Oral use of anxiolytic, sedative, and anaesthetic medications in domestic cats (Felis catus): a scoping review.

Oral sedatives show promise for feline stress reduction but require further field research.

This scoping review synthesizes 37 studies (1908-2024) examining oral administration of anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, dissociative, and anaesthetic medications in domestic cats. The review encompasses diverse cat populations including laboratory, shelter, and client-owned animals. Investigated drug classes include GABA derivatives (gabapentin, pregabalin), serotonin modulators (trazodone), benzodiazepines, α2-adrenoreceptor agonists, NMDA antagonists (ketamine, tiletamine), opioids, antihistamines, and cannabinoids. Multiple outcome measures were employed including descriptive sedation scoring and behavioural assessment tools evaluating stress and compliance. While many agents demonstrated efficacy in reducing fear-based behaviours and achieving sedation via oral route, significant limitations were identified including variable palatability, inconsistent absorption profiles, and adverse effects such as hypersalivation and vomiting. The evidence suggests oral sedatives present viable alternatives to injectable routes in selected clinical scenarios, particularly for pre-capture stress reduction. However, substantial gaps remain in the literature, with authors emphasizing the critical need for additional field-based investigations involving fractious cats to optimize agent selection, dosing regimens, and delivery methodologies.

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