I don't know anything about metacam, will have to read up on it. As long as its NOT Rimadyl.
I always say, and I'm sure you guys are tired of hearing it, but, when ya want to know about stuff, what works, what doesn't, you go to the source, that HAS to know. Show people. They have to know, they have cats, dogs, horses, worth thousands of dollors, and making a championship, requires beyond pickey and correct care. They don't pin cats or horses, that look poor. Show people have, to know, proper nutrition and what supplements work and what doesn't. They were the ones, that told me, the evils, of Science Diet, and begged me to take him off it.
I have a show next weekend, I will ask around.
Horse people know too, pick up a Quarter Horse Journal, and just look at those horses, that is big money horses.
They use a combo of glucosomine, condrotin and MSM. I used straight MSM. It worked on my older mare, she moved so much better, I gave it to her in the winter, she used to get stiff, I can't tell you, how good it worked.
Start your research now, and read up on them now, start with the products at Only Natural Pet Store. What your looking for, is the one with the lower dose, with similiar ingredients, those are the ones, with little or no fillers.
Put up a post, in the senior cat section, on catsfur, and ask people what they use. Once you start to hear about the same product, your on the right tract, and do the research on that.
The only thing I do remember more than one person mentioning, was fish oil, my vet at one time, thought about putting Bump on it, for his issues, she recommended the nordic something, would have to look that up again. I solved his issues, with just proper nutrition management, he is no longer on any meds.
Best of luck, will start doing research on this too for you, might not get too much done, have a show next weekend, but after that, he is off for a month, as long as its for the future, and you don't need it right now.
your pal
Bump