Metacam Dosage Calculator for Cats

Related Calculators

Meloxicam: The drug in Metacam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for pain and inflammation.

Metacam: A brand name for meloxicam.

mg: Milligrams, a unit for the amount of drug.

mL: Milliliters, a unit for liquid volume.

mg/kg: Milligrams of drug for each kilogram of body weight. This lets a veterinarian scale a dose to the cat's size.

Bottle strength (mg/mL): How many milligrams of meloxicam are in each 1 mL of liquid.

Weight used in the math: Your cat's body weight converted to kilograms when needed, because mg/kg dosing uses kilograms.

Exact liquid amount: The unrounded mL that matches the entered prescription and bottle strength.

Rounded liquid amount: A syringe-friendly mL value based on the step you chose. It may be slightly higher or lower than the exact amount.

Mistake: Entering your cat's weight in pounds while Weight unit is set to kg.
Fix: Match Weight unit to the number you typed, or re-enter Cat weight in the other unit.

Mistake: Typing the bottle concentration into Prescribed dose (mg per kg) or Prescribed total dose (mg) .
Fix: Put only the veterinarian's prescribed dose in the prescription field, and put the bottle label value in Bottle strength or Custom bottle strength (mg/mL) .

Mistake: Confusing mg with mL and entering a liquid amount into Prescribed total dose (mg) .
Fix: If you already have a syringe amount, switch What do you want to calculate? to the liquid-check mode and use Liquid amount .

Mistake: Picking the wrong Bottle strength , especially mixing up 0.5 mg/mL and 1.5 mg/mL.
Fix: Read the bottle label carefully and use the exact strength shown before trusting the Exact liquid amount .

Mistake: Relying only on Rounded liquid amount and ignoring how much rounding changed the dose.
Fix: Check Exact liquid amount first, then compare it with Rounded liquid amount . If the exact amount is tiny, ask your veterinarian if rounding is acceptable.

Mistake: Treating this tool like it chooses the dose for you.
Fix: Use it only to convert or check a veterinarian-provided meloxicam amount, then read the Important safety note before dosing.

• This tool converts a dose that was already prescribed or checks an entered liquid amount. It does not decide whether meloxicam is appropriate for your cat.
• Results are only as safe as the information entered. A wrong Cat weight, wrong Weight unit, or wrong Bottle strength can change the mL a lot.
• The calculator assumes the bottle concentration is accurate and constant, using the exact mg/mL value you selected or entered.
• The mg/kg cross-check depends on body weight. If your cat's current weight is different from the weight used by your veterinarian, the displayed Dose by weight may not match the original prescription basis.
• Rounded values are for practical measuring only. If Rounded liquid amount differs meaningfully from Exact liquid amount, ask your veterinarian before using the rounded value.
• Very small volumes can be hard to measure accurately with a home oral syringe, even when the math is correct.
• In the US, oral meloxicam is not approved for cats. Repeated meloxicam use in cats has been associated with sudden kidney failure and death. Veterinarian-directed extra-label use is allowed only under specific conditions [1]. In the UK, a feline oral product is licensed for specific uses; its instructions depend on the condition and treatment stage [5]. These differences do not make a calculated amount a treatment recommendation.

How the calculator works

This calculator first gets your cat's weight in kilograms, then converts between milligrams of meloxicam and milliliters of liquid using the bottle strength. Which formula is used depends on What do you want to calculate?.

weight_kg = weight_lb / 2.2046226218

dose_mg_total = prescribed_mg_per_kg x weight_kg

volume_ml_exact = dose_mg_total / concentration_mg_per_ml

dose_mg_total = given_volume_ml x concentration_mg_per_ml

dose_mg_per_kg = dose_mg_total / weight_kg

rounded_volume_ml = round(volume_ml_exact / round_step) x round_step

By mode

Dose by weight to mL: The calculator converts Cat weight to kg if needed, multiplies by Prescribed dose (mg per kg) to get the total mg dose, then divides by the selected bottle strength to get Exact liquid amount.

Total mg dose to mL: The calculator uses Prescribed total dose (mg) as the total drug amount, then divides by bottle strength to get mL. It also divides the total mg by weight in kg to show Dose by weight as a cross-check.

Liquid volume to mg dose: The calculator multiplies Liquid amount by bottle strength to get total mg, then divides by weight in kg to show the matching Dose by weight.

Mini example

This is an arithmetic example, not a suggested prescription. If a cat weighs 10 lb, the calculator converts that to about 4.5359 kg using the standard pound-to-kilogram conversion [2]. If the veterinarian-prescribed dose is 0.05 mg/kg, the total dose is 0.05 x 4.5359 = about 0.2268 mg. With a 0.5 mg/mL bottle, the exact liquid amount is 0.2268 / 0.5 = about 0.4536 mL.

Safety checks used

The calculator shows the computed result even if it looks concerning, because hiding the value could make checking harder. The safety note applies at every calculated amount. No numerical cutoff is used to declare a dose safe; suspected overdose or concerning symptoms require immediate veterinary advice. If the exact volume is under 0.01 mL, it also warns that the amount may be hard to measure accurately at home.

Assumptions behind the math

The formulas assume the entered prescription, body weight, and bottle concentration are correct and that the liquid is evenly mixed at the stated strength. Real-world instructions can differ if your veterinarian intentionally uses a specific rounded syringe amount, a different weighing date, or a product with a different concentration. US labeling does not approve oral meloxicam for cats; see the regional limitations and FDA warning above [1].