A single paracetamol tablet can kill a cat. Here are the eight pain treatments vets genuinely use, what each one is for, and what to ask about.
Please read this part first
If you're standing at the medicine cabinet right now because your cat is clearly uncomfortable and you want to help her tonight, stop. This is the one thing about cats that owners get badly wrong, and it kills them.
Paracetamol, which you might know as acetaminophen or Tylenol, is lethal to cats. They don't have the liver enzyme needed to break it down. One ordinary tablet can be enough. Watch for a swollen face or paws, gums that look brown or muddy rather than pink, heavy breathing, or collapse. That's an emergency room visit, not a wait and see.
Ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen are all dangerous too, at amounts that feel far too small to matter.
And your dog's tablets are not an option either. Cats process these drugs much more slowly than dogs do, so a dose that's routine for the dog on the sofa can cause real harm to the cat beside him.
If your cat has already taken any of these, ring your vet or an emergency line now. Don't wait for her to look unwell.
Right. Here's what your vet can actually offer.
1. Solensia
This one changed things. It's a monthly injection your vet gives at the clinic, and it's the first medicine licensed specifically for arthritis pain in cats.
Rather than reducing inflammation the way a traditional anti inflammatory does, it blocks a protein involved in sending chronic pain signals. That difference matters more than it sounds, because it isn't processed through the liver and kidneys in the same way, which opens the door for older cats who can't take much else.
Two things to know going in. It isn't an overnight fix, and most vets will ask you to give it two or three monthly doses before deciding whether it's helping. And what you're looking for often isn't dramatic. It's your cat back on the windowsill, or sleeping somewhere she'd stopped bothering to climb to.
2. Meloxicam
The anti inflammatory most cats end up on at some point. It works at the joint itself, calming the inflammation rather than just muffling the signal, and plenty of cats do very well on it.
The complicated part is that the rules differ depending on where you live. In much of Europe it's approved for ongoing use in cats at a low daily dose. In the United States the approved use is a single injection, and the label carries a strong warning against repeating it. Many American vets still prescribe it longer term with careful monitoring, and that's a perfectly reasonable conversation to have out loud rather than something to worry about quietly.
Whichever side of that you're on, it comes with bloodwork first and bloodwork again later. Your vet is watching the kidneys.
3. Robenacoxib
Another anti inflammatory, this one licensed for cats but meant for short stretches rather than forever. Think of it as the flare up option: a few days after a dental, or a bad week where she's suddenly much stiffer than usual.
Same principle on monitoring. It's not usually the backbone of a long term arthritis plan.
4. Gabapentin
If your vet has reached for a second medicine, there's a good chance this is it. Instead of touching inflammation, it quiets down nerves that have got into the habit of firing too easily.
It has a nice side benefit that vets love: given an hour or two before an appointment, it takes a lot of the terror out of the carrier and the exam table. If your vet suggests it before a visit, that's not sedation for convenience. A calmer cat gets a better examination.
Expect her to be a bit drunk looking for the first few days. That usually settles. If she has kidney disease she'll need a smaller dose, since that's how the drug leaves the body.
5. Buprenorphine
A liquid squirted into the cheek rather than swallowed, which is a small mercy for everyone involved. Cats absorb it well that way.
This is the heavy hitter for short bursts of real pain. After surgery, after an injury, during a flare that isn't responding to anything else. It's not a plan for the next three years, and she'll likely be sleepy and off her food while she's on it.
6. Amantadine
An old drug that found a second life as a helper. Chronic pain has a habit of amplifying itself over time, and this works against that process.
It's added to what she's already taking rather than swapped in, and it needs a few weeks before anyone can say whether it's doing anything.
7. The others that come up
Amitriptyline sometimes appears for nerve related pain or bladder problems. Tramadol exists but tastes so foul that most cats make dosing a daily battle, which is why fewer vets bother with it now.
Steroids get asked about a lot. They're strong anti-inflammatories, but they aren't the first choice for arthritis in cats and they carry a real risk of diabetes, so vets tend to save them for specific situations.
8. Everything that doesn't come in a bottle
This is not the consolation prize, and for a lot of cats it's where the biggest difference comes from.
Weight is the big one. Every extra bit of it presses through joints that already hurt, and body fat actively produces inflammatory signals of its own. Getting a 6 kilo cat down to her proper 4.5 does more than most medicines will.
Access is the next. Steps up to the windowsill. A litter tray she can step into instead of climb into. Food and water that don't require a jump. Small changes, and she'll use them quietly without ever letting on that she needed them. Our guide to the subtle signs of arthritis in cats covers what to look for.
Warmth matters more than people expect. A heated bed out of the draught is a genuinely effective intervention for a stiff old cat.
Then there's nutrition, including omega 3 fatty acids and joint support, worth raising as part of the plan. And physiotherapy, laser and acupuncture, which have a growing place in feline practice if you can find someone nearby who does them.
The complication nobody mentions
Here's the awkward truth about senior cats: a lot of them have early kidney disease at the same time as arthritis, because both turn up in the same years of life.
That matters because anti inflammatories are the treatment kidneys care most about. It's not a dead end, and it isn't the end of pain relief. It's exactly why Solensia and gabapentin have become so valuable, and why your vet wants bloodwork before prescribing rather than afterwards.
If your cat has a kidney diagnosis, lead with it every single time pain comes up.
What to bring to the appointment
Cats are infuriatingly good at looking fine in the exam room, so what you've noticed at home is often better evidence than anything the vet can see in ten minutes.
The useful things to mention:
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What she's stopped doing. The top of the cat tree, the kitchen counter, meeting you at the door.
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Litter tray changes, including missing the edge or going elsewhere entirely.
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Grooming changes. Matted fur over her back and hips because she can't twist round anymore, or licking one spot raw.
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A video of her walking around the house, getting up, and jumping. This is the single most useful thing you can hand over.
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Any existing diagnoses, particularly kidney, heart or liver.
Then go back and tell them how it's going. Getting feline pain control right usually takes two or three rounds of adjustment, and your vet can only fix what they hear about.
FAQs
Can I give my cat Tylenol or paracetamol?
No. It's deadly to cats in very small amounts. If she's already had some, treat it as an emergency.
Can cats have dog pain medicine?
No. Cats break these drugs down far more slowly, and a dog dose can seriously hurt a cat.
Is meloxicam safe for cats long term?
It's used that way in some countries at low doses with regular bloodwork, while US labelling is stricter. It's a decision to make with your vet based on her kidney values.
How long does Solensia take?
Some owners notice a difference in the first month, but most vets suggest giving it two or three injections before judging.
Can I give my cat aspirin?
Not unless your vet tells you to. Cats clear it extremely slowly and there's very little room for error.
My vet prescribed something off label. Should I worry?
No. Very few medicines are licensed specifically for cats, so this is normal, everyday veterinary practice.
Educational content only, not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or prescription. Never medicate a cat without veterinary direction. If your cat has swallowed a human medication, seek emergency veterinary care immediately. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. PCQ Pet is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results vary.