Elura (capromorelin oral solution) is a prescription veterinary drug approved in the United States to manage weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The current labeled dose is 2 mg/kg (0.9 mg/lb), or 0.1 mL/kg (0.045 mL/lb), given by mouth once daily. Your veterinarian sets and supervises that dose for your cat, because the drug can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose, and because weight loss in a cat with CKD needs a full clinical assessment.
What Elura is approved to do
Elura’s only feline indication is management of weight loss in cats with CKD. It is not labeled as a general appetite stimulant for every cat. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine explained the prescription-only status in its October 19, 2020 approval notice:
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Elura (capromorelin Oral Solution) for Cats, 20 mg/mL, 15 ml | $55.89 | Buy on Amazon |
“Elura is available by prescription only because professional expertise is required to diagnose and manage CKD in cats and monitor for any adverse reactions.”
Source: FDA approval notice, October 19, 2020.
Labeled dosage
The current U.S. prescribing information lists the dose as 2 mg/kg (0.9 mg/lb), equal to 0.1 mL/kg (0.045 mL/lb), by mouth once daily. Because the volume is calculated from body weight, a cat’s exact measured volume should come from the veterinarian who has weighed the animal and reviewed its health status. Do not recalculate, skip, or change doses on your own. Label details are in the DailyMed Elura prescribing label.
#1 Best Overall
- Elura is the only approved medication indicated for the management of weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- Once-daily oral solution that helps cats with CKD maintain or gain weight and is safe for daily, long-term use for management of weight loss
- Flavored, oral solution formulated just for cats to make once-daily administration simple
- Elura should be administered directly into your cat's mouth, with food offered 30 minutes after dosing
- Prescription required - speak to your vet to determine if Elura is right for your cat
How to give Elura to a cat
The product comes with an oral dosing syringe. Use that syringe to measure and give the solution, following the label’s steps:
- Draw the veterinarian-directed volume into the dosing syringe.
- Give the solution into the cat’s mouth.
- If your cat normally eats meals, offer food 30 minutes after dosing.
- If the cat vomits within 15 minutes, or receives only part of the dose, the label allows the dose to be given again. For vomiting after 15 minutes or any other missed-dose situation, call your veterinarian rather than repeating the dose.
- Rinse the syringe and plunger with water and set the pieces apart to dry.
Side effects you may see
Most common reactions
In the FDA’s summary of the approval studies, vomiting and hypersalivation (excess drooling) were the most common adverse reactions observed.
Other reactions listed on the label
The current label also lists inappetence (reduced appetite), behavior change, lethargy, anemia, dehydration, diarrhea, and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose). Monitor your cat’s food and water intake, behavior, and activity while on treatment, and report weakness, reduced activity, digestive signs, or any sign of glucose change to your veterinarian.
Post-approval reports
FDA’s post-approval reports cover events in gastrointestinal, general, behavioral, cardiovascular, neurologic, and respiratory body systems. These reports are voluntary and spontaneous. They show that events were reported, but they do not prove that Elura caused each one, and FDA notes that not all adverse events are reported. Check the FDA animal drug safety-related labeling changes page for the Elura update dated October 7, 2025.
Warnings and who needs extra caution
- Hypersensitivity: Do not use Elura in a cat known to be hypersensitive to capromorelin.
- Heart disease and dehydration: Use caution in cats with cardiac disease or severe dehydration. The label states that transient decreases in heart rate and blood pressure can last up to four hours after a dose, and some cats may show signs of bradycardia (slow heart rate) or hypotension (low blood pressure).
- Liver dysfunction: Use caution in cats with hepatic dysfunction.
- Diabetes: FDA consumer guidance says Elura may raise blood glucose for several hours after dosing and may not be appropriate for cats with current or prior diabetes.
- Acromegaly: Elura should not be used in cats with acromegaly.
- Age and reproductive status: Safety has not been evaluated in cats younger than five months, or in pregnant, lactating, or breeding cats.
Any concerning change should go to your veterinarian promptly. Do not stop, extend, or repeat treatment outside label instructions and veterinary advice.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the safety and effectiveness studies showed
The sponsor ran three studies that the FDA summarized at approval. The table lists them with the population and duration reported for each.
| Study | Population | Duration | Reported result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field effectiveness study (sponsor-conducted) | Client-owned cats with documented unintended weight loss and a history of CKD, compared with vehicle control. The label’s safety population was 176 cats (118 Elura, 58 control), with a mean age of 15 years. | 56 days | Elura-treated cats gained weight by the end of the study, while control cats lost weight. This is a group-level result. |
| Safety study (sponsor-conducted) | Healthy domestic shorthair cats given one, three, or five times the labeled dose | 6 months | FDA reported weight gain in treated groups. |
| Laboratory study (sponsor-conducted) | Eight healthy juvenile male neutered cats | 32 days | Transient decreases in heart rate and direct blood pressure, and transient increases in blood glucose. |
These findings support the approved use, but they are not a guarantee that every cat will respond. They describe study groups, not predicted outcomes for an individual cat. They also do not replace a workup of why the cat is losing weight or ongoing management of its CKD. The approval history is in the FDA Freedom of Information summary for the original NADA 141-536 approval.
How Elura compares with other options
Compare treatments by the diagnosed cause, the approved indication, the route of administration, the cat’s own contraindications, the monitoring it will need, and the evidence for that specific use. FDA consumer information distinguishes Mirataz, which is approved to manage undesired weight loss in cats, from Elura, which is specifically indicated for weight loss in cats with CKD. Your veterinarian decides which option, if any, fits your cat. The FDA’s information about FDA-approved drugs for cats is a useful starting point for questions to bring to that conversation.
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Getting Elura
Elura is prescription-only and is not a routine over-the-counter or retail purchase. Ask your veterinarian or a licensed pharmacy how to obtain it. The product is supplied with its oral dosing syringe, and that is the syringe to use unless your veterinarian tells you otherwise.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
