Which of the following is a characteristic observed in cats anesthetized with ketamine?

Ketamine is an anesthetic agent that is widely used in veterinary medicine, particularly for its analgesic properties. When cats are anesthetized with ketamine, they experience a profound reduction in pain perception, which is indicated by the characteristic of analgesia. This makes ketamine especially useful for procedures that may cause discomfort or pain, as it allows for pain relief while maintaining certain reflexes and muscle tone.

In cats, ketamine induces a state of anesthesia that can involve a range of physiological effects, but it does not typically lead to complete loss of muscle tone. Generally, cats may exhibit increased muscle rigidity under ketamine, which contrasts with the decreased muscle tone experienced with some other anesthetic agents.

Additionally, while the drug does provide analgesia, it does not abolish pharyngeal reflexes entirely, allowing for safer airway management in many situations. The respiratory rate in cats can be minimal under general anesthesia, but ketamine is known to maintain respiratory function better than many other agents, making it a preferred choice for surgeries requiring anesthesia without significant respiratory depression.

Thus, the analgesic effect is a primary characteristic of ketamine when used in feline patients, which is why it stands out as the correct choice in this context.