Each ml of Metacam Oral Suspension for Cats contains 0.5 mg meloxicam as active ingredient (equivalent to 0.017 mg per drop) and 1.5 mg sodium benzoate (equivalent to 0.05 mg per drop).

Metacam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for use in cats.
For alleviation of inflammation and pain in chronic musculo-skeletal disorders.

Initial treatment is a single oral dose of 0.1 mg meloxicam/kg bodyweight on the first day. Treatment is to be continued once daily by oral administration (at 24-hour intervals) at a maintenance dose of 0.05 mg meloxicam/ kg bodyweight.
Particular care should be taken with regard to the accuracy of dosing. The recommended dose should not be exceeded.
Shake well before use. To be administered orally either mixed with food or directly into the mouth. The suspension can be given using the drop dispenser of the bottle for cats of any bodyweight. Alternatively and for cats with a bodyweight of at least 2 kg, the Metacam measuring syringe (provided in the package) can be used.
Dosing procedure using the drop dispenser of the bottle.
Initial dose : 6 drops/kg bodyweight.
Maintenance dose : 3 drops/kg bodyweight.
Dosing procedure using the measuring syringe.
The syringe fits onto the drop dispenser of the bottle and has a kg-bodyweight scale which corresponds to the maintenance dose. Thus for initiation of the therapy on the first day, twice the maintenance volume will be required.
A clinical response is usually seen within 7 days. Treatment should be discontinued after 14 days at the latest if no clinical improvement is apparent.
Avoid the introduction of contamination during use.

Do not use in pregnant or lactating animals.
Do not use in animals suffering from gastro-intestinal disorders such as irritation and haemorrhage, impaired hepatic, cardiac or renal function and haemorrhagic disorders.
Do not use in case of hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.
Do not use in cats less than 6 weeks of age.
Typical adverse drug reactions of NSAIDs such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, faecal occult blood, apathy and renal failure have occasionally been reported. These side effects occur generally within the first treatment week and are in most cases transient and disappear following termination of the treatment but in very rare cases may be serious or fatal.
If adverse reactions occur, treatment should be discontinued and the advice of a veterinarian should be sought.
Avoid use in any dehydrated, hypovolaemic or hypotensive animal, as there is a potential risk of renal toxicity. Response to long-term therapy should be monitored at regular intervals by a veterinary surgeon. Metacam 0.5 mg/ml Oral Suspension for Cats should not be used following parenteral injection of meloxican or any other NSAID as appropriate dosage regimens for such follow-up treatments hav not been established in cats.
Other NSAIDs, diuretics, anticoagulants, aminoglycoside antibiotics and substances with high protein binding may compete for binding and thus lead to toxic effects. Metacam must not be administered in conjunction with other NSAIDs or glucocorticosteroids.
Pre-treatment with anti-inflammatory substances may result in additional or increased adverse effects and accordingly a treatment-free period with such drugs should be observed for at least 24 hours before commencement of treatment. The treatment-free period, however, should take into account the pharmacokinetic properties of the products used previously. The safety of the veterinary medicinal product has not been established during pregnancy and lactation.
Meloxicam has a narrow therapeutic safety margin in cats and clinical signs of overdose may be seen at relatively small overdose levels. In case of overdose, adverse reactions as listed above are expected to be more severe and more frequent. In the case of overdosage symptomatic treatment should be initiated.


User precautions
People with known hypersensitivity to NSAIDs should avoid contact with the veterinary medicinal product. In case of accidental ingestion, seek medical advice immediately and show the package insert or label to the Doctor.
Any unused veterinary medicinal product or waste materials derived from such veterinary medicinal products should be disposed or in accordance with local requirements.
For animal treatment only.
Keep out of reach of children.

After first opening the bottle, use contents within 6 months and then discard any remaining unused product.

POM-V (previously POM)

Polyethylene bottles containing 15 ml with a polyethylene dropper, a tamper-proof child resistant closure and a polypropylene measuring syringe. The 1 ml measuring syringe has a kg-bodyweight scale for cats (2 to 10 kg) and has a pictogram showing a cat.

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the oxicam class which acts by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-exudative and antipyretic effects. It reduces leukocyte infiltration into the inflamed tissue. To a minor extent it also inhibits collagen-induced thrombocyte aggregation. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that meloxicam inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) to a greater extent than cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1).
If the animal is fasted when dosed, the maximal plasma concentrations are obtained after approximately 3 hours. If the animal is fed at the time of dosing, the absorption may be slightly delayed. There is a linear relationship between the dose administered and plasma concentration observed in th therapeutic dose range. Approximately 97% of meloxicam is bound to plasma proteins.
Meloxicam is predominantly found in plasma and is also a major biliary excretion product whereas urine contains only traces of the parent compound. Meloxicam is metabolised to an alcohol, an acid derivative and to several polar metabolites. All major metabolites have been shown to be pharmacologically inactive. Meloxicam is eliminated with a half-life of 24 hours. Approximately 75% of the administered dose is eliminated via faeces and the remainder via urine. Due to the loading dose, steady state is reached after 2 days (48 h).