Companion Animals

Cat Perioperative Pain Management Welfare

Perioperative pain management in cats has advanced significantly and appropriate multimodal analgesia before, during, and after surgery significantly improves welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Cats metabolise many analgesics differently from dogs and humans requiring species-specific protocols
Buprenorphine and meloxicam are commonly used perioperative analgesics in feline practice
Pre-emptive analgesia given before tissue damage significantly reduces post-operative pain
Local anaesthetic blocks during surgery reduce anaesthetic requirements and post-operative pain
Validated feline pain scales allow post-operative monitoring for inadequate analgesia

Welfare Considerations

Perioperative pain in cats was historically underrecognised and undertreated. Evidence-based multimodal analgesia protocols that address pain before, during, and after surgery significantly improve welfare outcomes and recovery speed.

What You Can Do

Ensure your vet uses feline-appropriate pre-emptive and perioperative analgesia
Ask about post-operative pain management protocols before planned procedures
Monitor cats for pain signs at home using Feline Grimace Scale guidance
Advocate for pain management standards in veterinary practice accreditation