Pain Medications in Cats

See your vet immediately if your cat may have swallowed ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen, or any other human pain reliever. Cats process many drugs differently than people and dogs, so medications that seem routine at home can cause stomach ulceration, kidney injury, red blood cell damage, liver injury, or worse. The safest starting point is this: never give a cat any pain medication unless your vet has told you exactly what to use, how much to give, and how often.

Pain control in cats is not one medication. It is a group of options your vet may combine based on the cause of pain, your cat’s age, kidney and liver function, and whether the problem is short-term or ongoing. Common veterinary options include NSAIDs such as robenacoxib and injectable meloxicam for carefully selected cases, opioids such as buprenorphine for stronger short-term pain relief, gabapentin for chronic or nerve-related pain, and frunevetmab for osteoarthritis pain. Many cats do best with multimodal care, meaning more than one tool is used so each drug can do part of the job.

Cats also hide pain well. A painful cat may not cry out. Instead, you may notice hiding, reduced jumping, less grooming, irritability, a hunched posture, decreased appetite, or trouble getting into the litter box. Because those signs can overlap with kidney disease, dental disease, arthritis, injury, urinary problems, and other conditions, your vet needs to identify the likely source of pain before choosing medication.

The goal of treatment is comfort and function, not sedation alone. Some cats need only a few days of medication after surgery. Others need a longer plan that may include monthly injections, home medication, weight support, environmental changes, and follow-up monitoring. Spectrum of Care means there is usually more than one reasonable path, and your vet can help match the plan to your cat’s medical needs and your household budget.

Different pain medications work at different points in the pain pathway. NSAIDs reduce inflammation by blocking cyclooxygenase pathways involved in prostaglandin production. In cats, the FDA notes that only meloxicam and robenacoxib are approved in the United States, and both are approved only for short-term postoperative use. Robenacoxib tablets or injection may be used for up to three days, while meloxicam is approved as a one-time injection before surgery. These drugs can be very helpful in the right patient, but they require careful case selection because cats are sensitive to NSAID side effects.

Opioids work differently. Buprenorphine attaches to opioid receptors and is commonly used for acute pain, especially after surgery, dental procedures, or injury. In cats, it may be given by injection or by the oral-transmucosal route, where the medication is absorbed through the tissues of the mouth rather than swallowed like a standard tablet. This route is one reason buprenorphine is used often in feline medicine.

Gabapentin is not an NSAID or an opioid. It changes how pain signals are processed, especially in chronic and nerve-related pain states, and it is also used in some cats to reduce stress around veterinary visits. Frunevetmab, sold as Solensia, is another category entirely. It is a monoclonal antibody that targets nerve growth factor and is labeled to control osteoarthritis pain in cats with monthly injections given by your vet.

Because pain is complex, your vet may combine medications with non-drug support such as weight management, easier litter box access, soft bedding, ramps, rehabilitation, or cold therapy after surgery. That layered approach can improve comfort while lowering reliance on any one medication.

Side effects depend on the medication used. NSAIDs can cause vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, stomach ulceration, black stools, lethargy, and kidney injury. Cats are especially sensitive to human NSAIDs, and even small exposures can become emergencies. The FDA also warns about safety risks with extra-label repeated meloxicam use in cats, which is why meloxicam labeling in the United States carries a boxed warning related to repeated use.

Opioids such as buprenorphine may cause sedation, dilated pupils, behavior changes, constipation, or reduced appetite in some cats. Gabapentin commonly causes sleepiness and incoordination, especially when first started or when the dose is increased. Some cats drool or vomit after dosing. Frunevetmab is generally well tolerated, but reported reactions include injection-site discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, itching, scabbing or hair loss on the head and neck, anxiety, and ear infections. Allergic reactions are uncommon but possible.

Call your vet promptly if your cat seems much more weak than expected, stops eating, vomits repeatedly, has black or bloody stool, seems disoriented, has trouble breathing, collapses, or develops facial swelling. Those signs can mean the medication is not a good fit, the dose needs adjustment, or another illness is present.

A useful rule for pet parents is that pain medication should improve comfort without making your cat feel shut down. Mild sleepiness may happen with some drugs, but marked lethargy, wobbliness, or refusal to eat should not be ignored. Your vet may switch medications, lower the dose, or recommend bloodwork and urine testing depending on the drug and your cat’s health history.

Dosing in cats is highly individualized and should come from your vet, not from internet charts or leftover medication labels. The right dose depends on the exact drug, your cat’s weight, age, hydration status, kidney and liver function, and the reason the medication is being used. For example, Merck lists buprenorphine, gabapentin, and robenacoxib in very different dose ranges and schedules, and those schedules may change depending on whether the pain is acute, chronic, surgical, or neuropathic.

Administration method matters too. Robenacoxib is typically used once daily for a short course after surgery. Buprenorphine may be injected in the hospital or sent home for oral-transmucosal use. Gabapentin is usually given by mouth and may be started low and adjusted over time to reduce sedation. Solensia is a monthly injection administered by your vet. Some compounded formulations may be used when a cat cannot take a standard product, but compounded medications should only be used under veterinary guidance because strength and absorption can vary.

Never split, crush, or substitute medications unless your vet says it is safe. Human liquid products can contain ingredients that are unsafe for pets, and human strengths are often far too concentrated for cats. If you miss a dose, ask your vet or follow the label instructions for that specific medication. In general, do not double the next dose unless your vet specifically tells you to.

Monitoring is part of dosing. Cats on NSAIDs or long-term pain plans may need rechecks, bloodwork, urinalysis, or blood pressure checks depending on the case. That is not a sign something is wrong. It is how your vet balances comfort with safety over time.

Drug interactions are one of the biggest reasons your vet needs a full medication list before prescribing pain relief. NSAIDs should not be combined with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids unless your vet has a very specific reason and monitoring plan. That combination can sharply increase the risk of stomach ulceration, bleeding, and kidney injury. Merck specifically notes that prednisolone should not be used concurrently with NSAIDs.

Sedating medications can also stack. Buprenorphine and gabapentin may both increase sleepiness, and that effect can be stronger when they are used with other sedatives, anti-anxiety drugs, or some seizure medications. This does not always mean the combination is wrong. In many cats, combination therapy is intentional and helpful. It does mean your vet may start lower, adjust more slowly, and ask you to watch closely at home.

Frunevetmab currently has no widely reported major drug interactions, but VCA still advises caution in cats receiving other monoclonal antibodies, NSAIDs, or those with significant underlying disease. Even supplements matter. Fish oil products, CBD products, herbal remedies, and joint supplements can affect the overall plan, especially if your cat also has kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, or gastrointestinal disease.

Bring every medication and supplement to the appointment if you can. Include flea and tick products, calming aids, and anything borrowed from another pet. The safest pain plan is built around the whole cat, not one symptom.