From Plumb.....Veterinary Drug Handbook Fifth Edition
I picked out what I thought are the most important pieces of information

NSAID used in dogs and cats (not presently approved)  COX-2 preferential
Available both as an injectable and oral product
GI effects are less likely, but can occur
Drug drug interaction

Uses/Indications-Primarily used for the symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs.  Short-term (single dose) use and pulse dosing in cats is also being investigated, but much less information on the use of this drug in cats is available.  Meloxicam has antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity similar to other NSAIDS.

Contraindications/Precautions-The European label states that meloxicam is contraindicated in dogs hypersensitive to it, with active GI ulcers or bleeding, impaired hepatic, cardiac or renal function and hemorrhagic disorders.  The human label states that no dosage adjustment is necessary in patients with mild to moderate hepatic or renal impairment.  Use extreme caution in dehydrated, hypovolemic or hypotensive animals as there is a potential risk of renal toxicity developing.

Doses-When doses are listed in "drops" use with caution, as drug concentration is different per drop in the products presently marketed in Canada and the USA.

Cats-
For osteoarthritis, anagelsia, inflammatory conditions:
a)  0.2 mg/kg PO initially, followed by 0.1 mg/kg PO in food once daily for 2 days and then 0.025 mg/kg 2-3 times per week
b)  0.1 mg/kg PO once daily (limit to 4 days use) 0.3 mg/kg IV or SC (one time use only)

Client Information-Shake well before using.  Carefully measure dose (oral liquid); DO NOT confuse the markings on the syringe (provided by the manufacturer) with mls or kgs.  If using drops to measure dose in small dogs, do not place drops directly into dog's mouth, mix with food.  

this is a double post from another thread but important info--more warnings on metacam & cats:

http://www.persiancats.org/nss-folder/filefolder/MetacamRisksInCats.pdf

The pharma co's just keep pushing all their new wonderful miraculous drugs on doctors & vets & we keep suffering from it because they suppress poor results on initial product testing so they can make big bucks.

I always ask what the pain meds are.  I wouldn't let them use this product on any of my pets, dogs or cats.  They can use something older & more trusted for pain relief, it's not like there's nothing else out there that works.  My little dog just went through a bout of pancreatitis & they gave him lidocaine in his IV drip!  Sounded strange & kind of scary to me but sounds like it's the latest fad for that kind of pain treatment.

Thanks for the information. CJ had metacam a year ago with her initial bout of whatever it was ~ ibd, arf, etc. Besides the poisoned food, this probably put her right over the edge. (The vet thought it was the arthritis he thought he saw on her xrays causing her to be in pain!) I just shake my head with disbelief that she survived it all!  I will definitely be printing out this information to share and NONE of my cats will ever, ever have this medication again!!!

One of my foster cats was adopted and taken to a vet for vague complaints of "pain" in her legs and hips.  For some insane reason, the vet never checked for the possibility of urinary tract infection or kidney renal impairment.  It turned out she had crystals in her urine and a urinary infections.  This sweet kitty nearly died from the adverse effect of the Meloxicam on her kidneys and may have longterm kidney damage from this reaction.  The vet was young and inexperienced and had recently graduated form a vet school that is convinced Meloxicam is absolutely safe for pain management in cats!  (This info comes from vets my cats have seen at that vet school, who have tried to convince me to permit them to use it on my cats . . . something I will NEVER do.)

My cat died from having been given this injection twice in a week    He died early Dec. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT MED they gave my cat pre-op and  took him in 3 days for pain relief. He started throwing up blood. Now I do not have any cats  I hate my vet for not doing his research ..only AFTER my cat died did I get the name of the med and look it up. I would NEVER allow that med to be used on ANY pet I owned. I wish I had been informed by my Vet. If you look the med up even the makers say do NOT give it to a pet under 10 pounds and NEVER to a cat more than once 

Thank you JM. It has been a nightmare I was not warned about anything and even blown off when I called the day after the second shot and told them he was throwing up blood...His last weeks were hell and it need not have been. AVOID this med. I can't deal with typing out the details but     it should never have happened. I also never thought to ask what med would be given to him....I know better now but it is too late ....my baby is gone

Thank you Maincoonpeg... I do not even take things for my own pain and thought foolishly the vet would give him like a cat dose of codine or something..I never thought he would mess up like this..and my kitty was old and trusted me to do right by him and I failed