Topic: Prozac for cats?

[Hyacinth]

Anyone heard of such a thing? It came up at Xmas when someone at a party in the US was talking about the anti-social behaviour (peeing in the house/bullying other neighbourhood cats, mainly) of one of theirs. He'd bought something on-line & was awaiting delivery.

I'd have thought that all the probs should be dealt with individually, rather than zonking a cat out - leaving it with the same behaviours but happening ever-so-slowly?

Dunno, but I'm out of the pet-owning loop these days...might it work? Doesn't seem right, somehow, but...

[tomatoada]

"Horizon" discussed Prozac and the side effects on humans  yesterday on BBC 2.  I would not think it is suitable for cats.

[grannyjanny]

One of my daughters cats had prozac because he was depressed. It helped, he was much happier. He was a pure breed & perhaps there was a problem with the breeding of him.

[Hyacinth]

I don't doubt this cat's owner's on-line research - which has been thorough grannyjanny, just never come across this before......do hope it works for him, poor little (big) mog....

[lewic]

I suspect its because so many Americans think its OK to declaw their cats and keep them imprisoned indoors. The poor things are there just for show, and perish the thought they would scratch the furniture or kill anything. No wonder they are depressed, I would prescribe a different owner!

[Obelixx]

My almost 12 year old cat lost a front leg a few years ago in a car accient.  At about the same time we had a kitten abandoned in our garden - no neighbours for miles so not a stray - and our other cat became insanely jealous for a year but then suddenly became her usual loving, playful self again fo r a brief period before both she and the new boy were killed within a week of each other.   

The combination of all this was stressful for Zazu and he developed an auto immune skin problem which meant he los fur and his skin turned black and was irritable.  Steroids worked for a while but then he became depressed as well.   I did some research on te internet after seeing an article about cats and prozac and persuaded the vet to try it.    Our version is Telizen which may be a bit different from Prozac.

30 months later and Zazu is fine.    His dose has been reduced from twice a week to once a month, soon to be none, and his steroids are also now only once a month.   He's fit, healthy, happy and coping well with the rescue doglet who arrived nearly 2 years ago and another abandoned kitten who arrived in December.

[Hyacinth]

Aww, that's a heart-rending tale, Obbelix. So hope that Zazu continues well, poor love. To have one cat killed is heart-rending enough, but...both...can't begin to imagine your distress.

 Prozac-cat's owners also researched the product they bought well - I'm quite sure that it wasn't 'prozac' as such! - but it made a good tale at the party ;D  He's one of three cats and a dog and chickens they have and they're caring, sensible pet owners.

His bullying of my family's cat is extreme tho. Ours was one of two brothers from the same litter they had from a rescue place as kittens. The other brother was killed on the road (the only road for miles around, for goodness sake :'() and he was much more territorial than than his remaining brother who's a quieter, gentler little thing, and prozac-cat and he sorted things out between them. Now, tho, the little brother's being given a v. hard time by p-cat and is afraid to go out when he's around after being badly bitten by him. P-cat mounts guard on the patio door and we had to escort ours outside (sigh)...I hope that things get better.

btw p-cat's owners are all in favour of the family using a water-gun and suggested that vinegar is mixed with the water? I think that's a brill idea I'll use here.

[Obelixx]

The article that started m eoff wa sactually about Prozac being given to a cat who was bullied y all his neighbours and refused to go out and lost loads of weight.  Since teh treatment he's gained weight and begun to assert himself.  Maybe you should consider that for yours, and a water gun without vinegar fo rthe buly when he's misbehaving.