Should we neuter without pain medication?

Question

We are having our male kitten neutered. Our vet says that they perform the neuter without pain medication (because he will be under anesthetic) and that cats really don't need the medication. I'm only looking for answers from those with experience in the field--is this really a good idea? Thanks.

Thanks for the answers so far. I'd like to stress that I'm only looking for answers with people who are experienced in the matter (who work with animals or have a lot of pets). Thanks!

Answer 1

I just had my male cat fixed. My vet gave me some oral pain medication that I gave the cat in the morning and again at night. It seems to make him sleep more as well, and by being less active, I believe that it was best for his healing process. Males tend to not have as much pain as females as the process is less invasive, but, I wanted my pet to have the best. Most vets probably would not provide pain medicine, you have to ask and pay more for it.

Answer 2

I worked as a veterinary technician for 12 years and not once did a vet ever give pain medication to a cat for neutering. They are anesthetized during the surgery, and are pretty groggy the entire night after the surgery, and by the next morning they are fine. Many vets do not want to give pain meds as the animal has NO clue they have had surgery and if they feel completely normal and fine they are going to exercise, and jump around like normal and are more likely to tear open the incision or injure the surgical site in some other way...also cats are very sensitive to almost all types of pain meds, and sometimes can have adverse reactions to it. Castrating a male cat is probably the simpliest procedure a vet performs....don't worry...your cat will be fine. If you are really concerned than have the vet send home some pain meds, but I honestly think your cat will not need them.

Answer 3

That's quite right. After the surgery, a neutered cat will not need pain medications. Whenthey neuter a cat, they put him under anesthesia. Then the make a tiny incision between the two "balls" of the cat's scrotum and literally pull the testes out and clip them off. The tiny incision does not even need to be sutured close - its very small, like a deep scratch. It heals (closes) in around 4 to 5 days. More than pain medication, you might want to ask your vet how to care for the incision site. Some get mildly infected with pus oozing out. Both my male cats were neutered and neither needed pain medication. But the vet prescribed an antibiotic for post-operative care.

Answer 4

Over the years my family has adopted and vetted a couple dozen cats. While your boy is in surgery, he will be under a general anesthetic. When he starts to wake up, he'll be groggy, confused, uncoordinated. As the anesthetic wears off, he'll notice that he's got a really sore spot he didn't have before, and will possibly start paying more attention to that area. I found that if I authorized a pain pill for the boys after their surgeries, they relaxed while still at the vets and remained relaxed on the way home. The last vet visit for neutering was 3 weeks ago, and the $12 for that pain pill was worth every penny of it for the well-being of the newest addition. Being mellow and relaxed also helped him reacclimate to being home more easily. I'd strongly recommend it. They do remember, and it'll be less traumatic for him (and you) the next time you take him in for his shots, or if he gets sick or hurt. He trusts you, and this trust will be made stronger if he isn't experiencing as high of level of pain and trauma as a result of that car ride to that big strange building with strange people, strange other animals and unexplainable owies. Good luck, congrats on your new baby, and thanks for being a responsible cat owner :)

Answer 5

I have been a RVT (registered veterinary technician) for 5 years and I can tell you that every single feline neuter walking out of our hospital goes home without pain meds. Even spays 99% of the time go home without medication because FOR A CAT this is much safer. Felines do not metabolize the pain medication properly, and many end up dying due to overdose. There are medications that can be given, but these are typically drugs that must be given IV and obviously you cannot do that at home. I know you are being cautious, but don't worry. If your vet thought the cat needed meds he would offer them. Trust me, he would get more money from you that way, so if hes not offering them, the cat doesnt need them.

Answer 6

If he's under general anesthetic during the surgery, then for a young cat, it's best to forgo the local anesthetic. It's hard to get the right dose for a young cat, and the incisions are very small for a male. He may have some discomfort as he heals, but I think that the pain medication is too great a risk for young kittens.

Answer 7

We have had 11 cats, mostly females. All were given anesthetics before surgery but none were given pain medication after. No problems except for one male where the vet botched the operation and a urinary infection developed but that had nothing to do with pain medication after the fact. Females seem to bounce back just fine after three days. Males about two. Just provide a comfortable bed for them, leave food and water next to the bed and let them recover.

Answer 8

While under an anesthetic he will feel no pain, I think your vet meant that after surgery he doesn't need pain medication.
This is a minor procedure, very little discomfort is felt afterward. Giving pain medication for minor discomfort in a cat can cause more problems than it solves. There are few safe pain medications for cats. I don't think the vet is going to send home injectable morphine.

Retired Vet Tech

Answer 9

I have had 2 dogs,4 cats and 3 bunnies fixed. Pets are expensive and there are many options offered to you by vets. Cutting back on pain medication is not the way to go. After surgery the anaesthesia has some soothing help. But as it wears off the pain comes in. Pets will nip or chew at the incision area. They are uncomfortable. Giving them the oral pain killer(or with rabbits,its a time released shot) will help them sleep thru the pain and heal quicker. They will be less active and less likely to tear the area or pick on it.

Answer 10

I dont think it's a good idea..


pain medication to your pets to help keep them comfortable when they wake up from surgery and after they go home. Humans don’t have to go through surgery without anything for pain and neither should our pets because they can hurt too. For cats, the pain package includes an injection of a pain medication given during the surgery so that they are comfortable when they wake up from anesthesia and you will be given an oral medication to take home.