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Keeping cats calm — why sedation can make for a more peaceful goodbye

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We want to make your cat’s passing as peaceful and calm as possible. Our vets do this by giving a sedative injection before the final euthanasia, allowing them to drift off to sleep in your arms first. However, cat owners will know that cats can be feisty and giving injections is sometimes not an easy feat! We never want this to hamper any chance of a peaceful passing, so we recommend giving some light sedation by mouth an hour or two before our vet arrives.

A tabby and white cat peacefully dozing on a cream duvet

Photo by Alexandru Zdrobău

Why is it necessary?

It might sound silly giving sedation before the sedation, but this is a well-considered plan. By the time the vet arrives your cat will (hopefully) be relaxed and sleepy, and will tolerate the sedation injection much better. It can really help make the experience as stress-free as possible.

What is the sedation?

We recommend giving a drug called gabapentin to your cat ahead of the appointment. Vets usually prescribe gabapentin as a pain relief drug, but it also has a nice calming effect. Gabapentin is also used in human medicine, so you might have first-hand experience with the feeling of drowsiness it can give you.

Do all cats need it?

The short answer is yes, if possible.

If you are able to give it to your cat without a fight, gabapentin is likely to help reduce stress.

All cats are different. Some are very cuddly and forgiving, others are quick to react and don’t enjoy being held. Much like humans, cats have different tolerance levels for injections too. You are probably well aware of their likely reaction from previous encounters at the vets!

Vets usually give routine injections like vaccinations under the skin, often in fleshy and insensitive areas where they are well-tolerated. We use a sedative injection that gives a very calm and deep sedation, but it needs to go into a muscle to work. Muscle is more sensitive than skin so, even if your cat is fine with normal injections, they may well object to one into a muscle.

What if my cat is already really quiet?

It can still help. Cats can be very quiet, especially if they are very old or not feeling well, but they might still notice a sharp needle in their bottom! We often can’t predict your cat’s reaction, so giving the gabapentin before the appointment will give us the best chance of a stress-free sedation for your cat.

How do I give it?

We prescribe gabapentin either as a liquid or as four small tablets, each tablet about the size of a sweetener. It is given by you at home either directly into their mouth or eaten mixed with a little food.

Is it safe?

Gabapentin is a very safe drug. The most common side-effects are drowsiness and sedation, which is exactly what we want! There are considerations if your cat is prescribed it for a long time, but when given as a one-off dose before euthanasia, it is very safe.

My cat won’t take medication. What now?

We understand. Your cat may not be eating well, or may get stressed if you try to give them medication. We know it isn’t always possible, but if you feel able to try then here are some top tips to giving medication to cats:

  • Mixing or crushing it with food. Offer tasty, strong-smelling foods like fish paste, pâté, or gravy, which can help disguise the taste of the liquid medication. Warming food up can help hide any taste and smell further.
  • EasyPill Giver Cat putty. This is like meaty playdough that you can use to wrap hide tablets and offer like a treat. Your vets should be able to give you some to try, or it is widely available in shops and online.
  • Hiding in treats. You may be able to sneak small tablets inside some stick-shaped cat treats. Prawns, crab sticks, or sausage can work too.

If bribery doesn’t work, you can give your cat the medication directly by mouth:

  • Using a syringe. The liquid gabapentin can be gently syringed into the corner of your cat’s mouth.
  • Placing the tablets into your cat’s mouth. The PDSA have produced a helpful page (with a video) on how to give your cat a pill.

What if I just can’t give it?

Firstly, don’t worry.

We know not every cat tolerates oral medication. We don’t want to create more stress than we are trying to avoid, or risk you being bitten or scratched. Our vets are very used to managing every situation uniquely and there’s usually a way around problems. Please speak to us about any worries you have so we can plan together how to make your cat’s passing peaceful.