Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Zonisamide is dosed at 5–10 mg/kg PO q24h in cats, per Brewer DM, Cerda-Gonzalez S, Dewey CW. Zonisamide therapy for refractory seizures in five cats withttpresumptive idiopathic epilepsy. J Vet Intern Med. 2010;24:739-739.; Bailey KS, Dewey CW. The seizuring cat: diagnostic work-up and therapy. J Feline Med Surg. 2009;11(5):385-394. PMID: 19389638 — Verified against BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A, p.456 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.456' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.440; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.440. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705. Zonisamide is used in cats for Epilepsy. Routes documented in cats: PO. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Zonisamide in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Zonegran
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 5–10 mg/kg | q24h | Long-term | Epilepsy | Moderate | Brewer DM, Cerda-Gonzalez S, Dewey CW. Zonisamide therapy for refractory seizures in five cats withttpresumptive idiopathic epilepsy. J Vet Intern Med. 2010;24:739-739.; Bailey KS, Dewey CW. The seizuring cat: diagnostic work-up and therapy. J Feline Med Surg. 2009;11(5):385-394. PMID: 19389638 — Verified against BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th Ed, Part A, p.456 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.456' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.440; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.440. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–10 | PO | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.456 | Starting dose of 5-10 mg/kg p.o. q24h is suggested. |
| 10 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.891 | • Dose regimens have not been defined in cats, but 10 mg/kg has been used in |
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.
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.
Multiple mechanisms: blocks voltage-gated sodium and T-type calcium channels, enhances GABA release, and has mild carbonic anhydrase inhibitory activity.
Second-line anticonvulsant or add-on therapy. Sedation, ataxia, GI upset. Decreased appetite in some dogs. Renal tubular acidosis reported (rare). Monitor serum levels. Dogs and cats.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Zonisamide dose range in cats, with cited source references: PO 5–10 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Zonisamide in cats: PO.
Cited course lengths for Zonisamide in cats include: Long-term. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Zonisamide is indicated in cats for: Epilepsy.
These are general warnings for Zonisamide across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Second-line anticonvulsant or add-on therapy. Sedation, ataxia, GI upset. Decreased appetite in some dogs. Renal tubular acidosis reported (rare). Monitor serum levels. Dogs and cats.
Why a species-specific page? Zonisamide 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.