allergic dermatitis | Extrapolated | 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.777, Loratadine monograph; 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 — Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (held), Loratadine monograph, printed p.778 (corpus PDF p.805), CATS: "Antihistamine (extra-label): Anecdotal dosages of 0.5 mg/kg PO once daily or 2.5 - 5 mg/cat (NOT […]" [CEILING REDUCED 2026-08-12, two readers — the 1 mg/kg figure in Muller & Kirk's Table 8-3 sits in the DOG column, and that row's cat cell is empty.] |
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Long-acting non-sedating antihistamine that selectively blocks peripheral H1 receptors with minimal anticholinergic or CNS depressant effects.
Generally well tolerated. Desloratadine is the active metabolite. Limited veterinary efficacy data but commonly used off-label.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Loratadine dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 0.5 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Loratadine in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Loratadine in cats include: Long-term; very limited feline data. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Loratadine is indicated in cats for: Allergic dermatitis.
These are general warnings for Loratadine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Generally well tolerated. Desloratadine is the active metabolite. Limited veterinary efficacy data but commonly used off-label.
Why a species-specific page? Loratadine 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.