---
title: "It Must Be Magic: How Gabapentin Can Change Your Cat’s Vet Visit"
description: "Learn how veterinary-prescribed gabapentin safely reduces anxiety and fear for calm, low-stress veterinary visits and exams."
date: "2018-02-07T05:08:40Z"
author: "Just Cats Clinic"
image: "/img/3e705b68"
canonical: "/it-must-be-magic-how-gabapentin-can-change-your-cats-vet-visit/"
---

# It Must Be Magic: How Gabapentin Can Change Your Cat’s Vet Visit


For most cats, a visit to the veterinarian can be an overwhelming experience. Even though you and your vet team do
everything possible to make their visit stress-free, it can still be too much for some cats. Being removed from their
familiar, comfortable environment, a trip in the car, and new smells and sounds at the vet—any one of these things can
be stressful, but combine them and it is no wonder some kitties need a little extra help when they visit us.

![Teri and Coco in a Sleepypod carrier](/img/576740c1)

In the past few years, feline veterinarians have discovered that Gabapentin can aid in examining some kitties that
previously had to be sedated. It has been used safely for chronic pain for several years, but has only recently been
recognized for its effectiveness as a great short-term anxiety medication for cats. It "takes the edge off" without
having to use an oral tranquilizer medication or anesthesia. Other than drowsiness, it has very little risk for side
effects, and a lot of kitties will eat the capsule contents sprinkled in or on their food, making it easy to administer
at home or at the clinic. Occasionally, owners report increased drowsiness which can make cats a little wobbly on their
feet, but it generally resolves within 12 hours.

![Calm cat resting comfortably during an examination](/img/08e5974d)

At Just Cats Clinic, we like to have owners give the medication at home 2–3 hours prior to the vet visit, since that
is typically the peak time for the drug's effectiveness. However, every cat is different, and occasionally we have to
modify the dosage, timing, or even administer a second dose. As with people, not every cat metabolizes drugs at the
exact same rate, so effectiveness can vary depending on the cat's level of body fat, age, and disease processes (e.g.,
hyperthyroidism can speed up metabolism).

![A relaxed cat resting comfortably](/img/3e705b68)

Your veterinarian will usually recommend that you try Gabapentin for your cat's next exam if they think it will be
beneficial, and either send you home with a few capsules or place a note in your file so you can pick up a prescription
prior to your next visit if they do not need another exam for a while. It is best to schedule your cat's first
Gabapentin exam in the morning on a weekday if possible, just in case they need a little extra time to let the
medication take effect once you arrive. Sometimes we recommend dropping them off for a short period so we can give them
a little more medication if needed. With that being said, it is best not to schedule these initial appointments on
Saturdays due to our tight schedule and shortened business hours. If your cat routinely takes Gabapentin for exams and
does well, feel free to schedule at your convenience. If we can find the right dosage and timing, you and your cat will
be much happier, and that is truly our goal!

Unfortunately, in other cases Gabapentin is not quite enough to relax your cat to the point where we can safely complete
their treatments, so the vet may ultimately recommend full sedation to keep stress levels low. The last thing we want is
for them to have a negative experience, which only makes the subsequent examination even more stressful. If you have
questions or concerns regarding your cat's anxiety at the vet, give us a call to see if Gabapentin may be the right
choice!