Anxiety reducing medication for veterinary visits

Photo by Anatolii Kozhukhar on Unsplash

Many cats can be anxious during veterinary visits. For cats, being taken out of their familiar environment will almost always be a source of stress. Our goal at The Cat Clinic is to keep veterinary visits as stress-free as possible, to align with the Fear Free ethos. 

For important ways to reduce your cat’s stress for vet visits, please see attached: 

https://icatcare.org/app/uploads/2022/10/ISFM-guide-for-cat-carers-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%98Taking-your-cat-to-the-veterinary-clinic.pdf

Many cats will benefit also from an anxiety-reducing medication given prior to vet visits. This helps to keep the cat’s stress levels down and creates a more positive experience for them. It may also help the veterinary team to assess and treat your cat more thoroughly. Your cat may be happier to tolerate physical examination, blood tests, blood pressure checks or injections without needing to resort to heavier sedation or excessive restraint. 

Pregabalin is a medication commonly prescribed for this purpose. It is usually easily given at home by opening the capsule and sprinkling on food. It does not have a strong flavour or odour, so most cats are happy to eat it in some yummy food or licky treat. It does take time to have an effect, so we recommend giving it around 4 hours prior to your appointment. 

The standard starting dose is 1 capsule (25mg) per cat. In very small cats, or if only wanting a very mild effect, we may suggest trying half a capsule instead. We then assess the cat’s response and adjust the dose next time as needed to achieve smooth and calm veterinary visits. 

It is generally considered a very safe medication for most patients. The main side effect we see is some mild drowsiness. In most cases this is not a concern and your cat can just have a quiet day. Most cats will continue to eat and drink as normal, and be able to walk and use the litter tray. They may just sleep a little more that usual, or seem very calm. Some cats will have a mildly wobbly gait or have trouble jumping. While affected, we strongly recommend keeping them strictly indoors and away from any dangerous situations (such as a fall from a height). Encourage them to eat and drink as normal. 

If you feel your cat is overly drowsy, you can try reducing the dose next time, or seek vet advice if you are concerned. 

If you would like further details about this medication, or if you have any questions, please discuss with one of our veterinary team. 

This post was written by our clinic’s Dr Grace Woodward.