Any success stories re behavioral meds?

[maui]

I am thinking of trying some sort of ? (med, herb, supplements) to help my scaredy cat 11 yr old (an only cat for 10.5 years) get along with an adopted 14 year old cat.

We were very slow in introducing (didn't let them face to face for several months; it is now 6 months since they've been introduced) but the formerly only-cat has fear aggression. When the new cat wants to walk past her or happens to walk towards her she will hiss and stalk. .. but in the end, she runs away because she is very scared of the new cat. The new cat is very mellow and does not instigate anything. .. though initially she was curious and wanted to sniff the fearful cat. Now she usually ignores the fearful one.

Has anyone had any success helping a scaredy cat have less anxiety?

 

[angelzoo]

Well. I tried one mood altering drug for a month... it wasn't that great of an experiance.

It was for my male cat, he was under 1 year old at the time, and had some depression/anxiety problems. And litter box issues.

The medicain helped... a little, but made him very tired, made him drool, made him very drowned out.. he was not the cat I had come to know and love.

With that, and how hard it was to get him to take these pills by the end, we just stopped the medication.
At that time I did not know herbal remidies or anything like that even existed.

I no longer need them as long as Asim is not alone with out me for more than 24 hours.

 

[patsy]

With your cats' age I wouldn't be thinking about an mood altering drugs. If there is no actual fighting and the new cat is non agressive I wouldn't worry about them. I have cats that have lived together for many years and still hate each other, but long as there is no fighting I don't worry about them. I let each know they are loved. One mistake I have made is trying to settle dissagreements and the experts say it's the worst thing you can do. Unless they are fighting you should let them come to terms with each other by themselves. Good Luck

 

[adymarie]

doing great with it - she is more cat lake then she was before. It is an anti anxiety drug as she was having litter box issues and also being ganged up on by the other cats.

 

[angelzoo]

Patsy: I'd have to say I agree on that one.

I've noticed if you do try to fix the problem for the cats, it can get worse, at the very least it will never go away. Cats remember, and keep hard feelings for a long time.


one cat Kitania. we had her. for.. maybe 5 years, hated everyone and everything, only wanted to be petted maybe once a week. (Actually she got really close to me one week before she dissapeared.) Turned out she was just a miss understood cat, no one bothered to take the time with her until I did.

Vevina was a bully... She beat Asim up... Asim eventually got her back "Asim is the alpha cat, and wasn't about to let Vevina take that away."... After that Vevina just picked on my poor little isha once in a while.
But no cat has ever died, or been mammed by this.

 

[maui]

Thanks for all the ideas everyone. . .Angelzoo the drooling doesn't sound too good, but I am so glad to hear a med working for Adymarie's kitty. Patsy, your comment about your cats hating each other for many years but never fighting made me rethink the situation.

Just yesterday, I took my scaredy cat for bi-annual checkup and shots and so I asked her vet what her opinion was. She said something along the lines of Patsy. . .hissing and that big-eyed look is no big deal. As long as they don't fight, don't even worry.

They do fine as long as they keep their distance and are both sacked out in the living room right now deep in snoozeland -- so cute, each one on their own couch. My husband said, well, we have one more couch. . .maybe we need to get another kitty for that couch

 

[patsy]

Hip, hip, hooray for your husband. What a guy. Sounds like my love bucket of a husband who bitches about the cats, but loves all of them as much as I do.

 

[angelzoo]

lol I don't think I will ever hear my fiance says those words.

Unless on some random day he will say "are we getting a dog yet?"

 

[kimward34]

Just curious.....
Does this anxiety medication have to administered daily?
Is it a pill, shot, or some kind of topical gel or cream?

My Rocko (4 yrs old) is my "Slapper".... He whacks my other 3 boys on occasion. The problem is, when he hits, he's aggressive and down right mean about it. He seems to behave best when he gets attention from me or my husband.....he's the perfect angel (when you straighten his little halo over his head, of course)

I bought him a small Alpaca rug, his new "baby blanky", and he absolutely adores it. However, when the other 3 cats try walking anywhere near it....he will "Slap-the-Mess" out of them. AND as usual, HE's MEAN... what a butt.

Maybe medication would help his cranky behavior... <grin>

What a spoiled, rotton little snot he can be......

