Arthritis is one of the most under-recognized problems in older cats. Cats rarely limp. They simply stop jumping onto the counter, sleep more, groom less or start missing the litter box, and it’s easy to put all of that down to age.
Solensia (frunevetmab) is a once-a-month injection for arthritis pain in cats. Approved by the FDA in January 2022, it was the first monoclonal antibody approved for any animal. Here’s what it costs, why vets reach for it so often, and what the study behind it actually showed.
What It Costs
Typical US price ranges:
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Solensia, cat under 15.4 lb (one vial) | About $75 per injection |
| Solensia, cat over 15.4 lb (two vials) | About $115 per injection |
| Exam or technician-visit fee, if charged | Varies; published planning ranges reach about $175 per visit in total |
| Medication for a year | About $900 (one vial) to $1,380 (two vials) |
Solensia is given under the skin at the clinic once a month. Because almost every cat falls in the one-vial band, the price is more predictable than the dog version, Librela, where the dose climbs steadily with body weight.
Ask your clinic whether each injection needs a full exam or just a technician appointment. Over twelve visits a year, the difference can be several hundred dollars.
Why Vets Reach for It: Cats Have Few Other Options
In dogs, arthritis is often managed with a daily anti-inflammatory pill. Cats are different:
- Meloxicam: in the US, the injectable form is approved for cats only as a single dose before surgery. The FDA requires a boxed warning on meloxicam labels: repeated use in cats has been associated with acute kidney failure and death.
- Robenacoxib (Onsior): approved for cats for post-surgical pain for a maximum of three days.
Many older cats with arthritis also have chronic kidney disease, which makes long-term anti-inflammatories even more of a concern. That combination is why Solensia, which isn’t an NSAID, is now so widely used. If your cat has kidney disease, our Cat Kidney Disease Cost by Stage guide covers what that adds to the budget.
What the Approval Study Showed
In the three-month field study cited when Solensia was approved:
- 77% of owners whose cats had monthly Solensia saw improvement in their cat’s pain signs.
- 67% of owners whose cats had a placebo injection also saw improvement.
A large placebo response is common in pain studies, especially when owners score the results. Being in a study and paying closer attention to the cat changes what people notice. It doesn’t mean Solensia doesn’t work, but it does mean the improvement you see in your own cat is worth checking carefully.
The practical approach is to write down specific behaviors before the first injection and score them again after each one: how often your cat jumps up, whether they use the stairs, whether they groom their back, and whether they make it into the litter box. Our Cat Arthritis Screening Tool gives you a consistent set of questions to repeat.
Side Effects and Who Shouldn’t Get It
The most commonly reported side effects are vomiting, diarrhea, pain at the injection site, scabbing on the head and neck, and itchy or irritated skin. Serious allergic reactions can happen and need emergency care.
Solensia isn’t for cats under 5.5 lb (2.5 kg), or for cats that are pregnant, could be pregnant, or are nursing. Mention any skin problems your cat already has, since scabbing and itching are among the reported effects.
How Common Arthritis Is
Clinical studies cited at Solensia’s approval found osteoarthritis in about 60% of cats older than 6 and 90% of cats older than 12. Most of those cats never limp. The signs to watch for are:
- jumping less, or hesitating before jumping
- no longer using high perches or the top of the cat tree
- grooming less, especially along the back and hips
- urinating or defecating just outside the litter box
- irritability when picked up or stroked along the back
Cheaper Steps That Help Every Arthritic Cat
Medication works best alongside changes at home, and most of these cost very little:
- A litter box with a low entry, such as a storage tub with one side cut down. Climbing over a high side is painful for an arthritic cat, and it’s a common cause of accidents.
- Steps or ramps to favorite sleeping spots and windows.
- Weight control. Extra weight increases the load on painful joints. Our Cat Weight Calculator and Pet Food Calorie Calculator help with the target and the daily portion.
- Warm, padded beds at floor level.
- Food and water where your cat doesn’t have to jump to reach them.
A Note on Insurance
Many accident-and-illness policies cover prescription arthritis medication, including monthly injections, if the arthritis wasn’t diagnosed or showing signs before coverage started. Because arthritis is so common in older cats, insuring a young cat is what usually pays for it. Check whether your policy also reimburses the exam fee charged with each injection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Solensia cost per month? Usually about $75 per monthly injection for a cat under 15.4 lb, which needs one vial, and about $115 for a heavier cat, which needs two. Over a year that’s roughly $900–$1,400 in medication alone. Some clinics also charge an exam or technician-visit fee each month, so the real total can be higher; published planning ranges run up to about $175 per visit.
Why don’t vets just prescribe arthritis pills for cats? Because cats have very few long-term options. In the US, injectable meloxicam is approved for cats only as a single dose before surgery, and its label carries a boxed warning that repeated use in cats has been associated with acute kidney failure and death. Robenacoxib, the other NSAID labeled for cats, is approved for a maximum of three days. Solensia was the first drug the FDA approved for ongoing arthritis pain in cats, which is why it fills that gap.
How well does Solensia work? In the three-month study cited at approval, 77% of owners of cats given monthly Solensia saw improvement in their cat’s pain signs, compared with 67% of owners whose cats received a placebo. The large placebo response is common in pain studies and means it’s worth tracking specific behaviors — jumping, grooming, litter box use — so you can tell whether it is helping your cat.
What are the side effects of Solensia? The most commonly reported are vomiting, diarrhea, pain at the injection site, scabbing on the head and neck, and itchy or irritated skin. Serious allergic reactions can occur and need emergency care. It isn’t for cats under 5.5 lb, or for cats that are pregnant, may be pregnant, or are nursing.
How common is arthritis in cats? Very common, and usually missed. Clinical studies cited at Solensia’s approval found osteoarthritis in about 60% of cats older than 6 and 90% of cats older than 12. Cats rarely limp; instead they jump less, stop using high perches, groom less, or start missing the litter box.
Does pet insurance cover Solensia? Many accident-and-illness policies cover prescription medications for arthritis, including monthly injections, as long as the arthritis wasn’t diagnosed or showing signs before the policy started. Because arthritis is so common in older cats, cover bought when a cat is young is what usually pays for it.
Related Articles
- Cat Arthritis Screening Tool — score your cat’s mobility at home
- Librela Cost for Dogs — the dog version of the same treatment
- Cat Kidney Disease Cost by Stage
- How Much Should a Senior Cat Eat?