Solensia Cost for Cats: 2026 Clinic Prices by Weight, $88–$145

How much does Solensia cost? Published vet prices (2026)

Most "Solensia price" results repeat the same rough figures without naming a clinic. We looked for veterinary practices that publish their own Solensia price and found four in the US. Every figure was read on the practice's own page on October 30, 2026; only one page carries an effective date.

Range: $88 to $105 for a one-vial cat, $125 to $145 for a two-vial cat, and $96 flat at the Fort Worth hospital. For comparison, MetLife Pet Insurance's blog (published September 29, 2026) says owners "can typically expect to pay $75 – $115 per dose", an estimate rather than a fee schedule. Four practices are not a national sample, so we do not average them.

Why Solensia cost depends on your cat's weight: the label's vial chart

Solensia (frunevetmab) is a felinized monoclonal antibody that binds nerve growth factor (NGF), which the FDA's approval summary describes as elevated in osteoarthritic joints. It was approved on January 13, 2022 (NADA 141-546) "for the control of pain associated with osteoarthritis in cats". It is given under the skin once a month, dosed to reach a minimum of 0.45 mg per lb (1 mg/kg), and every vial holds 7 mg in 1 mL. The current label on DailyMed (updated October 6, 2026) sets the vials:

• The band is built around the minimum dose. One 7 mg vial gives a 7 kg (15.4 lb) cat exactly 1 mg/kg; a 2.5 kg cat gets 2.8 mg/kg from the same vial (our arithmetic). Lighter cats get the whole vial anyway.
• Vials are single use. The label says the product has no preservative and any remaining solution is discarded after puncturing, so vials cannot be split between cats or saved for next month.
• The 15.4 lb line doubles the drug. Two clinics write the tier as "under 15 lb / over 15 lb"; if your cat weighs about 15 lb, ask which side of the label's 15.4 lb line the clinic uses.

The label lists cartons of 2 or 6 vials and refrigerated storage. Zoetis describes Solensia as "a once-monthly injection given by a veterinary professional", so it is given by your vet's team, not at home by you.

Solensia cost per month and per year: worked examples

The label says once a month. Zoetis' owner page says your vet "will schedule an appointment every 4 weeks", which means 13 visits a year, so both are shown. These are Patify calculations from the published prices, injection only, not quotes.

Animal Hospital Southwest lists one $96 price without a weight split, so ask whether a two-vial cat pays the same there. The label also says long-term effects beyond 6 months have not been evaluated, so treat the annual figure as a plan to review with your vet, not a fixed bill.

A first year with visit fees: 10 lb cat

None of the price pages says whether a fee is added at every monthly injection. Here is how a year of 12 injections moves under three set-ups, using each practice's own published fees (Patify calculation):

The same 10 lb cat can cost from about $1,140 to over $1,900 in its first year, depending mostly on how the clinic bills the monthly visit.

Exam, recheck and house-call fees at the same practices

Only fees printed on the same pages as the Solensia prices are listed. If your vet wants bloodwork first, ask for that price separately; none of these pages ties a lab price to Solensia.

Zoetis says the 4-week appointment is used to "administer treatment and reassess your cat's OA pain and mobility", and the label asks vets to review the Client Information Sheet before every injection. Expect at least a short conversation each time, even if the visit is booked with a technician.

The first two injections: what a fair trial costs

Zoetis states that "Two doses may be needed to see the clinical effect." Budget for two injections before deciding whether Solensia is working for your cat:

Keep notes between doses. In the FDA studies owners picked three activities their cat struggled with, such as "jumping onto the couch, using the litter box, and grooming", and scored them from 1 (no problem) to 5 (impossible). Doing the same at home gives you and your vet something concrete to judge before paying for month three.

What the FDA studies showed you are paying for

The FDA used a "weight of evidence" approach because chronic pain in cats is hard to measure. In the confirmatory field study, 275 client-owned cats aged 1.6 to 22.4 years with osteoarthritis in at least two joints or spinal segments received three injections 28 days apart, either Solensia or a placebo. A cat counted as a success if its owner's total score (CSOM) improved by at least 2 points with no activity getting worse.

Honest reading: more Solensia cats improved at every point, but the difference was statistically significant only on Day 28 in this study, and only on Day 56 in an earlier exploratory study. The FDA explains the high placebo results as expected for subjective pain scores in a condition that waxes and wanes, and concluded that the overall trend and the vet's orthopedic scores support effectiveness. In short: many cats improve, but some improvement also happens without the drug, which is why your own before-and-after notes matter.

Osteoarthritis is common in older cats. The Merck Veterinary Manual says about 60% of all cats, and over 90% of cats older than 12, show degenerative joint disease on X-rays, and calls frunevetmab "a valuable treatment in cats with OA". For context on how long a senior cat may need care, see our guide to how long cats live.