Kim
>^,,^<



Rocko and his Alpaca Blanky

 

[patsy]

You can just look at Rocko and see he's the King. What beautiful guy. Let me tell you about my experience with spoiled male cats. I was wondering if my spoiling them ridiculously was making them act so badly toward the other cats. Then one day I was looking through the web pages, etc. and low and behold a animal behaviorist confirmed my suspiciion. They said that cats, especially males, that are overly spoiled by their human, will act out just as a bad child will do for attention. I don't remember who said it, but I do remember reading it. Your Rocko is too spoiled. I have a black cat named Pal, named so because he is friendly with all the cats initially. However, after having him a couple of years he has coped an attitude and will act out with the other cats (specifically girls) and I have to give him a talking to and put him in the yard. He knows he's doing bad because when I say Pal this is it, he runs to the top of the cat tree and waits for me to pick him up and put him out. He is a mess.

Unfortunately, I don't kow how to unspoil the bad ones and how to keep from spoiling the future ones. By the way, I tried drugs on one of my agressors and it made him more pi)*&(*&(& off. I have found, and don't laugh, a time out in a room by themselves does help. I use to do that with my Snow, who passed away last year with cancer. He had it in his head to torment one of my black female cats. I'd yell and him and he'd run and hide, but he'd be in clear view. He'd wait for me to pick him up and put him in the spare room for time out. After a half hour in the room he'd come out a new boy and apologize for being bad. Hope my experience helps you deal with your Rocko.

 

[kimward34]

LOL! What a great story ! You know, the more I read about medicating my cat, the more I am against the whole idea. I agree with you on the "Time-Out" idea. I will have to try that for a while...

I bet that Rocko will pout...

I swear, that cat can make a pouty face, pop out his bottom lip and make me feel guilty.

LOL! I'm still laughing at your story about Snow. You sound like you are as bad as I am when it comes to "spoiling" our cats.... Really, it's almost impossible to NOT spoil them. I think they like any attention they get from a loving cat parent..

All silliness aside, I am sorry for your loss. How old was Snow?

>^,,^<
Kim

 

[patsy]

Snow was only 4 yrs. old. He had feluk and then developed cancer. He was the love of my life or as my husband puts it "No body loved me like Snow loved me". He's been gone 15 months and it seems like yesterday. I love all my animals with all my heart, but he was the special, special baby. Like his eye specialist said "One in a million." I took him from the shelter when he was 7 wks. old and about to die from an upper respiratory infection. The shelter was so sure he was going to die they did even follow up on him. They were quite shocked when they found out he had made it. Many nights in the bathroom with the vaporizer, handfeeding and lots of love brought him through. I could take up this entire forum just telling you how wonderful and special he was. Everyone who met Snow, loved Snow. When he died a lot of people were heartbroken. I always kid my friend Traci because when she would call she would ask how's Snow and Scottie (he's my mixed 13 yr. old terrier and was Snow's best friend). Then she'd get around to asking how I was. HA! He was an angel from heaven and God wanted him back and I can't blame him. I need to stop now because the tears are coming.

 

[kimward34]

I'm sending you a BIG HUG. Can you believe out of all of those Smilies, I can't find one darn hug!? You can get a Smilie doing everything but that...

I am honored that you shared your story about Snow with me and I want you to know that you shared it with someone who truly understands and cares. As much as it hurts, I know it really helps to talk about our little angels...Not to sound nerdy, but it will help heal your broken heart. You can always talk to me about Snow.

This is the part of pet ownership that I can hardly bare. Losing them is hard and I always swear I'll never put myself through the pain again by bringing home another pet. Yeah, right...

You said it has only been 15 months since Snow went to heaven and that it seems like it happened yesterday. Well, you know what my grandmother would say about that feeling? "Every time you shed a tear, Snow is hugging your heart." :angel2:

Even if my Granny made stuff up to make me feel better, isn't that a sweet thought? Heck, when we were little kids, me and my twin brother believed everything Granny said. I'm 35 and I still do..<grin> well, except the one where she told me, If I swallowed gum, the next time I got the hiccups, the gum would turn into a big bubble and I would float away ..." lol...

Ok, I'll stop now, I'm dripping all over my keyboard.

Since I could find a Smilie Hug - Here's one from my GoGo.
He's making "Bunny Paws" just for you.

>^,,^<
Kim

 

[patsy]

Dear Kim:

Thanks for yours and your grandmother's words. She sounds like a wonderful lady. Now I'm leaking all over the keyboard.

GoGo is a mess. I have two big orange tabby's who are both named Rusty. There's of course a story behind that but I don't want to go on and on about stuff that's not related to this board.

You sound like the kind of person who I could chat with about all kinds of cat issues.

Here's my e-mail address if you want to chat about other cat stories
[email protected]

Thanks for your wonderful words and hug from GoGo. Give him a hug for me.

Patsy