Amoxicillin to Treat UTIs in Cats

Amoxicillin is an antibiotic used to treat infections in cats and dogs. Amoxicillin is regularly used by veterinarians due to its availability, and low incidence of side effects. The drug is manufactured mainly by Pfizer, under the trade name Amoxi-Tabs, and Amoxi-Drops.

  1. What Amoxicillin Is

    • Amoxicillin is an antibiotic that kills harmful bacteria and prevents further growth. It is used mainly to treat infections in cats, especially skin infections (such as hot spots), wounds, and urinary tract infections (UTI's). Amoxicillin is related to the drug penicillin, and while it is useful against infection, it is not effective against gastrointestinal (GI) parasites, such as roundworms and tapeworms.

    Identifying a UTI in Your Cat

    • Observe your cat for out of the ordinary behavior, especially repeatedly urinating outside of its litter box. UTIs cause a burning or irritating feeling in your cat's urethra, and will make your cat feel as though it has to urinate frequently. Take a urine sample from your cat to the veterinarian for analysis. If you cannot get a urine sample, take your cat to veterinarian, and they will attempt to get one at the clinic. If a UTI is diagnosed, your cat will likely be placed on Amoxicillin for treatment.

    Amoxicillin Availability

    • Amoxicillin is available in both an oral tablet form (Amoxi-Tabs), as well as an oral liquid (Amoxi-Drops). Dosing for cats is 10 mg to 25 mg per pound of body weight, given two to three times daily depending on severity of the infection. Side effects associated with Amoxicillin are mild, with the most common side effect being diarrhea.