What are the medications that my veterinarian can prescribe if my cat is in pain?

The big one that we use here is a medication called Gabapentin. It's safe for almost all cats. It is perfect for arthritis pain, especially in kitties with other underlying disease processes—thyroid, heart, or kidney stuff. There are some nonsteroidals out there that we use too. We use them on a case by case basis, depending on the kitty's overall health. We want to make sure they're healthy before we start those, and we monitor blood work while they're on those sorts of meds to see if we need to take them off it or adjust dosing.

So as far as that goes, we can prescribe some types of medications that are hopefully going to be a liquid because I know it's a little easier, but we have some pills as well. We have NSAIDS that are specifically made and formulated for cats. Those are going to be a lot safer for them, especially whenever it comes to their kidneys. And we are also going to be able to provide some other pain medications like gabapentin, which you kind of run into the same situation with that as far as the cat being so small, that getting an accurate human dose is a little bit hard. Many times we will have those made into liquid medications.

There are different types of medication and many different delivery mechanisms. And so specifically, medication for pain might be Tramadol, which we often give what we call transdermally, which means it's absorbed through the skin. And so if you think about a cat, the one area that they really can't lick directly is the inside of their ear, and it's relatively hairless, so with very thin hair. And so that would be one area of pain medication for cats. Or we may give something in the cheek pouch that is absorbed through the mucus membranes. We may also use K-laser therapy. That is not a direct prescription medication, but it also can help dramatically with pain control.

There are FDA approved pain relievers for cats, such as Onseer, which is available by prescription. Veterinarians may also use some off-label anti-inflammatories made for dogs, but these should be used with caution due to potential side effects. For example, some anti-inflammatory drugs can shut down a cat's kidneys. Always consult with your veterinarian before giving your cat any medications for pain relief.