A cat that weighs 11 lb (5 kg) is prescribed antibiotics at a dosage of 0.2 mg/lb (0.44 mg/kg). How many tablets should the cat receive in a single dose if the medication is available only in 2 mg tablets?

To determine the correct dosage for the cat, first, calculate the total amount of antibiotic needed for a single dose based on the cat's weight. The cat weighs 11 lb, and the prescribed dosage is 0.2 mg/lb.

Calculating the total dosage:

0.2 mg/lb x 11 lb = 2.2 mg

Now that we know the cat requires a total of 2.2 mg for a single dose, we need to consider the medication's available formulation, which is in 2 mg tablets.

To find out how many tablets to give, divide the required dosage by the amount in each tablet:

2.2 mg ÷ 2 mg/tablet = 1.1 tablets

Since tablets cannot be divided with precision in a clinical setting without specific guidance from a veterinarian, rounding 1.1 tablets typically leads to rounding down to 1 tablet for a practical dosage formulation.

Thus, prescribing approximately 1 tablet is appropriate. Therefore, the cat should receive around 1 tablet in a single dose, making this the correct choice.