In what cases can sleeping pills be used?
Cats need to be not just calmed down, but put into forced sleep at special moments when complete immobility is required of them. It is not always possible to fix active and capricious predators in one position for a long time.
Their restlessness interferes with:
- when visiting a veterinary clinic. Some tests, long-term instrumental studies, manipulations, including those preparatory to surgical interventions, can be carried out only if the cat is completely motionless;
- rehabilitation after complex operations, as well as serious mental problems require the use of sleeping pills. They are included in complex therapy for critical behavioral disorders: aggression, hyperexcitability, marking of territory until the causes of the disorders are eliminated;
- grooming: for grooming, a particularly difficult, aggressive and nervous cat will need sleeping pills;
- transportation. It is quite difficult for a cat to travel long distances. To prevent a nervous breakdown and make transportation easier for accompanying people, it is easier if the cat takes sleeping pills on the road.
Required documents for transporting a cat on an airplane
Ekaterina Antonova says that it is possible to transport cats by plane if the owner has all the necessary documents.
Veterinary passport
The basis of the basics. A document that every pet should have, regardless of breed, size or taste for travel. It notes when the cat was last wormed and vaccinated. If in everyday life it is unlikely that anyone will regularly ask to see a veterinary passport, then on a trip you can’t go anywhere without one. Ekaterina Antonova explained that in this situation it will be an analogue of a veterinary certificate with a mark on deworming and rabies vaccination, which, by the way, must be done no later than 21 days before departure, if the pet has not had it previously during the current of the year. By the way, due to the lack of all necessary vaccinations, it will not be possible to transport very small kittens under 12 weeks of age on an airplane.
The veterinary passport states that the cat was examined by a veterinarian a maximum of five days before the trip. Our expert Svetlana Kazakova clarifies that the document can be issued directly on the day of vaccination. At the clinic, you will be given the appropriate mark and secured with the organization’s stamp. The form and procedure for filling out a veterinary passport are determined by the Unified Veterinary and Sanitary Requirements.
European certificate
This certificate, the form of which is determined by the European Union, in particular by the regulations of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, is mandatory for those traveling with animals outside the Russian Federation. It is required even when transiting through the countries of the European Union.
They receive a European certificate from the local office of Rosselkhoznadzor. On the official website of the state supervisory authority, you can study in detail all the necessary information about the required documents and how to prepare them.
How does a sleeping pill affect a cat's body?
To choose a sleeping pill for a cat, you need to contact a veterinarian. Due to the fact that modern pharmaceuticals offer a huge number of products, only a professional will understand the nuances and make an adequate prescription.
According to the duration of the effect, sleeping pills are:
- short-term action (2-3 hours). Suitable for preparing for travel with the prospect of long-term transportation, for relieving stress, and for veterinary procedures;
- medium-term (4-5 hours) will be needed to prepare for anesthesia, in the treatment of seizures and severe mental disorders. The compounds in the composition provide muscle relaxation, analgesia, and sedation. Rapid addiction is noted;
- long-term (8-10 hours). Often prescription drugs only. Used for complex surgical interventions or veterinary procedures. In addition to sleeping pills, they exhibit analgesic activity. Relaxes muscles. On the road or for a haircut - this is not the most humane option. The most important thing is to follow the dosage, otherwise the animal will not wake up. Although, it is unlikely that they will give it to you without a prescription.
Serious tranquilizers are produced primarily from artificially synthesized chemicals. Herbal or homeopathic options have a milder effect and create a more sedative effect.
Overview of anti-anxiety drugs
Cat owners should familiarize themselves with the variety of sedative medications available so that they can be used correctly when necessary. The drugs must be used carefully, taking into account contraindications and possible negative effects as a result of their use.
Natural sedatives for cats can be used at home. They have a prolonged effect and have a positive effect on the cat’s nervous system. They can be added to food in advance, an hour before moving.
Injections, tablets and drops with a chemical composition act faster and have a strong effect. To prevent side effects, you must follow the frequency of administration, dosage and veterinarian recommendations.
It must be borne in mind that conventional sedatives are ineffective against hormonal explosion in adult pets. To eliminate symptoms and suppress excessive sexual desire, veterinarians prescribe hormonal drugs.
Light sedatives for cats normalize the nervous system. In case of serious mental disorders, you need to consult a specialist. In most cases, the doctor prescribes chemical tranquilizers with an increased dose.
Not all pets tolerate sedatives well. Many people experience allergies or other side effects. If your cat develops excessive drowsiness, nausea, or lack of coordination of movements, you need to have the cat's stomach lavaged at a veterinary clinic.
A unique sedative collar has been created for pets with increased sensitivity to sedatives. The collar is suitable for pets of all ages, it resembles a regular anti-parasitic accessory, but emits a specific smell around itself.
The sedation collar is used only when necessary. It is effective when planning the arrival of a large number of guests, during a flight, or when a new pet appears in the house. An overdose when using a collar is excluded, so it is considered the safest product for cats.
Stop – stress
The drug is available in the form of drops in 10 ml bottles. The product contains a complex of extracts of medicinal plants, in particular extracts of catnip, motherwort, hops, Baikal skullcap, as well as phenibut (aminophenylbutyric acid). The drug reduces anxiety, calms, relieves stress.
A single dose of the drug is one drop per kg of cat’s weight. For corrective purposes and in case of increased excitability, giving the drug to an animal for more than one month is not allowed. Before moving or gumming, drops are used a few days before the event and another 1-4 days after it.
Fitex
The composition of the drug includes extracts of medicinal plants on a water-glycerin basis. The active ingredient used is a thick extract of valerian rhizomes.
Available in the form of 10 ml drops in polymer dropper bottles. Drops with a sedative effect normalize the activity of the central nervous system, stabilize the cardiovascular system and blood pressure. They have antispasmodic and anxiolytic (weakening the feeling of fear) effects.
