Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Methylprednisolone is dosed at 0.5–2 mg/kg PO q24h for induction, then taper to alternate-day in cats, per Yu A. What's New in Atopic Dermatitis in Cats? Proceedings 66th Convention of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Published online 2014.; Ganz EC, Griffin CE, Keys DA, Flatgard TA. Evaluation of methylprednisolone and triamcinolone for the induction and maintenance treatment of pruritus in allergic cats: a double-blinded, randomized, prospective study. Vet Dermatol. 2012;23(5):387-e72. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01058.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.893 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.863, Methylprednisolone monograph spanning p.863-866; 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 | ORIGINAL SOURCE THE BOOK CITES (2026-08-20): the dose row carries superscript 7 — "0.5 mg/kg PO every 24 hours7 tion center specializing in providing vet" — which resolves in the monograph's own reference list to: Nishida H, Tanaka H, Kitamura M, Inaba T, Nakayama M. Methylprednisolone sodium succinate reduces spinal cord swelling but does not affect recovery of dogs with surgically treated thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation. Jpn J Vet Res. 2016;64(3):191-196. This records what the handbook attributes the figure to. It is NOT a statement that the reference was read or that it validates the dose.. Methylprednisolone is used in cats for Anti-inflammatory / immune-mediated disease. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Methylprednisolone in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Medrol
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.5–2 mg/kg | q24h for induction, then taper to alternate-day | Short to medium-term; taper to lowest effective dose | Anti-inflammatory / immune-mediated disease | Strong | Yu A. What's New in Atopic Dermatitis in Cats? Proceedings 66th Convention of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Published online 2014.; Ganz EC, Griffin CE, Keys DA, Flatgard TA. Evaluation of methylprednisolone and triamcinolone for the induction and maintenance treatment of pruritus in allergic cats: a double-blinded, randomized, prospective study. Vet Dermatol. 2012;23(5):387-e72. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3164.2012.01058.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.893 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.863, Methylprednisolone monograph spanning p.863-866; 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 | ORIGINAL SOURCE THE BOOK CITES (2026-08-20): the dose row carries superscript 7 — "0.5 mg/kg PO every 24 hours7 tion center specializing in providing vet" — which resolves in the monograph's own reference list to: Nishida H, Tanaka H, Kitamura M, Inaba T, Nakayama M. Methylprednisolone sodium succinate reduces spinal cord swelling but does not affect recovery of dogs with surgically treated thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation. Jpn J Vet Res. 2016;64(3):191-196. This records what the handbook attributes the figure to. It is NOT a statement that the reference was read or that it validates the dose. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–20 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.547 | • Methylprednisolone acetate: 10-20 mg/cat IM q1-3wk. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.276 | epot injection) i.m. q1-3wk. • Inflammation/flea allergy: 5 mg/kg i.m. (depot injection) every 2 months or 1 mg/kg p.o. q24h reducing to 2-5 mg/c |
Need the exact dose for your patient?
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.
Intermediate-acting synthetic glucocorticoid that suppresses inflammation and immune responses via glucocorticoid receptor-mediated gene transcription changes.
PU/PD, polyphagia, hepatomegaly with chronic use. Taper gradually. Less mineralocorticoid effect than cortisone or hydrocortisone.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Methylprednisolone dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 0.5–2 mg/kg q24h for induction, then taper to alternate-day. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Methylprednisolone in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Methylprednisolone in cats include: Short to medium-term; taper to lowest effective dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Methylprednisolone is indicated in cats for: Anti-inflammatory / immune-mediated disease.
These are general warnings for Methylprednisolone across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. PU/PD, polyphagia, hepatomegaly with chronic use. Taper gradually. Less mineralocorticoid effect than cortisone or hydrocortisone.
Why a species-specific page? Methylprednisolone 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.
| 1 |
| PO |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.276 |
| 5 mg/kg i.m. (depot injection) every 2 months or 1 mg/kg p.o. q24h reducing to 2-5 mg/cat p.o. q48h. Methylthioninium chloride (Methylene |
| 1–2 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.276 | 1-2 mg/kg (depot injection) i.m. q1-3wk. • Inflammation/flea allergy: 5 mg/kg i.m. (depot injecti |
| 30 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.547 | • Methylprednisolone sodium succinate (for emergency use): 30 mg/kg IV and |
| 15 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.547 | repeat at 15 mg/kg in 2-6 hours IV. Replacement or anti-inflammatory therapy: |
| 0.25–0.5 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.547 | use 0.25-0.5 mg/kg/day. |
| 0.22–0.44 | PO | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.547 | • Methylprednisolone: 0.22-0.44 mg/kg q12-24h PO. |
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.