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

This scoping review examined existing research on the oral administration of anxiolytic, sedative, hypnotic, dissociative, and anaesthetic medications in domestic cats, with the aim of identifying agents that could reduce stress, fear, and defensive behaviours during capture and handling. Thirty-seven studies from 1908 to 2024 were included, encompassing domestic cats sourced from pharmaceutical and university research colonies, animal shelters, client-owned and free-roaming semi-owned and unowned cats. Administered drugs included GABA derivatives (gabapentin, pregabalin), serotonin receptor modulators (trazodone), benzodiazepines, α2-adrenoreceptor agonists, NMDA receptor blockers (ketamine, tiletamine), opioid analgesics, antihistamines, and cannabinoids, as well as medications that have been archived from contemporary clinical practice. Outcome measures included a range of descriptive sedation and behavioural scoring tools for stress and compliance. Many agents demonstrated potential for reducing fear-based behaviours or achieving sedation when given orally, though palatability, variable absorption, and adverse effects such as hypersalivation and vomiting were common limitations. The results of this review suggest that oral sedatives could be effective alternatives to injectable administration in particular contexts, but further field-based research - especially involving fractious cats - is needed to optimise drug choice, dosing, and delivery methods.