Unpopular Topic - Cat Prozac???

[dragulescugirl]

I'm going to broach a very unpopular topic with pet parents, one that I have been slightly critical of myself. But, I am honestly at a point where I think my cat needs to be put on some type of prozac to calm him down.

Harley was a very sweet cat until he was fixed. Then he became skittish and scared of everything. Typically I could manage a couple times of day to get him and pet him to purring and calm him down.

About a month ago he began defecating and urinating outside the litter box. I've done everything - and I mean everything. New litter boxes, Cat Attract, Ultra Cat Attract, No Mark spray, No Stress spray, Feliway, Feliway spray. And when his BM started coming out rock hard, pumpkin and mineral oil as well as switching to a 90% moist food diet. Three weeks ago I took him to the vet, he went on anti-biotics, had some urine in his blood, didn't get better, took him back for an enema, took him back a week later because he is still not using his box. $800 later, his urine and BMs are fine except not in a box (well the urine is the majority of the time).

Well the last couple of nights have just gotten worse. As I said, everyday we spend (at least once) 20 minutes cuddling. I brush and pet him, he purrs and rubs his face against me, normal... Except twice now he has gotten spooked for no reason each time, flipped out, and urinated all over me, the couch, the floor, etc. And then he just runs to a corner and trembles.

I just don't know what to do at this point. 75% of the time he will use the litter boxes to urinate. We've kept a box just for him to use (which he does to urinate in as well) but we can never get him to defecate in the box.

And this new freak out he's doing where he ends up urinating in fear... I just don't know what to do.

Is there some kind of cat meds I can put him on for awhile that will calm his behavior? I've never wanted to resort to this, truly believing time and patience would solve everything, but he is regressing and I'm really worried for him and the discomfort/unhappiness he is going through.

 

[white cat lover]

I have nothing against medicating - I have a cat who is on & off Buspar because she's nuts (aggressive towards other cats, dogs, & people - also urinates outside the box sometimes). It has helped her greatly - she was so shy/timid, she has come out of her shell, she does much better with the other animals & hasn't mauled a person in awhile.

 

[addiebee]

Not averse to these kinds of meds when everything else has been tried. Poor Harley and poor you. The treasurer of our rescue has used anti-anxiety meds on cats before with very good results.

This is the one she has used, I believe. It is a tricyclic.
http://www.vetinfo.com/side-effects-...line-cats.html

Obviously talk to your vet about it.

 

[kailie]

I also have nothing against medicating if it helps the situation. It really sounds like poor Harley needs SOMETHING to calm him down.

I mean, sometimes humand need to be medicated for mental issues, why not cats, ESPECIALLY where everything else has been tried. Kudos to you hun for being so diligent in finding a solution. You obviously love this boy very much. Sending vibes your way.

 

[otto]

When medicating for the kind of anxiety Harley is showing I would prefer amitriptyline over prozac.

Ask your vet about amitriptyline. (generic elavil)

(my guess would be he had a bad reaction to the anesthetic and that is what caused his changes. Find out what anesthetic was used (ketamine, perhaps?) and have it put in his chart that that type should never ever be used on him again)

 

[merrytreecats]

I don't think that trying mental medication for your cat when it is the best solution {and when non medicine things have been tried and do not work} is a bad thing at all. It is not a shortcut, it is a last resort. Neutering drastically alters hormonal balance. however it is usually a short lived effect - after a few months the body adjusts to the new hormonal balance and the cat is calmer. Has it been a long time since he was fixed or only a couple of months?

if it has been a while then I would definitely ask the vet about the prozac or other remedies like that because yes it means he may not come out of this without some medical help. Sounds like the chemical balance of his brain has been altered - this is what causes depression.

 

[dragulescugirl]

Sorry I did not respond earlier and I appreciate all of your thoughtful responses. Harley is about a year and a half old, neutered at three months.

I have not yet put him on medication yet, but I will be taking him to the vet Saturday to discuss various options.

He was starting to get a bit better, using the box consistently for urine and then half time for stool. The change in diet helped some and started to calm him down to the point he was initiating contact. I tried doing click therapy with him and he appeared to start coming around. Skittish but open to being around me and enjoying the time I spent cuddling/petting him.

And then... two weeks ago the fits started again. He has begun to urinate once spooked, will no longer use his box if people are around, and will now urinate in front of you when afraid.

I think it is really time to get him on something. I am going to be moving in a few months and I know that will send him into a tizzy. So, my hope is that I can get him calm and comfortable through that process, move him and get him settled in the new home, and then ween him off at the year mark.

I love this little guy so much, but he can't enjoy anything the way his brother and sisters do because he's just so terrified of everything. And that makes me very sad for him.

 

[snickerdoodle]

Oh my goodness that poor baby. No, I absolutely agree that in certain situations medications are totally called for, especially for this little guy. I would hate to be THAT nervous. My Chickster is very jumpy too, I've joked about putting her on something but she of course is not urinating in fear.. that must be horrible... poor guy..
Hope you find something that helps him. Please keep us updated!!!

