Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Xylazine is dosed at 0.5–1 mg/kg IM Single dose in cats, per Hartsfield S. Preanesthetic drugs in small animal anesthesia. Presented at: ACVC; 2007. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1348 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1321, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323; 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. Xylazine is used in cats for Sedation, emesis induction. Routes documented in cats: IM. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Xylazine in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Rompun, AnaSed
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 0.5–1 mg/kg | Single dose | 30-60 min sedation | Sedation, emesis induction | Strong | Hartsfield S. Preanesthetic drugs in small animal anesthesia. Presented at: ACVC; 2007. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1348 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.1321, Xylazine monograph spanning p.1319-1323; 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 |
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 (mcg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.452 | 100 μg (micrograms)/kg i.v. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.452 | 0.6 mg/kg i.m. or 1 mg/kg s.c. once (effective in >75% of cats). |
| 1 |
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Alpha-2 adrenergic agonist causing dose-dependent sedation, analgesia, and muscle relaxation. Also activates peripheral alpha-2 receptors causing vasoconstriction and bradycardia.
Profound bradycardia and vomiting (especially cats). Cats more sensitive than dogs. Reversible with atipamezole or yohimbine. Avoid in horses with colic (ileus). 100mg/ml for large animals only.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Xylazine dose range in cats, with cited source references: IM 0.5–1 mg/kg Single dose. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Xylazine in cats: IM.
Cited course lengths for Xylazine in cats include: 30-60 min sedation. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Xylazine is indicated in cats for: Sedation, emesis induction.
These are general warnings for Xylazine across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Profound bradycardia and vomiting (especially cats). Cats more sensitive than dogs. Reversible with atipamezole or yohimbine. Avoid in horses with colic (ileus). 100mg/ml for large animals only.
Why a species-specific page? Xylazine 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.
| SC |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.452 |
| 0.6 mg/kg i.m. or 1 mg/kg s.c. once (effective in >75% of cats). |
| 1.1 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.879 | • 1.1 mg/kg IM. |
| 0.4–0.5 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.879 | • Emetic dose: 0.4-0.5 mg/kg IM, or IV. |
| 0.1–0.5 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.879 | • Short-term treatment of pain: 0.1-0.5 mg/kg IM, IV, or SQ. |
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.