Cats on Prozac?

2catmomindy

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This has all been very helpful to me!  My 6-y-o kittie Picasso started to pee on bath rugs about six months ago and after removing the rugs, we took her to the vet a month or so later--nothing medically wrong with her.  Vet diagnosed stress (we have her littlermate too, a male, who bullies her a bit) and we tried a NurtureCalm collar.  This solved the problem for about two months, and made her more affectionate, but as soon as we started putting the bath rugs down again she would pee on them.  So we removed the bath rugs permanently.  She has just started to pee on the bed up by us as a new part of her morning cuddle...INCREDIBLY annoying and disgusting.  My husband has said this is the last straw and we need to get rid of her or make her an outside cat--not possible right now due to weather, though, and she doesn't really like the outside for more than short bursts of time.  For the moment we are putting her in the basement at night (full access to litterbox) and not taking her out until we are up out of bed.  She is still using the litter box, but misses occasionally.  I think she might be stressed out by the smell of the bullying cat.

I heard about Prozac and have checked it out.  Worrying about the side effects and the expense, but thinking it might be worth trying.  However, I am generally opposed to the idea of medicating for behavior--didn't put my ADHD son on Adderall when it was recommended by a teacher (but not his dr!) and it took me until he was 19 and he tried it himself in college to understand how beneficial it was for him.  So maybe I'm wrong about kitty Prozac too.  Can someone share how they made their decision to medicate after being unsure?  Thanks!
 

di and bob

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Most of the time the decision is taken from us, in other words the situation cannot continue as it is, something had to be done to improve the health of the cat,  There is no choice to let it go on the way it is. Medications can and are lifesavers if used correctly. Many times they are hit and miss until the perfect one is found.  We have to find a Dr.  who has the knowledge and experience to put our trust in. My Burt has an enlarged heart and fluid backs up into his lungs making him cough. He has lived two more years on Lasix and is doing good, so medications can be good!   PS did you know Adderall is used to CALM young children, helping them to concentrate.That's the way it works in young brains. But once they hit puberty, especially at college age it is a stimulant, a 'speed' and very much addictive. It is used by the college kids to stay up all night and study, but be careful, that is a very slippery slope, and bad for the heart! 
 
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2catmomindy

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Oh, don't worry about my son and Adderall.  He had a definite case of ADHD and really needed it to calm and focus (not "speed" on it) in college--yes, it worked that way on his brain--and once he was out of school he stopped taking it.  All is well.

But back to the cat.  I plan to take her back to the vet on Thursday morning to check and see if maybe crystals were missed on the first go-round, and try the Prozac.   Thanks, all!
 

dannie c

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I have a large sweet wonderful cat that has developed a terror of one of my other cats who likes to play tough- not a bully - the third cat just bats her off and she goes- but my Lulu becomes terrified- outrageous yowling- and aggression- first just towards the one cat doing the tough play- but then towards the docile old cat- and now towards me- separating them only helps if I am with Lulu all the time in the bedroom- so all three cats are miserable- and I can't even leave Lulu alone for long or she gets pissed at me- 

I am wanting to try Prozac or one of these things- I have tried every single one of the holistic things from all over so please don't suggest it-  I spent a fortune on them all and none of them did a thing- zip 

so she is temporarily being fostered now- and I have to decide what to do- she is about 15 or more pounds- I do not have hundreds or thousands for vet bills to determine what I already know- she is very healthy otherwise- all my cats are- 

please someone with this experience advise me- and where to buy the liquid - she won't take pills easily- and the dose- thanks

It is my last hope other than finding her her own calm home with no other animals or kids- or loud people- good luck on that for an 8 year old cat- thanks all
 

grzina

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I would try the Prozac. Your vet should be able to find a pharmacy to make it into a flavored liquid. Even though it is flavored, my cat tastes it in his food so eventually I stopped that and now am squirting it in his mouth. He is not a fan of that either but I can't get a pill in him. Anyway the Prozac worked immediately for inappropriate peeing and pooping. And, he is not totally stoned or lethargic. There is less aggression between my two cats, which is an added bonus. However, the other cat is on amyltriptiline so that may have something to do with it. You may want to consider amyltriptiline. I think I am spelling this wrong but it is also called Elavil. This has made my big cat a lot less aggressive. It has more of a sedating effect so you may have to adjust the dose. It is available as a transdermal that is put on the ear.
 

dannie c

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thank you for your response- there are no pee or poop issues here- just a death fear from my one cat to the other and now to both of them - one is very docile too- so its the one cat-  I don't want to drug her and sedate her- I want to adjust her fears-