Apply orally to the root of the tongue and into the cheek pouch (or with a small amount of treat) 1 hour before feeding the animal, 3 times a day in a dose of 3-5 drops, for 15-30 days.
Antistress
This is a mild sedative based on motherwort. Antistress contains vitamins B and C, dry yeast, carbohydrates, proteins, seaweed, taurine and calcium glycerophosphate. In addition to the calming effect, Antistress also has a general strengthening property, prevents the occurrence of stress and depression and helps the animal to tolerate them better. The dose is 2 tablets per 5 kg of pet’s weight. This drug can be used with food.
cat Baiyun
This drug is available in the form of aqueous tincture or tablets with extracts of medicinal plants. The product contains exclusively natural ingredients, and therefore the drug does not cause an allergic reaction.
Due to its natural composition, the drug has antispasmodic, analgesic and sedative properties, which, by easing anxiety and fear, calm the animal. The sedative normalizes the pet’s behavior and strengthens its body. The duration of the course depends on the cat’s behavior and can range from 5 to 7 days. Single dose - 2 tablets. The tincture should be given 3-4 times a day for 5-7 days, 2 ml (half a teaspoon). You can use a dispenser cap that has a graduated scale.
Interesting video: What happens if you give a cat “Cat Bayun”
Xylazine
The drug is a thiazine derivative and has a powerful sedative effect. Available in the form of a solution for injection. The medicine has an immediate effect, the effect after administration appears after 5-10 minutes. It is used as an anesthetic drug, has an analgesic and sedative effect.
The drug is also used during medical procedures and operations. Injections are given intramuscularly or subcutaneously, at the rate of 1-2 mg of 2% Xylazine per 1 kg of pet’s weight. The drug may only be injected under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Fospasim
The drug is a homeopathic anti-stress remedy. Available in the form of a solution for injection and drops for oral use. Helps correct the emotional and psychological state of animals. The use of the drug helps reduce aggressiveness and fearfulness in cats, and increases the body’s adaptive reactions. Drops are administered orally 1-2 times a day for 7-14 days, 3 drops per 1 kg of animal weight. To correct neuroses, behavioral disorders, increased excitability, and stressful conditions, Fospasim is administered once a day for 5-14 days, 0.1 ml per 1 kg of animal weight.
Vetspokoin
Vetspokoin is an effective antiemetic for animals based on phenibut, promethazine, motherwort extracts, valerian and natural royal jelly. The drug has a mild sedative, antiemetic, antispasmodic, stress-protective and adaptogenic effect. Vetspokoin helps normalize cat behavior (reduces aggressiveness, increased fearfulness), helps relieve symptoms of motion sickness in transport (vomiting, salivation, anxiety), reduces stress and improves interspecies relationships. The drug contains B vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes.
Feliway pheromone for cats
Calming medications for cats are also available in spray form. Feliway is one of these remedies. The medicine accurately recreates the pheromones of the facial glands that cats use to mark territory. The drug creates a feeling of safety and calm in the animal. Odors are detected by receptors in the olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity, and the perception of pheromones in cats is carried out in the vomeronasal organ (VNO), also called the vomeronasal or Jacobson's organ.
Use the spray when carrying a cat, before transportation, when a pet moves to a new place of residence, as well as in the enclosure of a hotel intended for animals, when kittens are early weaned from their mother, to eliminate aggression associated with the touch of strangers, in case of uncleanliness, in group keeping cats.
It is not difficult to use the spray; the diffuser is plugged into an electrical outlet, the contents of the bottle evaporate and circulate in the air, normalizing the cat’s emotional state. The area of effect of one diffuser is 50-70 square meters. The validity period of one bottle is 30 days.
Contraindications
In fact, tranquilizers have many contraindications. In addition to individual intolerance, the chemicals in the composition can cause problems with the respiratory tract, kidneys, and heart. Especially if there are prerequisites for their occurrence in the anamnesis. Therefore, on the road or for a haircut, it is better to buy your cat a regular sedative, for example Stop-stress, Kot Bayun, Antistress, Fospasim.
For pregnant cats, kittens or lactating females, sleeping pills are often toxic and must be monitored by a veterinarian.
Which sleeping pill is better
For a cat that is waiting for a long journey, an X-ray, an ultrasound, a tomograph or a difficult haircut before an exhibition, the veterinarian will inject Xylanite, Vetranquil, Intraval, Rometar. They are used to quickly relax and calm the animal.
More serious tranquilizers with medium-term effects, as well as potent long-term drugs that are used for premedication, should be prescribed in the clinic in emergency cases; they are not suitable for haircuts or on the road.
Systematic use of sleeping pills is possible only for serious mental disorders. In this case, it is strictly forbidden to use human medicines.
Side effects from using sleeping pills
The most common problem is that animals become accustomed to the components of sleeping pills. Therefore, you need to very carefully follow the prescribed dosage and not abuse the long-term use of medications for cats. Remember, exceeding the dose has a narcotic effect or carries a fatal risk for the cat.
Among the side effects when it is better to refuse further use of sleeping pills: vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, unusual behavior of the cat, refusal to feed.
What should not be used?
Under no circumstances should cats be given valerian infusion. The fact is that the substance in its composition is similar to cat pheromones, which are released during the period of a hormonal surge in a cat. That is why it does not calm animals, but, on the contrary, excites them. In addition, valerian causes them to be highly addictive.
Interestingly, some sedatives for cats contain valerian. However, the amount of it in them is so small that the substance does not have a stimulating effect on the pet and does not cause addiction to it.
Catnip falls into the same category of prohibited substances as a sedative for cats, as it is essentially nothing more than a weaker alternative to valerian.
