Companion Animals

Companion Cat Perioperative Pain Management

Perioperative pain management in cats requires multimodal analgesia tailored to feline physiology for welfare during procedures.

Key Facts

Cats metabolise analgesic drugs differently from dogs and require feline-specific dosing
NSAIDs must be used cautiously in cats given their reduced glucuronidation capacity
Opioids, local blocks, and gabapentinoids form the multimodal analgesia toolkit for feline surgery
Pre-emptive analgesia before surgical trauma reduces central sensitisation and post-operative pain

Welfare Considerations

Inadequate perioperative analgesia in cats causes unnecessary suffering during recovery that owners and veterinarians often fail to recognise. Cats in pain become quiet and withdrawn rather than vocalising. Proactive multimodal pain management is a professional welfare obligation for all surgical procedures.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet about their perioperative pain management protocol before any procedure
Ensure take-home analgesia is provided after all painful procedures
Monitor cats carefully for pain signs after surgery and contact your vet with concerns