I had tried a mild tranq years ago but it did nothing but make stoned and pathetic- don't want that- 

just want to take the edge off her fear-  that is it- 
 

lalagimp

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We use it in two forms. The 10mg pills are a pain in my butt to quarter, but I do it the best I can and I put a quarter in a pill pocket. Boyfriend's prescription for his cat was not dispensed as written. His vet wrote the same thing, but the pharmacy did capsules instead of caplets. He bought a milligram scale and puts 2.5 mg of the powdered drug into his food and he eats it, no problem. We're feeding raw and it's rabbit, turkey, supplements and fish oil.
 

dannie c

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Where do you get it- do you need to get it from the vet or can it be gotten elsewhere? What is BCP?  Do you know the basic low dose? thanks 
 

dannie c

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Never did a thing for mine- none of that stuff did- all a huge waste of money and very expensive- 

you are lucky if any of it works for you
 

dannie c

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Two forms of the Prozac? Do you need to get it from the vet or can you just buy it  other places? if so  -where? Thanks- putting it in the food sounds best- less traumatic that way
 

grzina

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They Amyltriptline (Elavil) will take the edge off of aggression. But, if you start it and your kitty seems too sleepy, cut down the dose. My cat is now on 1/2 of a 5 mg pill and he seems himself but isn't chasing the other one around. 

You do need a prescription for the Prosac from your vet. 
 
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dannie c

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Rather not tranq them but adjust anxiety - wonder which of these many things is best- 

so hard to know
 

foxden

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Rather not tranq them but adjust anxiety - wonder which of these many things is best- 
so hard to know
Prozac requires a prescription from your vet. It is not a tranquilizer. Prozac, buspirone and some other medications change the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. This change in brain chemistry results in behavior changes. They can significantly reduce anxiety-based behaviors in your cats.

Prozac (=fluoxetine) may require 1-2 weeks to build up therapeutic levels in the blood. Your cat may be a little sleepy or groggy for a couple of weeks, but that usually goes away.

You do need to work with a vet to get the meds right. If you are having trouble paying a vet, perhaps a local shelter would be able to help get vet services at a reduced price. There are other ideas about help paying for a vet here

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/no-money-for-vet-care-how-to-find-help-and-save-your-cats-life

I hope you are able to work this out for the sake of your cats

Prozac is also a drug for humans, and can be purchased at any pharmacy with a prescription. There are special formulating pharmacies who can prepare suspensions in liquids flavored as tuna or chicken.
 
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dannie c

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Yes I know the difference in how the basic meds work  for humans anyway - figure its the same for cats-  that is why I don't want to put her on Elavil or Buspar -  but not sure about Prozac either-  I do not have endless hundreds or thousands to play the vet game here- none of them give anyone a break- the one here who pretends to is one of the worst vets I've ever seen in an emergency- would never go back to him

will check this all this  out- and yes- I hope I can too

she is best in her own home- not on drugs- away from what terrifies her - 

but that is no simple task for an older cat- even a great one such as she is- 

she is great company for a calm quiet gentle person- but barring that

I will talk to the vet on Monday- 

interestingly you can get the meds online without a script- after all the reading I've been doing- I bet the vet tells me the same thing and gives the same dosage and charges me hundreds for it-  thank you for this I am insane over it- 
 

dannie c

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I wonder if its the same formulary as the human Prozac- will find out and look for a place to make a liquid out of it- 
 

foxden

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I wonder if its the same formulary as the human Prozac- will find out and look for a place to make a liquid out of it- 
The drug is the same for humans and cats.
I don't know how you get it without a prescription -- that might not be the same medication and could be something entirely different.

The two forms mentioned earlier were a tablet and a capsule. The capsule probably contained a powder.
 

dannie c

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There are sites online that sell it- many in fact- I just google Prozac for Cats and several came up - I can ask my doctor for it-  but I would want the powder to put in her food-  she won't take a pill no way-  that alone would freak her out- 

its funny- to get it from my vet is a fortune- to get it from my own doctor is a few bucks for three months-  such a rip off- no wonder so many animals end up in shelters- vet bills are out of site and few care or will work with anyone- at least here- 

and they all pump it-  they dont' care if you are trying to save their home and life- they only care about $$- or most do - 

as for making it into a tuna or other liquid formulary - I will check that out
 

foxden

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Vet prices for prescriptions can be high. They don't have a lot of volume, they cannot keep a lot of inventory, and many of the meds are vet uses only. They may have to pay list price for their meds, and mark up from there.

Almost every vet will write a prescription for meds that are not controlled substances so you can get it somewhere else. Narcotics or amphetamines are more complicated for prescriptions.
 

lalagimp

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Tommy's 10 pills a month are $13. The only padding at the vet is depending on if they want to run a complete bill of tests first. Even if they want to do an exam, run labs on urine and blood, it's $400-500.
I don't know where you're getting this thousands of dollars estimate in your mind but you're very unrealistic.
 
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