Ketamine is used as a pre-surgical sedative, often for restraint, sedation, pain, and/or anesthesia. Ketamine is a rapidly acting general anesthetic, which means that it prevents sensations such as pain. May be used in cats for restraint, or as the sole anesthetic agent for diagnostic, or minor surgical procedures.

• In cats, ketamine is used for restraint as well as anesthesia.
• In other species, ketamine is used to sedate before anesthesia and as part of an injectable anesthetic protocol.
• Ketamine has recently been used to control pain.