Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Meropenem is dosed at 10 mg/kg SC, IM, IV q12h 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.837, Meropenem monograph spanning p.837-838; 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 — CORRECTED 2026-08-10: Plumb's 10th ed printed p.838 (corpus plumb p.865) CATS: block prints "10 mg/kg IV, SC, or IM every 12 hours" for MDR UTIs incl. P aeruginosa and "10 mg/kg SC, IM, or IV every 12 hours" for systemic/soft-tissue Enterobacteriaceae. Papich p.525: "Cats - 10 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV, q12h." VPT p.873: "The dose for cats, based on pharmacokinetic studies, is 10 mg/kg twice daily, SC, IM, or IV.". Meropenem is used in cats for Severe MDR infections. Routes documented in cats: SC, IM, IV. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Meropenem in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Merrem
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC, IM, IV | 10 mg/kg | q12h | 7-14 days | Severe MDR infections | Moderate | 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.837, Meropenem monograph spanning p.837-838; 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 — CORRECTED 2026-08-10: Plumb's 10th ed printed p.838 (corpus plumb p.865) CATS: block prints "10 mg/kg IV, SC, or IM every 12 hours" for MDR UTIs incl. P aeruginosa and "10 mg/kg SC, IM, or IV every 12 hours" for systemic/soft-tissue Enterobacteriaceae. Papich p.525: "Cats - 10 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV, q12h." VPT p.873: "The dose for cats, based on pharmacokinetic studies, is 10 mg/kg twice daily, SC, IM, or IV." |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.525 | • 10 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV, q12h. |
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.
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Ultra-broad spectrum beta-lactam. Binds PBPs 2 and 3. Stable against most beta-lactamases including AmpC and ESBLs. Bactericidal.
Reserve for serious MDR infections. Lower seizure risk than imipenem. Reconstituted solution stable only 1-4 hours at room temperature.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meropenem dose range in cats, with cited source references: SC, IM, IV 10 mg/kg q12h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meropenem in cats: SC, IM, IV.
Cited course lengths for Meropenem in cats include: 7-14 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Meropenem is indicated in cats for: Severe MDR infections.
These are general warnings for Meropenem across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Reserve for serious MDR infections. Lower seizure risk than imipenem. Reconstituted solution stable only 1-4 hours at room temperature.
Why a species-specific page? Meropenem 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.