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My cat is still wobbly after gabapentin for vet anxiety. Is it normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Female | spayed | 5 years and 10 months old | 11 lbs

My cat has loss of balance after taking gabapentin for anxiety before a vet visit. It’s been 6 hours and she’s still not quite right. Should I be worried?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on March 27th, 2019

Hi there. It’s common for cats to be a bit wobbly when they have taken a sedative or anti-anxiety medication like gabapentin, so this would not normally be cause for concern. This medication can last for up to 8 hours or so, so I normally tell my clients to expect that their kitty may seem a bit drowsy or off-balance for the rest of the day.

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 22nd, 2019

    This would be an appropriate dose of gabapentin for sedation and I am not necessarily surprised that Lucy still seems affected. If Lucy is not her normal self by the time your vet opens tomorrow I would recommend contacting your vet to see if they want to examine her. If Lucy seems extremely depressed or is not responding to you then I would recommend seeing an emergency vet tonight.

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