Mental illness in a cat?

xocats

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Great idea Tim...
elizwithcat...check out "newigal" in the members list & look at her public profile...she lists her website. It looks like a great resource for you.
I hope this helps little Scaredy.

Lei

Originally Posted by coaster

She probably doesn't want to give out free advice to everybody who asks, but you might just try pming newigal to ask about the peeing problem.
 
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elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by xocats

Can you get a second opinion from a Feline only vet or even a different vet. Try contacting a Persian reacue group to see if they have had kitties with this problem before. Also, go online to Persian message boards if you can find one.
I am suggesting that you contact Persian lovers because you may generate more interest in your problem that way. In the health forum post a message asking for help about a Persian cat. Please...don't give up. I am sure you want to love your kitty but this may be to complicated for you alone to handle. Again...locate & talk to someone at a Persian rescue group & see if they will be on standby in case you need them. I pray that you find answers.
I would like to take him to a feline specialist but I think I will need to get a second job just so I can support Scaredy. I think I spend so much money on the vets already, I could have bought a nice used car with it. And the vets seem to be pretty much useless anyway. At least if I knew they would help him I wouldn't worry about all the money being wasted. The ones I have been taking him too flat out told me that there is nothing they can do for him.
 

arlyn

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Last cat I had with FIC was diagnosed at 2 years, I had him put down at 13 years.
Quite frankly, I think your vet lied to you, when you were told that nothing could be done.
I completely understand the situation you are in, but if you are unable financially or otherwise to handle his illness, it would be kindest to release him to a breed rescue group. They work with a lot of people, some of which have dealt with these very issues themselves and are prepared to handle them.

Putting him down is not necessary at all.
 
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elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

Last cat I had with FIC was diagnosed at 2 years, I had him put down at 13 years.
Quite frankly, I think your vet lied to you, when you were told that nothing could be done.
I completely understand the situation you are in, but if you are unable financially or otherwise to handle his illness, it would be kindest to release him to a breed rescue group. They work with a lot of people, some of which have dealt with these very issues themselves and are prepared to handle them.

Putting him down is not necessary at all.
What treatments did you try on your FIC cat? I don't think the vets lied on purpose, I think they are just clueless. They didn't seem to know anything about treatment at all. His urine pH is fine, he has no crystals in his urine, his bladder x-rays was fine, so they have no clue what to do with him. Also, how would I get my cat into a breed rescue group? If I could find a persian rescue group that could help him, I would give him to them.
 

arlyn

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My cat's issue was controlled through diet alone.
And a lot of litterbox retraining had to be done, on my part as well as his.
He was never perfect about it, but his accidents were minimal.

As far as breed rescue goes, others here would be better able to get some contact info for you.
 
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elizwithcat

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

My cat's issue was controlled through diet alone.
And a lot of litterbox retraining had to be done, on my part as well as his.
He was never perfect about it, but his accidents were minimal.

As far as breed rescue goes, others here would be better able to get some contact info for you.
What do you feed him?
 

arlyn

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He was prescribed Purina CD dry and canned, I know there are other prescription foods out there for FIC as well.
He only had two more flare ups in his entire life.

In his later years, he refused to eat anymore prescription foods, after consulting with his vet, we switched him over to Nutro Natural.

As far as retraining goes, he was confined for many weeks, and I had to pick up everything he favored for peeing on:
plastic of any kind, laundry baskets with clean, or dirty clothes, boxes of all kinds, my door mats, and he was no longer allowed in my bedroom.
He had other health issues throughout his life, he was diagnosed as being developmentally disabled,and had violent mood swings, his littermate, whom I also adopted was put down at 6 weeks for being hydrocephalic.
By the way, he wasn't put down for his FIC, he developed cancer, a fast moving sarcoma.
 

beckiboo

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I just started reading this thread, Elizabeth. I think you should try the new suggestions before giving up on this guy. You are certainly frustrated now, and I totally understand. Arlyn's pointers about crate training could help. Although Scaredy's peeing started with FIC, maybe he can gain some control over it.

I don't think he is bipolar. Bipolar does not cycle on a 24 hour schedule. He is very smart, and loves you, and is getting his cuddles at night when you aren't scary. Have you read the thread on blinking? I wonder if you are giving him "scary" messages by making eye contact during the day. (The blinking info is new to me. I had a semi-feral foster I was trying to tame, and wish I had known that earlier!) Maybe a few slow blinks will help him understand that you are safe, despite the medications!

Good luck. I hope he improves, for his sake and yours!
 

dancemuse

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Elizwithcat, I don't know where you are located, but here are two websites that have links to Persian rescue groups around the country:

http://www.felinerescue.net/PersianRescueLinks.htm

http://persiancatrescue.org/rescues.htm#national

If you click around on that website, you'll see this message:
If you have a pedigreed cat that needs rescue and cannot find help at one of the rescues listed on the links above, please tell us about it on the Purebred Rescue Message Boards and we'll try to help you find a purebred rescuer or a placement.
The link to that message board is:
http://www.purebredcatbreedrescue.org/forums/index.php


Here's a group in Atlanta that rescues from all over the southeastern US:
http://www.felinerescue.net/persian_rescues_links.htm

And if you go to Petfinder.com, to this page:
http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=4
You can select your state at the top and scan through to see if there are any Persian rescues in your area. If there aren't, a caring, cats-only rescue group might also be able to help.

I found all of this by going to Google and entering "Persian cat rescue." If you put in your state, you'll be able to find even more info.
 
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elizwithcat

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I hate vets! I tried to get him into a feline specialist and the earliest they had is June 30th! Now this poor cat is peeing everywhere and no help whatsoever from the vets! How is he going to wait until June 30th?
 
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elizwithcat

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Well, I don't know what kind of crazy he is, but he has been given alpralazam (xanax) by the vet. It's used to treat anxiety but also for bipolar disorder. There have been an improvement in his anxiety level, but he seems to have side effects which is he is clumsy and unsteady on his feet. I guess I have to wait and see how he does and if side effects go away.
 
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