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Original poster

Gabapentin for sedation.

20 replies

Toddlerteaplease · 21/06/2023 17:14

My parents are moving 200 miles away. Their vet has given them some gabapentin, to relax him for the journey. I've only ever known it be used for pain control and as an anti epileptic drug. How will it work for the cat? Presumably it won't knock him out?

Gabapentin for sedation.
Gabapentin for sedation.
OP posts:
Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 21/06/2023 17:20

My cat Sybil was recently given gabapentin so she could have some mats in her fur shaved. Worked a treat, she was quite amenable to being shaved by the vet. She was high as a kite when she came home, staggered about a bit but purred her head off. Apparently she was also chatting up a boy cat in the same room at the vet. 😹.
Shaved Sybil pic to add artistic verisimilitude.

Gabapentin for sedation.
Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 21/06/2023 20:51

Sybil is a beautiful beast.

OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 21/06/2023 21:01

I’ve also used it for a spooked cat. It relaxed and calmed him. It also made him very drowsy.

I hope that you’ll still get to see your parents regularly, Toddler.

DibbleDooDah · 21/06/2023 21:04

As a human put on gabapentin for a short period pre and post operation, I can assure you that it’s awesome for sedation. I would sit in a chair all day with nothing to do and it would feel like 5 minutes.

I came off it ASAP

DumpedByText · 21/06/2023 21:06

Works a treat, my cat suffers from urinary stress and when she has a flare up I give her gabapentin. She's goes a bit cross-eyed though 😹 but definitely calms them down!

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 21/06/2023 21:22

Hi@Toddlerteaplease - sorry didn't notice it was you who was the OP when I responded 🙀.

Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 21/06/2023 21:29

Their new house isn't going to be finished for months so they are moving in with my sister and BIL who is allergic to cats. Their cat is going to live in their utility room
And in an outside catio. I'm really worried about how he will cope with this for months. Or him escaping. 😰

OP posts:
HotdogCat · 21/06/2023 21:30

My cat had gabapentin for sedation 2 hours before the appointment. Was still quite feisty, just a little spaced out looking. A coupe of hours after he came home, he was off his face gazing in to the distance. Well as much as a distance as sitting in the corner face to the wall will allow

hexsnidgett · 21/06/2023 21:43

We had it for moving with our cat for several hours down the motorway, it took the edge off for her. She has also benefitted from it when suffering from UTIs.
Long term, it doesn't sound like a great set up for your parent's cat.Sad but for travel it really does help.

Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 21/06/2023 22:21

@hexsnidgett no it's not ideal and I'm not happy about it. I would love him to stay with me. But I live on a busy road. And last time my own cat came into contact with a non Persian. The result was a punctured eyeball and a week in the vet. She was the aggressor. The odd thing is that Persians that have visited for various reasons/ been short ten fostered, haven't been an issue at all. She doesn't bat an eyelid.

OP posts:
Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 21/06/2023 22:22

I did suggest that they provisionally book at cattery at the rough time they'd be moving. As they book up. But they didn't.

OP posts:
justasking111 · 21/06/2023 22:24

I'm on Gabapentin as a nerve blocker for my back. Had no side effect like this. Well jealous 😁😁

Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 21/06/2023 22:55

@justasking111 I had a short course once for something. I remember that I slept very well on it!

OP posts:
Clarich007 · 22/06/2023 16:22

No idea Todder, but my god he is gorgeous 😻

PlantFood · 22/06/2023 16:26

DD's cat has had it twice now for moving long distances. He doesn't seem to mind it at all, and it wears off smoothly. She just kept a close eye on him to ensure he didn't fall down the stairs or trip up.

GlomOfNit · 22/06/2023 22:57

Mine has had it recently for blood tests and a scan at the vet and I have to say it didn't make a blind bit of difference! Well, when he had a scan he was a bit dopey afterwards but also rather distressed. The blood tests - we had to give him some in his food the evening before, and then the barest mouthful of food and some more the next day, and I think it made him sick. The vet still had a horrible time getting blood out of him.

Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 29/06/2023 09:36

He had one tablet before the journey and was apparently very calm
And content. Very Interested in neighbouring cars, when they stopped at services.
This morning he is claiming that he was drugged and catnapped.

Gabapentin for sedation.
OP posts:
Whitters1984 · 03/08/2023 18:26

My maine coon has just been prescribed this alongside another anxiety/ sedative as he is a nightmare at the vets and he has to go for a demat in 2 weeks and turns into a devil cat ! Will see how he gets on as he's not had it before

MerryCrab · 19/02/2025 09:41

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
Toddlerteaplease · 19/02/2025 09:57

@MerryCrab he was fine, he didn't really need it. He travelled well and enjoyed looking at the cars.

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