Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Meloxicam is dosed at 0.01–0.05 mg/kg PO q24h in cats, per METACAM - Meloxicam 0.5 Mg/Ml Oral Suspension for Cats and Guinea Pigs [UK Datasheet]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd; 2018. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.855 (2026-08-01).. Meloxicam is used in cats for Pain, musculoskeletal, post-operative, Feline asthma adjunct (anti-inflammatory), Feline osteoarthritis (chronic low-dose), Post-operative analgesia. Routes documented in cats: PO, SC. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 4 cited dose rules for Meloxicam in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Metacam
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q24h | Short-term preferred; chronic use controversial | Pain, musculoskeletal, post-operative | Strong | METACAM - Meloxicam 0.5 Mg/Ml Oral Suspension for Cats and Guinea Pigs [UK Datasheet]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd; 2018. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.855 (2026-08-01). |
| PO | 0.01–0.05 mg/kg | q24h | Short course only | Feline asthma adjunct (anti-inflammatory) | Weak | METACAM - Meloxicam 0.5 Mg/Ml Oral Suspension for Cats and Guinea Pigs [UK Datasheet]. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd; 2018. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ca78caf5-2b47-46c1-abec-0f925b39f455 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.855 (2026-08-01). |
| PO | 0.01–0.03 mg/kg | q24h | Chronic with regular monitoring | Feline osteoarthritis (chronic low-dose) | Moderate | Papich, Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, Meloxicam, Instructions for Use, printed pp.489-490 (corpus PDF pp.517-518) |
| SC | 0.1–0.2 mg/kg | once | Single peri-operative dose only | Post-operative analgesia | Strong | Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.854 (2026-08-01). |
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Preferential COX-2 inhibitor, reducing prostaglandin synthesis. Provides anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects.
Use with extreme caution in cats. Jurisdiction-specific labeling: the US (FDA) label authorizes a single SC dose only, with a boxed warning against repeated use; EU/UK/AU labels authorize repeated oral dosing for chronic musculoskeletal pain — follow your jurisdiction's label. GI ulceration risk. Avoid in dehydrated, hypovolemic, or renally compromised patients. Do not combine with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Meloxicam dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: PO 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q24h; PO 0.01–0.05 mg/kg q24h; PO 0.01–0.03 mg/kg q24h; SC 0.1–0.2 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Meloxicam in cats: PO, SC.
Cited course lengths for Meloxicam in cats include: Short-term preferred; chronic use controversial; Short course only; Chronic with regular monitoring; Single peri-operative dose only. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Meloxicam is indicated in cats for: Pain, musculoskeletal, post-operative, Feline asthma adjunct (anti-inflammatory), Feline osteoarthritis (chronic low-dose), Post-operative analgesia.
These are general warnings for Meloxicam across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Use with extreme caution in cats. Jurisdiction-specific labeling: the US (FDA) label authorizes a single SC dose only, with a boxed warning against repeated use; EU/UK/AU labels authorize repeated oral dosing for chronic musculoskeletal pain — follow your jurisdiction's label. GI ulceration risk. Avoid in dehydrated, hypovolemic, or renally compromised patients. Do not combine with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids.
Why a species-specific page? Meloxicam 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.