repetitive question...but pls help!

I know this will probably sound like a repetitive question, <I know cuz I've searched it on these forums and on other cat forums> but anyone who could help me out on this would be greatly appreciated. I have an older cat, Jiro (about 9yrs old) *he is my heart!!!* I got Jiro when I was still in high school and lived with my parents. Anyway, he was raised by my dog and they both lived together outside. 4 years into it, my dog passed away of old age (she was 18!!). Pretty soon, the neighborhood cats started beating Jiro up. He is such a wimp! He was protected by my dog for so long, he didn't know how to defend himseld. I felt bad for him, so when I moved into my own apartment, I brought him with me. For about 6 months, he was the perfect indoor cat! Then he started spraying...I have tried EVERYTHING!!! It got so bad that I moved out of the old apartment and into a brand new apartment <thinking a clean start would help> I recently got a new bengal kitten, Yumi *aDoRaBLe!* and they seem to get along quite well. The spraying problem was around long before I got Yumi, so I don't believe Yumi has anything to do with it. Since I'm in a brand new apartment, I DO NOT want to have the same problem as I did before. Jiro has gone to the vet...they suggested Feliway, so I bought 3 plug ins and also the spray bottle. It's been 2 weeks that I've been in my new apartment and I caught Jiro spraying the other night. I walked my place with a black light, and it seems as though it was the first time. I took Jiro to the vet today and the vet suggested he start taking Buspar. Is this harmful in any way to my cat? What are your experiences with this medication? I just don't want to give my cat any medication that would make him unhealthy or sad. I am at my wit's end, so any help you can offer would help greatly. Thanks!

I haven't tried Buspar, but my cat was on amitriptyline for her urinary issues for a while. Both Buspar and amitriptyline are anti-depressants, and I can say from experience that you need to be very diligent about getting them the medication on time (around the same time each day) every time. Skipping doses can cause side effects, and I would hate to put my cat through those. If the time comes when you want to take your kitty of the medication, be sure to do it slowly, cutting the dose in half, etc.

I've had a very positive experience with Buspar. In my cat's case, it was used for aggression - she was beating up my big boy Louie, who outweighed her by about 5 pounds!

The med worked quickly - I saw virtually immediate results (the results vary and some cats take longer to respond). There were no visible side effects - my girl did everything she normally did. Her personality did not change with the exception that she no longer attacked Louie.

Only your vet can prescribe the correct dosage and tell you how to wean the cat off it. Though Buspar is considered a safe med, you still don't want to use it any longer than necessary. My cat was on it several months and we decided to wean her off and see how things went. The aggressive behavior never returned.

Thanks for the input. I'm just a little hesitant to give my cat anti-depressents. I don't think he is depressed. He acts completely normal <besides the spraying> He eats, drinks, plays and runs around the house with my other kitty all the time. I kind of think that him being an outside cat for about 7 yrs has something to do with it. But putting him back outside is not an option and giving him away is certainly not an option, so I will try these meds in hopes that they will preform some type of much-needed miracle! The vet prescribed 1/2 a tablet twice a day. I will begin this regimen starting tomorrow...I will keep u all posted! <I'm gonna cross my fingers and hope the buspar will work!>

This may be a dumb question, is Jiro neutered? When we had my first cat neutered the spraying stopped immediately. If he is, the obviously that wont help.