 

[dragulescugirl]

The vet has requested I purchase 6 new jumbo litter boxes, fill the boxes with just a couple inches of litter, and toss the litter out completely first thing in the morning, when I come home from work, and before I go to bed. Even if the litter doesn't look like it has been used, toss it completely. Oh, and to wipe down the insides of the box to disinfect each time. And then, after a month, if his behavior doesn't improve then he will give me the name of some animal behavior specialists who I will most likely have to see for 6 months and then after that, if the specialist says he should go on medication then he can go on medication.

I'm really very frustrated with my vet right now. He acknowledged I have been dealing with this issue for over four months, have run every test required, have done everything asked, doesn't believe the new litter boxes will help, and thinks that most likely in the end I will have to put him on medication. So if the end result is medication, why do I need to meet with a specialist for 6 months which will cost me a pretty penny? I looked up a few online and their costs run $40 for a 20-minute phone call to $200 to an in-house visit. While I love him, I just don't think I can afford that kind of cost.

So I guess it's just time to get a holster or something and carry Nature's Miracle and paper towels around with me all the time. Getting rid of my baby boy is NOT an option and since meds don't seem to be either it looks like I will be buying stock in Downey and Nature's Miracle.

I'm just really frustrated right now. I'm sure my vets are trying to do the proper thing and don't really know me from Adam, but at the same time with this problem, it really feels like they are blaming me and my situation at home.

For instance - I brought one of my other cats with me, his littermate, because she tends to get upset when any of the other cats come home from the vet and taking her with me has been the easiest solution. And the vet was like "Well if she's a bully that's probably upsetting him." And I had to explain that no, she wasn't a bully, she just didn't like the way he smelled. On top of that, they play with each other often, it's just vet visits that upset her. Thus, bringing her with him makes her smell the same scents and she's fine.

I really feel the worst for Harley. I forced him to the vet (stressful!) where they poked and prodded him for no reason other than to tell me to buy new litter boxes.

 

[samhainborn]

I'm sure that everyone here is going to say the same thing. "Can you find a new vet"?

Maybe they're trying to save you time in the long run. If you went to the behaviorist now, they may tell you to do the new litterbox thing, only they'll charge you quite a bit more to tell you.

They are probably going to want to make absolutely sure that this is not a physical thing, either healthwise with the kitty, or a problem with the smell or look of the boxes, or the litter, or something like that.

A behaviorist is going to try to figure out WHY the cat is suddenly spooked, try to figure out the triggers. Medication is usually the very last resort, so that's my guess why they're trying all other options that they can first.

I'm hoping this gets all figured out soon, for the sake of your furbaby, and the sake of your sanity. Best of luck, and try to have some patience.

 

[cruisermaiden]

I would say to call around to other vets in your area and see if you can find one that will treat him without requiring you go to a specialist. My vet in Georgia didn't require us to go to a specialist to try antidepressants for Libbi when she had similar issues.

 

[kit e cat]

I would seek a new vet. While most of us would go to the ends of the arth to help our pets, emptying out and disinfecting 6 litter boxes twice a day sounds a little extravagant. I have a cat on Prozac. He's been on it for 2 years and we have not had ONE SINGLE pee out of the box incident since he started on it, except about a year ago when he got a bladder stone. But he had been checked for all that prior to being put on the prozac so it was completely unrelated and random. I love it. It's cheap, and it works.

 

[nekoha]

That is completely ridiculous! 6 litter boxes?! How many cats do you have, altogether?
I am so sorry for your poor baby, but I agree that medication is just what is needed in some cases. My oldest, Piccalo, had a rough time as a kitten. As a result, she developed chronic cystitis. We tried everything, but in the end the vet put her on Kitty Elavil. She said that she had read some vet literature on it, and that it helped not only with anxiety, but had the side effect of deadening the bladder's nerves to some extent. The result? Piccalo spent about 2 years on Elavil, then we took her off to see how she behaved. Presto! She has urinary checkups regularly, but they are all normal for the past 3 years!
In short, if your poor baby needs something to help him cope, don't feel bad!! Good for you for sticking with him. You are an angel!

BTW - can you think of ANYthing that happens every time he freaks? My vet made me do a "diary" for Piccalo before she put her on medication. I had to write any and all stress that I thought she was going through. I think that would be a lot cheaper/less hassle than cleaning and disinfecting 6 litter boxes/day and the behaviorist!

 

[taryn]

I wouldn't be using that much litter if I had 12 cats and 6 jumbo boxes. That just seems like a massive waste to me. Cat litter is too expensive to go through it that fast. I'd say it might take 40 lbs to fill all 6 then to dump them and have to use another 40 to refill them and so on and so forth. No way.

Seriously find a new vet.

Taryn

 

[dragulescugirl]

I have four cats and Harley seems to prefer their company over mine. I thought I knew what spooked him (a neighborhood cat), but it doesn't seem like that is the issue anymore. I will keep a journal though - that's a great idea!

This vet is one of the founding vets, but not my usual one. I expect my vet to call me soon but I think he will suggest the same treatment. But, I think you all are right, it may be time for a change.

Thanks for all the advice and good energies sent this way!