So many issues and not many options....

[bpriestner]

My cat is an 9 yr old female who I'm pretty sure is interbred. She has lots of issues. The poor thing is terrified of her own shadow and any sudden movement. I moved her into my room about two years ago and she is the only animal in my room. She refuses to use her box, doesn't clean herself and for the every day in the last 3 days has started peeing on my bed. I can't put her back upstairs where her and the other animals will interact badly. My mom and I talked about getting a two/three story large cage for her but that doesn't seem very fair either. I can't rehome her because she is terrified of most things and no one will adopt a cat who has all her issues. I really do not want to put her down but it is looking as that might be my only option =/

 

[bad cat chris]

I once had a very nervous cat like that but without the peeing issue. I am wondering, what changed three days ago when she started peeing on the bed?

 

[bpriestner]

I didn't sleep in my room the night before I had to sleep upstairs with the dogs but that wasn't the first time I have had to stay up with the dogs and not sleep in my room. If she gets to upset she will start pulling her hair off her one leg until she bleeds luckily she hasn't started that up again. 

 

[peaches08]

Once all medical problems are ruled out, what about an antidepressant? Worth a try.

 

[bpriestner]

That might be worth a try just getting her to take the meds would be the problem. She is so skittish. =(

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Oh dear.  Has she been to the vet recently?  I would take her to rule out a UTI; but also to see if they can recommend something to help calm her. There are things such as Feliway diffusers that help cats stay calm.  They take time to work though.  And I have heard of antidepressants helping some cats as mentioned above.  The first step is to rule out medical issues (especially for the inappropriate peeing) because cats are so good at hiding pain.  A consultation with a Behaviorist might be beneficial as well.

I also had one very skittish kitty but it never progressed to this.  She was jumpy even as a kitten.  She was happiest when she had her own places to hide.  She would sprint through the house when we let her inside to go to one of her hiding places in my bedroom.  Letting her decide where those were helped I think.

 

[peaches08]

That might be worth a try just getting her to take the meds would be the problem. She is so skittish. =(

Cream cheese, any soft squeeshy something you can hide it in? Cat treats? Maybe even find a compounding pharmacy that flavors it so the cat will like it a little better?

Again I'd rule out a medical problem. My little female is a total squirrel but is fastidious about cleanliness and using her litter box. Even at the risk of getting ambushed by the boys who are 2+ times her size.

 

[physicsgal981]

The do make a dermal prozac for cats.  You rub it on their ears.  Much easier than trying to give than a pill. 

 

[bad cat chris]

I don't like medications but if the alternative is the shelter, I will say that my mother-in-law gives her cat prozac because he was peeing and that seemed to help.

 

[ritz]

Prozac and many other medications (if also prescribed for humans) can be compounded into a flavored liquid, which I place under her raw food.

That's how Ritz takes her Prozac (for FHS), and how I was able to get some really nasty drugs (reglan for example) into her.

 

[di and bob]

My cats take meds in those pill hider treats, they work well. You might give her pieces at first with no pills so she knows it as a treat. I can't use liquids because they ALWAYS smeel them and refuse to eat.