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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Prozac for cats

39 replies

hollinhurst84 · 14/02/2017 23:23

Yes, you read right Hmm
Has anyone used it? Vet has recommended it for overgrooming and the shouting
Happy to try alternatives but have done feliway, ovarid, clomicalm, and nearly every calmer the vet could find

I adore the lad to bits but he has been shouting for 90 mins tonight. He wants to go out, I won't let him because it's dark. If I let him out, he comes back in within 5 minutes screaming blue murder at me ConfusedConfused
If I remove him out the room he just shouts at himself in the mirror

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 15/02/2017 10:29

Presume you've tried Zyklene? Failing that get a sling and carry him around!

MadameCholetsDirtySecret · 15/02/2017 10:35

I use a thunder shirt for my anxious dog and it works well. Is there a cat equivalent?

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 12:04

Yes to zyklene
No to carrying - he panics if you pick him up!
He shouted until 2am, fell asleep on my bed then woke me at 6am shouting. I got up to tell him off and he knows he shouldn't be doing it as there was silence after!

OP posts:
RubbishMantra · 15/02/2017 12:11

Have you thought about therapy? Not actual talking therapy of course (then again, it seems like he'd have quite a lot to say Grin), but a cat behaviourist coming and observing him in your home together. It sounds like separation anxiety.

I know prozac's used with success on parrots who over groom and pluck their feathers out.

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 12:13

I've had some help. They said he's very bonded but the shouting seems to be "wake up and pay me attention" when it's 4/5/6am
And he will do it continuously for an hour Hmm

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 15/02/2017 12:15

I think he's telling you he wants to come and live with me and have 2 girlfriends. GrinGrinGrin

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 12:16

At 4am this morning I would have posted him to anyone Wink

OP posts:
reallyanotherone · 15/02/2017 12:19

Yes i've used it.

Mine had territory issues, so a lot of spraying, as well as attention seeking behaviour such as you describe.

The spraying was unliveable with - shorting electrics, the toaster, dvd player, it was constant and we'd tried everything.

Six weeks of antidepressant and he was a different cat. Calmer, stopped spraying indoors, worked a treat.

He was still fairly attention seeking, but that's siamese for you. Limited more to loud announcements and complaints about the weather when he came in at 3 am and tried to get into my bed soaking wet.

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 12:20

Yeah I'm really struggling with the shouting. It's loud enough that I will watch TV with subtitles! I'll give the vet a ring, I guess it's worth a try

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 15/02/2017 14:19

Try it, our vets talking about putting ours on amitryptiline.

Toddlerteaplease · 15/02/2017 19:44

Could he do with a companion, or doesn't he like other cats?

Weedsnseeds1 · 15/02/2017 19:56

mafamcholet yes, there are thunder shirts for cats. Might be worth a go?

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 20:28

Toddler - I don't think he would. If I stroke another cat he hurtles out the window screaming until I stop Hmm
Have collected Prozac....
I'm not sure it's all anxiety, because he could have come and stayed in bed this morning but he was running around shouting. When I told him off and said no, he went silent (and gave me side eye face)

OP posts:
Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 20:57

This is the "my human is eating and not loving on me" noise
https://instagram.com/p/BQi-MWqB-yi/

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 15/02/2017 23:08

Omg that is too cute. I think he might be to intelligent for his own good. I mean. The look he gave you when he shredded the bin and jumped out the window!

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 23:12

Cute?! I'm going to hunt you down and send him for a holiday. Currently watching TV with subtitles while he screams it out. He could sit on my lap or have a cuddle or groom but no, he would rather cry Hmm

OP posts:
Mrsmadcatlady · 15/02/2017 23:21

Is your boy old? My old cat started doing this and it turned out she had kitty senile dementia. It was almost as if she went into a room and either didn't recognise it, or was lonely, shouting 'HEEEYYYYYYY I'm in HERE! Where are you humans??' It prepared me for having my first child, 2am feeds were a doddle as I was used to waking up in the night to one of them screaming blue murder!

Vet didn't medicate, she did change the pattern (the cat that is) to keep me on my toes though!

I have used feliway on my current boys, but only as one of them is very shy and it was for the first couple of months after rehoming them.

My parents cat has Valium for over grooming and stress (new bully cat on the block). He still shouts from time to time, but grooming better and not chewing his fur out. He is pretty old though (been on the vets books for 19 years and he was nearly 3 when they got him).

Mrsmadcatlady · 15/02/2017 23:27

Aaawww just watched the vid, it looks like a calling/greeting type meow. The local ginger (entire) tom does this when walking around and marking his territory which includes my back garden. One if my boys does a quieter version of this occasionally and I chirp back to him. Guaranteed head bump!

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 23:32

Approx 8. Not dementia they don't think as he sits next to me doing it!
Video is definitely a quiet one for him

Catch 22 as I can sleep if I shut him in the living room (he has food, water, tray and endless beds!) but then he's worse during the day as he needs to almost top up his "I love you soooo much, you my human"

We seem to have silence, this is only because I'm in bed and he's sat on me

OP posts:
Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 23:33

Posted too soon!
I think I'm more stressed because we are having massive neighbour issues and technically we aren't allowed cats but all of us have them
So I'm worried about if they can hear him

OP posts:
RustyPaperclip · 15/02/2017 23:35

Sorry if I missed anything, but what breed is you cat? Some pedigrees (looking at you Bengal Hmm) are more 'highly strung'

RustyPaperclip · 15/02/2017 23:44

Also, no offence meant, but could he be picking up on your stress? I find that cats can be very sensitive to change. Maybe he needs a bit of reassurance that he is safe with you

Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 23:49

Technically bog standard moggie
From behaviour and face there is some oriental, suspect Siamese Grin
And yes possibly, but he's shouted pretty much constantly for 12 months now. He goes through phases of not doing it at all and then times when he never shuts up

OP posts:
Original poster
hollinhurst84 · 15/02/2017 23:52

And yes, highly strung is one word Grin
Very very bonded

Prozac for cats
OP posts:
Roodolf · 16/02/2017 00:00

Oh, he's gorgeous, look at those eyes!
Sounds like he (and you) need something to change. I hear you on the making up for any separation - my crazycat is very close and vocal and needs at least 100 nose rubs and to sit as close to my head as possible on work days... usually when I need space, and quiet.
I hope you get a good night's sleep soon.

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