Behavior Modification Drugs

Our first cat, Trixie, and our new kitten, Babs, are still working out their differences under doors. On their first face-to-face introduction, Trixie attacked the baby, so we started over, taking it in slower stages.

Our friend had a similar situation, and her vet put her cats on Valium, which kicked in and helped within days. After a month of medication, she discontinued the Valium, and the cats have agreed to a guarded peace.

Our vet, though--a cat specialist--doesn't recommend Valium, saying she's known of rare but irreversible kidney-damage side-effects. Besides, despite our friend's experience, our vet thinks that the Valium will not really make our aggressive cat calm down, only "increase her inhibitions"; that the drug is more likely only to help the victim cat relax--which, of course, wouldn't do us much good.

Instead, our vet recommends putting both our cats on a form of Prozac. She claims there won't be any permanent side-effects, although, on the down side, the calming effects won't take hold for 4-6 weeks (yikes!).

Personally, I don't like the idea of medicating either of them with anything. But the situation is very strained here, and we're getting desperate (we're the ones who need Valium).

Does anyone have any thoughts about this? Who's right-our friend's vet or ours? Neither? Both?

P.S. We're using Feliway and doing everything else by the book.

Thanks.

Wow sounds like you have your hands full I don't know if putting them on medications would be the answer as I am in no way a vet. I know that The Sammycat and Oscar had to settle their differences there own way. Yep there was quite a few serious fights around here for a little while.

I think I would let them interact with each other only under supervision. That way if things get heated between them they can be seperated to calm down. When not at home I would not let them be in the same room together until they have their pecking order worked out. Good luck with them and keep us informed as to how they are doing

Our main concern is that the older cat outweighs the youngster by double; it's a total mismatch, so there's not too much leeway we can give them to work out their pecking order without putting the kitten at risk. That's why the vet recommended medication. If we do resort to that, we don't know the best ones to use. We need some really good, objective advice.

Buzzer I really wish that I could help you with a medication for them. I would suggest that you private message Hissy and see if she has any advice for you. She is one of the most knowledgable people that I know off that could maybe suggest any meds for a cat. Sorry I wish that I could help you more

I know someone who put their cat on prozac (briefly) because of an intractable pee problem and the cat was totally drugged out by it, even after the dosage was reduced. If your cat does not adjust naturally to the kitten, it simply may not like other cats. In any case, I think you can ask the question whether its fair to medicate your cat in order to get it to get along with the kitten. It may be more humane to return the kitten from where it came.

Medication is always my very last resort. I don't know how long you have been trying to introduce them, but you really need to give it at least a month or two before thinking of medication. As with any medication, not all cats are going to get the same results. Valium used to be the drug of choice, and now that there are many more available, vets seem to be going with prozac and clomicalm. It's true that prozac has less side effects than valium. I have seen these drugs work miracles, and I have also seen them do nothing or make things worse. The only way to know for sure would be to try it. There are lots of studies on the internet, and it may help for you to read as many as possible, and then discuss your feelings with your vet. I would do a search for feline behavior modification drugs.
My personal feeling would be to do everything in your power, weather standard training, or modification drugs. If EVERYTHING has failed, rehoming the little one, may be the only answer. I am fortunate and have the ability to keep certain cats downstairs and the others upstairs. I havn't had to rehome anyone

i wouldnt give my cat drugs, i would just keep trying other options

There are safer drugs than Valium, that would work better in certain cases. I'm not a vet, but after reading a book by Dr. Dodman, I realized that drugs have a valid place in treating cats just as they do in treating humans. Cats have brains, too! There have been cats at each others' throats that, with behavior modification AND medication, learned to stop fighting. Long after being off the drugs, they've gotten along fine. In this case, it's just to assist with the behavior modification.

The book I mentioned is The Cat Who Cried For Help. You might find it interesting and helpful.