Safety: the October 2026 FDA label update

On October 5, 2026, the FDA's list of safety-related labeling changes recorded a Solensia update that added a Post-Approval Experience subsection, an Information for Cat Owners section and a Client Information Sheet, and directed vets to discuss that sheet with owners before each injection. The FDA did this for Librela in February 2025, after a Dear Veterinarian letter; we found no comparable FDA letter for Solensia, only the label update.

The label's Post-Approval Experience (2026) section lists reported events by body system, each listed from most to least often reported:

The label states that death, including euthanasia, has been reported as an outcome of these events, and that frequency and cause cannot always be established from these reports. In the pre-approval field study (182 cats on Solensia, 93 on placebo), the most common reactions were vomiting (13.2% vs 10.8%) and injection site pain (10.9% vs 14%); worsening of existing kidney disease was reported in 6.6% vs 4.3%, dermatitis in 6.0% vs 1.1%, and itching in 3.8% vs 0%.

• Do not use in breeding cats or in pregnant or lactating queens (contraindication).
• Not evaluated in cats under 7 months or under 5.5 lb; long-term effects beyond 6 months not evaluated.
• Safety with NSAIDs and with other monoclonal antibodies has not been established or evaluated.
• The label notes that scabbing on the head and neck, dermatitis and itching may occur.

Adverse events can be reported to FDA through fda.gov/reportanimalae. For both antibody drugs side by side, see our earlier Solensia and Librela overview.

Ways to lower the cost of Solensia that actually exist

1. Join Zoetis Petcare Rewards (free). The Solensia offer page lists 50 points per injection at Bronze and 80 at Gold, with "$1 for every 10 points to spend at the vet": $5 to $8 back per injection, about $60 to $96 over 12 injections. The page does not explain how tiers are reached.
2. Ask for a technician visit for repeat injections. Southpaw lists $20 versus a $63 recheck; Docton $15 to $25 versus a $53 progress exam. Whether that suits your cat is your vet's decision.
3. Compare by your cat's band. For a one-vial cat the four prices span $88 to $105; for a two-vial cat, $125 to $145.
4. Use the two-dose trial and decide with your vet whether the change is worth the monthly cost.
5. Keep your cat lean. Merck advises lean body condition for cats with other health risks; your vet sets the dose band from the scale at each visit.
6. Be careful with financing. Read our guide to deferred-interest vet financing before putting monthly treatment on a promotional plan.

We found no other Zoetis discount or copay program for Solensia on Zoetis's US pages as of October 30, 2026.

Does pet insurance cover Solensia?

MetLife Pet Insurance writes that "Cat insurance may also help cover the cost of Solensia injections", adding that coverage may vary. What decides it is the policy wording on prescriptions and pre-existing conditions (insurer pages accessed October 30, 2026):

If your cat's records already mention stiffness or arthritis, a new policy will probably not pay for Solensia. Our guides to waiting periods and pre-existing condition denials and to whether pet insurance is worth it go deeper.

Alternatives your vet may discuss

No doses here; these are prescription decisions. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that consensus treatment guidelines for osteoarthritis in cats "have not been published", and describes these options:

For home mobility aids and what they cost, see our guide to senior cat mobility aid costs. For another regional cost view see senior cat arthritis treatment costs in Texas. Never give a cat a human pain reliever unless your vet prescribes it.

Questions to ask before the first Solensia injection

• Is my cat in the one-vial or two-vial band, and what is the price for that band?
• Is each monthly visit billed as an exam, a recheck, a technician visit or the injection only?
• Does my cat's kidney function or any other condition change the plan?
• Which signs after an injection should make me call you?
• After two doses, how will we decide whether to continue?
• Do you accept the Zoetis Petcare Rewards card?

Also caring for an older dog? See our Librela for dogs cost guide for the canine version's vial chart and prices.

Frequently asked questions

Sources (accessed October 30, 2026)

• DailyMed (US National Library of Medicine): SOLENSIA (frunevetmab) label, Zoetis Inc., NADA 141-546, updated October 6, 2026.
• US FDA: Freedom of Information Summary, NADA 141-546, approved January 13, 2022 (field studies, Table II.11).
• US FDA: Animal Drug Safety-Related Labeling Changes (Solensia entry October 5, 2026), current as of October 13, 2026.
• Zoetis Petcare: Solensia product page, Solensia rewards offer, Petcare Rewards page.
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Osteoarthritis in Dogs and Cats, last updated August 2025.
• Price pages: Southpaw Vets (Los Angeles, CA); Docton Animal Clinic (Xenia, OH); Animal Hospital Southwest (Fort Worth, TX), effective February 17, 2026; Dr. Ravn's Home Vet Care (San Francisco and North Peninsula, CA).
• MetLife Pet Insurance: "Solensia for Cats" cost blog, September 29, 2026.
• Embrace: Prescription Drug Coverage. Lemonade: pre-existing conditions and waiting periods pages, updated October 13, 2026.
• All monthly, yearly and trial totals are Patify calculations from the published prices, not quotes.