Companion Animals

Cat Post-Surgical Pain Management

Post-surgical pain management in cats has improved dramatically but remains challenging due to cats' limited NSAID tolerance and stoic pain expression.

Key Facts

Cats are more sensitive to NSAID toxicity than dogs and require species-specific drugs
Buprenorphine is widely used for moderate post-surgical pain in cats
Gabapentin is increasingly used as an adjunct for neuropathic post-surgical pain
Fentanyl patches provide extended analgesia for major surgeries
Pain scoring using the Glasgow Composite Measure or UNESP-Botucatu scale improves assessment

Welfare Considerations

Post-surgical pain is real and often undertreated in cats. Stoic behaviour conceals suffering. Validated pain assessment tools help identify cats needing intervention. Multimodal analgesia combining opioids, NSAIDs (where appropriate), and adjuncts provides better pain control than single-agent approaches.

What You Can Do

Ask your vet about post-surgical pain management protocols for your cat
Use validated pain scales to monitor your cat's comfort after surgery
Return to your vet if you observe signs of pain after discharge