Metacam Dosage Calculator for Cats

It depends on the indication and your country. The EU/UK label for Metacam 0.5 mg/mL oral suspension for cats: acute musculo-skeletal pain — a single day-1 dose of 0.2 mg/kg, then 0.05 mg/kg once daily; chronic musculo-skeletal pain (arthritis) — a single day-1 dose of 0.1 mg/kg, then 0.05 mg/kg once daily; post-op oral follow-up after the vet's injection — 0.05 mg/kg once daily for up to 4 days. For example, a 4 kg cat with chronic pain works out to 0.40 mg on day 1 and 0.20 mg daily after. In the US, oral meloxicam is not approved for cats — the approved feline use is a single 0.3 mg/kg injection given by a veterinarian. This is an educational estimate of the label formulas — your veterinarian must confirm the dose, since they know your cat's health history.

The label's drop dispenser delivers 30 drops per mL (about 0.017 mg per drop): 0.2 mg/kg = 12 drops per kg, 0.1 mg/kg = 6 drops per kg, and 0.05 mg/kg = 3 drops per kg of body weight. So a 5 kg cat's acute day-1 dose is 60 drops, and the daily maintenance dose from day 2 is 3 drops per kg. Count drops carefully with the bottle's own drop dispenser, always round the count down, and never exceed the label amount — overdosing a cat is easy and dangerous.

Divide the mg dose by the suspension strength (0.5 mg/mL). A 5 kg cat with acute pain: day 1 = 1.00 mg = 2.00 mL; maintenance = 0.25 mg = 0.50 mL. A 10 lb cat with chronic pain: day 1 = 0.45 mg = 0.90 mL; maintenance = 0.23 mg = 0.45 mL. This calculator always rounds practical amounts down, never up — and you should never exceed the calculated amount without your vet's direction.

Cats clear NSAIDs from their body much more slowly than dogs do — they have a reduced liver pathway (glucuronidation) for detoxifying these drugs. The feline maintenance dose (0.05 mg/kg) is half the canine maintenance dose (0.1 mg/kg), and the feline suspension (0.5 mg/mL) is three times more dilute than the dog product (1.5 mg/mL). Using dog doses or the dog product in a cat can cause fatal kidney failure — always use the cat product and the cat dose.

No — never. The 1.5 mg/mL canine oral suspension is not approved for cats and is specifically contraindicated: it is three times as concentrated as the feline 0.5 mg/mL product, so a normal-looking volume delivers three times the dose. The FDA feline label carries a boxed warning that repeated meloxicam use in cats is associated with acute renal failure and death. The feline-approved oral product is the 0.5 mg/mL suspension (available in the EU/UK, Canada, and some other markets). If you only have the dog product, ask your vet — do not guess a conversion.

Meloxicam is eliminated slowly in cats, so repeated doses can accumulate and damage the kidneys. After reports of acute renal failure and death, the FDA label for Metacam in cats carries a boxed warning: repeated use of meloxicam in cats has been associated with acute renal failure and death, and no additional injectable or oral meloxicam should be given after the single approved injection. This is why cats get far lower doses than dogs, strict duration limits, and why a vet must supervise any use.

Only your veterinarian should decide. Per the label: post-op oral follow-up — up to 4 days; chronic musculo-skeletal pain — stop after 14 days at the latest if there is no clinical improvement; acute pain — once daily for as long as acute pain and inflammation persist, vet-guided. In the US there is no approved repeated oral use in cats at all: one single injection only. Long-term use anywhere means the lowest effective dose with regular veterinary checkups and kidney bloodwork.

Do not give meloxicam to: cats under 6 weeks old or under 2 kg; pregnant or nursing cats; dehydrated cats; cats with kidney, liver, or heart disease; cats with GI ulceration or bleeding; cats with bleeding disorders; or cats with known hypersensitivity to meloxicam or other NSAIDs. Never combine it with another NSAID, a corticosteroid, an anticoagulant, or an aminoglycoside antibiotic without your veterinarian's direction. Use the checklist above to screen before any dose — and confirm with your vet regardless.

As with any NSAID, watch for vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, black or tarry stools, lethargy, increased or decreased thirst and urination, or yellowing of the gums/eyes — these can signal GI, kidney, or liver problems. Stop the drug and contact your veterinarian promptly if any appear. Severe signs (collapse, bloody vomit or stool, complete refusal to eat or drink) are an emergency. The label advises the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with response.

Both come with the feline 0.5 mg/mL bottle. The measuring syringe has a kg scale that corresponds to the maintenance dose (0.05 mg/kg) and is only for cats of at least 2 kg — the label rounds the weight down to the nearest whole kg; on day 1 draw twice the maintenance volume for chronic pain or four times for acute pain. The drop dispenser works for cats of any bodyweight (3/6/12 drops per kg). A 4 kg cat sets the syringe to the 4 kg mark = 0.40 mL for maintenance.

Yes — shake the bottle well first, then give the oral suspension either mixed with food or directly into the mouth, once daily at 24-hour intervals. If you miss a dose, give it when you remember unless it is almost time for the next one — then skip it and resume the normal schedule. Never give a double dose to catch up, and never repeat a day-1 dose on a later day unless your veterinarian instructs it. If unsure, call your vet rather than guessing.

No. This tool gives an educational estimate of the feline Metacam label formulas (day-1 0.1/0.2/0.05 mg/kg by indication, then 0.05 mg/kg once daily, 0.5 mg/mL suspension) with practical amounts always rounded down, but it does not know your cat's weight history, kidney or liver health, GI history, or other medications. Meloxicam is a prescription NSAID with a boxed warning about kidney failure and death in cats — confirm every dose, the duration, and the treatment plan with your veterinarian.