Is there a GLP-1 weight loss drug for cats?

What are GLP-1 drugs, and why test them in cats?

GLP-1 drugs are human medicines that act on appetite. Companies are now testing versions for pets, betting that the same idea can help regulate a cat's appetite. These products are only for trials at this point. You can't get one from a vet, a pharmacy or a website, and anything sold online as GLP-1 for cats is not an approved product.

The reason for the interest is simple. Cornell's Feline Health Center quotes an estimate that about half of cats seen in clinics are overweight or obese, and extra weight can worsen arthritis and diabetes.

GLP-1 products are a different group from the peptides this site tracks. BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu and KPV are not GLP-1 drugs and are not in these trials.

Where do OKV-119 and AKS-562c stand?

Both are in early clinical testing in pet cats, and neither is approved. Almost everything public about them comes from the companies or from reports based on what the companies say, so read the table with that in mind.

When might a GLP-1 drug for cats arrive?

Nobody knows, and the dates in circulation disagree. Treat all of the following as company goals or outside estimates. FDA has not announced any approval date.

• Okava's chief executive told ABC News in December 2025 that the company aimed to file for FDA approval between 2027 and 2028. That is a company goal.
• A December 2025 Newsweek report said MEOW-1 results were expected in summer 2026. We found no such results.
• CNBC reported in July 2026 that top-line results from both trials were expected later that year.
• A third-party tracking site with affiliate links says no MEOW-1 results had been published as of October 2026. It estimates results around summer 2027 and availability around 2028 to 2029 at the earliest, if the trials succeed. Those are that site's own estimates, not company or FDA dates.

What have early studies in cats shown?

A little, and only in small groups of healthy lab cats. A 2021 paper on OKV-119 prototypes covered 19 purpose-bred healthy cats. They lost weight while the drug was being released, and the paper reports no implant site reactions and no apparent drug-related harm. Its authors include Okava's chief executive.

At a 2026 veterinary meeting, Akston staff presented a study of 16 healthy young male cats that were not overweight. Food intake fell on AKS-562c, and those cats kept a stable weight while cats in the other groups gained. The study reported no treatment-related toxicity. This was a preclinical study from the company, and those cats did not lose weight.

These results say nothing yet about older, heavier pet cats, about cats with other illnesses, or about long-term use. Okava also says its product could matter for diabetes, kidney disease and longevity. Those are company statements about what might be possible. They are not results.

Why must I never give my cat a human GLP-1 drug?

Because it can be dangerous, and nobody has worked out how to do it safely. That is exactly what the trials are for. Please don't share your own pen, and don't buy a compounded or "research" version for your cat.

• It has happened by accident, and it went badly. Pet Poison Helpline reported a cat given Ozempic in place of insulin. He arrived at an emergency clinic nearly comatose, severely low in blood sugar and dehydrated.
• These drugs reduce appetite, and a cat that eats too little is at risk of fatty liver, which is likely to be fatal without prompt treatment. Cornell warns that even a sudden starvation diet puts a cat at risk of it.
• Pens and doses are made for people. A cat weighs a small fraction of what a person does, and no safe amount of a human GLP-1 drug has been set for cat obesity.
• Cats handle many medicines differently, so results from another species can't be assumed to apply. Our safety guide explains why.

Keep human pens away from your cat

If anyone in your home uses a GLP-1 pen and your cat takes insulin, take care. Pet Poison Helpline warns that these pens can look like some insulin pens, and that they are often kept side by side in the fridge. Store them apart, and go through every medicine with anyone looking after your cat. Pets may also chew pens.

If your cat gets a human GLP-1 drug by mistake, contact a vet or a pet poison line right away. Tiredness, vomiting and a cat that seems very weak or hard to wake are emergencies.

What can a vet do for an overweight cat now?

Quite a lot. First your vet checks whether anything else is going on, then sets a target weight and a measured plan. Cornell's advice is scheduled meals rather than a bowl that is always full, portion control, and a slow loss of roughly 1 to 2% of body weight per week. Canned food can help, since it is mostly water.

Weight matters for comfort too. If your cat has stopped jumping, arthritis may be part of the picture, and treating the pain can help it move more. If your cat is losing weight without trying, that is a different problem and you need this guide instead.

If you would like to know about trials, ask your vet whether one is recruiting near you. Trials have entry rules and your vet can help you weigh them. Everything here is for information only, and it isn't veterinary advice, so talk to a vet about your own cat.