Cats frequently suffer from anxiety related to travel and veterinary visits. One sequela is avoidance of veterinary visits and lack of adequate veterinary care. The objective of this study was to test clinical efficacy and safety of a novel formulation of a pregabalin 50 mg/mL oral solution for alleviation of anxiety and fear in cats during transport and veterinary visits. A total of 209 client-owned cats were given either a flavored pregabalin oral solution at the dosage of 5 mg/kg (n = 108) or an identical placebo (n = 101) approximately 90 min before placing them into the carrier and transporting them in a car for at least 20 min to a veterinary clinic. The treatment effect using a 5-point numerical rating scale was evaluated during transportation by the owner and during clinical examination by the veterinarian, both blinded to the treatment. In addition, to verify the owner assessment, an external expert blinded to the treatment and owner assessment evaluated the transportation video recordings using the same rating scale as the owner. Pregabalin 5 mg/kg statistically significantly decreased both travel- (p < 0.01) and veterinary-visit- (p < 0.01) related anxiety compared to the placebo. The external expert’s evaluation was in agreement with the owners’ assessment confirming the treatment effect during transportation (p < 0.01). Treatment was well tolerated with only a few cats showing transient slight incoordination and tiredness. The flavored oral solution formulation with a small dosing volume of 0.1 mL/kg was found by the owners to be user-friendly and was well-accepted by the cats. This study demonstrated that a single oral dosage of the novel pregabalin oral solution alleviates anxiety and fear related to transportation and veterinary visits in cats, thus providing practical aid for both owners and veterinarians to enable cat-friendly handling and improving the welfare of cats in situations they often perceive as very stressful.

Objectives: The aim of this clinical pilot study was to evaluate the dosage, efficacy, and clinical safety of a single oral dose of pregabalin in cats that experience fear and anxiety when placed into a carrier and transported by car.Methods: Thirteen client-owned cats were enrolled in a blinded, randomized, crossover study with three treatment days approximately 1 week apart. The cats were assigned to receive pregabalin oral solution at dosages of 5 and 10 mg/kg and placebo in a randomized order, one treatment per week. Treatment was administered ~90 min before placing the cat into a carrier and starting transportation. Efficacy was assessed by the owners using a categorical scale and, based on video recordings, by an external observer, both blinded to the treatment.Results: Owners assessed that cats given pregabalin displayed less vocalization, restlessness, and panting during transportation than did cats given placebo. Correlation between owners' and external observer's assessment of the overall treatment effect was good (0.63, p < 0.01), which confirms the owners' ability to observe reliably their own cat's behavior. Transient mild ataxia was the most common adverse event reported. The human commercial formulation used in this study was found difficult or very difficult to administer by 79% of the owners.Conclusions and Relevance: Based on results of this pilot study, a single oral dose of pregabalin was well tolerated and decreased signs of anxiety and fear associated with car transportation in cats, as evaluated by blinded owners and external observer. The use of pregabalin prior to traveling may improve cat welfare and compliance for transportation. Further studies are needed to investigate the use of oral pregabalin in cats to alleviate signs of anxiety and fear associated with transportation and sequelae, like veterinary visits, and to develop a more user-friendly formulation.

The study was designed to determine the pharmacokinetic profile and bioavailability of a novel pregabalin 50 mg/ml oral solution formulation (Bonqat (R), Orion Corporation Orion Pharma) in 6 healthy laboratory cats. The cats received pregabalin as single oral doses of 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mg/kg, dose 5 mg/kg on two consecutive days, and a single intravenous dose of 2.5 mg/kg. The washout period between each administration was four weeks. The cats were monitored for clinical signs and level of sedation, and blood samples were taken before pregabalin dosing and at pre--defined time points up to 168 h after dosing. Plasma concentrations of pregabalin were determined using a validated liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry method. The mean maximum plasma concentration of 10.1 mu g/ml was reached between 0.5 and 1 h after oral administration of the clinical dose 5 mg/kg. The mean half--life after oral administration of dose 5 mg/kg was 14.7 h and the mean systemic bioavailability was 94%. Pregabalin showed linear pharmacokinetics from 2.5 to 7.5 mg/kg. Exposures after a single dose and re--dosing of 5 mg/kg at 24 h were comparable. Pregabalin was well tolerated with mild sedation and mildly uncoordinated movements observed in few cats at dose 7.5 mg/ kg. As a conclusion, study results show rapid absorption, linear pharmacokinetics, and high oral bioavailability of pregabalin without safety concerns after administration of oral solution in cats.