Safe Antibiotics for Cats

There are not many antibiotics that are specifically made for cats, so many times a vet will have to use a human antibiotic, but at a greatly reduced dosage. According to the University of California in Davis, the cat needs to be diagnosed with an infection before given any medication. Otherwise, the side effects may be worse than the initial infection.

Types

"Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" lists 17 separate feline antibiotics. These can be broken down into two types--those that kill bacteria (bacteriostatic) and those that kill fungi (fungistatic).

Time Frame

Unless the cat develops symptoms of an allergy or bad side effect, it needs to stay on the antibiotic for at least 48 hours.

Allergies

Individual cats, like individual people, can be allergic to an antibiotic. "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" lists allergic reactions as itchy skin, watering eyes, problems breathing and collapse.

Considerations

According to UC Davis, cats should only be given antibiotics when the infection is in a specific area of the cat. A generalized infection means the cats will be more likely to suffer from severe side effects.

Active Ingredients

Some common cat safe antibiotics are tetracycline, penicillin G, neomycin, gentamycin, chloramphenical, griseofulvin and the brand name Clavamox, a combination drug.

References

• Cat Owner's Home Veterianry Handbook (Delbert G. Carlson, DVM, et al; 1995)
• UC Davis Information Sheet: Antibiotics Commonly Used in Animal Shelters
• Veterinary Partner.com: Feline Antibiotics

Resources

• Giving Oral Medications to a Cat
• Tetracycline (Panmycin)
• Find a Veterinarian