Valium or Prozac?

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.

P.P.S. I posted this message the other day on "Health & Nutrition" but only got one reply (thank you). So it occurred to me that it really belongs in the "Behavior" category. Sorry for the duplication, but we really need some good advice.

Hi, please read this thread, including hissy's great article. I really don't think medication should be used to help in introducing cats. Many, many cats have been introduced without the use of such strong medicines such as Valium and Prozac and it's really not needed if you follow the good advice in the above thread.

Originally Posted by Buzzer

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?

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Valium is hard on cats. More the liver than the kidneys, but it affects both.

I would heavily look towards alternatives to drugging. Who wants a druggie for a kitty? There are plenty of alternatives.

Spotz

How long have these two kitties been around each other.

And how are you going about socializing them?

Spotz

I would agree that drugs should only be used as a last resort. Typically cats will pounce on each other once first introduced, and sometimes you have more aggression if you rush the introductions.

I would tend to lean more towards using vanilla extract on both the cats, and really look at how you are introducing them to each other? I would invest in a baby gate and put it up vertically in the doorway so the cats can smell each other and not get to each other- or put up a temporary screen door. We have a door made of framed chicken wire that has been tested time and time again and held up well. (Thank goodness for a crafty husband who built this for me). But keeping a solid door between them doesn't actually work real well. Drugging them isn't the answer either- even if your friend admitted great success with it.

Originally Posted by Spotz

How long have these two kitties been around each other.

And how are you going about socializing them?

Spotz

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About a month, on and off. They had been in adjoining glass-enclosed rooms for about two weeks--looking but not touching--when we decided to put them together. The resident cat, Trixie, immediately attacked the baby, Babs, and scared the hell out of everyone. Fur flew. We were very depressed about it. That's when the cat vet recommended Prozac.

Instead, we started introducing them from scratch, this time putting them in rooms where they could not only see each other through glass, but smell, talk to, and paw each other under the door. We put Feliway diffusers throughout the house.

That's been going on about a week. Today we put the baby back in the sunroom, where they could really look at each other, but we opened a window between them about an inch. When we last looked, they were nose to nose, staring at each other.

In a few days I'm going to put a mesh screen in the window and open it, giving them even more opportunity to interact, while still protecting the baby.

We're pretty discouraged about the whole thing. We love them both, but so far everyone's pretty miserable. Trixie is always vigilant, and her appetite has diminished. Babs is pretty much scared to death of Trixie getting to her. My wife and I are just plain worn out with worry and with trying to keep them separate but reasonably happy.

The idea of sedating them is abhorent, but so is the notion of giving up the baby to a shelter. We're still hoping for the best, of course, but we can use all the advice and encouragement we can get.

The screen will work wonders. Trust me, you saw the open window.

It may take a bit of time, but as soon as they get used to being able to truely see/smell/touch/hear each other, and to percieve that each is not a threat to the other, they will be fine.

Take it easy, and let them move on their own terms.

If you have both of them comfortable with wearing a harness/leash, then you can even add an extra step to full interaction. By having them both on a leash when you introduce them again.

Once again, give them some time, and do expect a few minor scuffles initially.

Spotz

Originally Posted by Spotz

The screen will work wonders. Trust me, you saw the open window.

It may take a bit of time, but as soon as they get used to being able to truely see/smell/touch/hear each other, and to percieve that each is not a threat to the other, they will be fine.

Take it easy, and let them move on their own terms.

If you have both of them comfortable with wearing a harness/leash, then you can even add an extra step to full interaction. By having them both on a leash when you introduce them again.

Once again, give them some time, and do expect a few minor scuffles initially.

Spotz

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We're hanging in. I'm printing out your encouragement for my wife. Thanks very much. We'll let you know how it's going.