Help on What More I Can Do For My Oldest Cat Anika having Stress Issues w/My One Cat

[Anikaca77]

Well ever since I adopted Sebastian after my sister rescued him, my poor Anika hates him.

I've had Sebastian now for well over 3 years and Anika for the past 6 years now (I adopted her when she was 2 years old).

For the past couple of years since I had Sebastian I've had to put Anika on some pills to control her grumpy attitude because she was consistently licking herself and pulling out her own hair.

Well earlier this year Anika was given a shot by the doctors and it seemed to help her a lot. The only side effect was she got a lump on her back as a reaction to the shot.

I had the lump checked out by the vet and she confirmed. The lump has not disappeared it's going way down but it's still there.

I called the vet yesterday hoping that I could bring Anika in for another shot when I went to pick up Fiona's pain meds and I mentioned that there is still a small bump left over and the vet tech said she didn't want to give Anika a shot while the lump was still there and recommended that I see the vet. So I made an appointment for Anika this coming Thursday night at 5:45 p.m.

I just noticed this past weekend that Anika has been excessively licking herself and that means her hair is coming off due to her over licking.

So anyway, Anika has licked her belly hair off and she has started licking the back of her legs.

I have tried several things to keep Anika calm: we had her on valium - this made her sleep way too much and I didn't like the affects it had on her, some other type of antidepressant that didn't work well for her at all, I've tried the Comfort Zone Plug-in with Feliway for Cats and I've also tried several Herbal remedies but nothing seems to keep her calm other than this shot which I don't want to give her if she is just going to keep having a reaction to the shot.

Any other recommendations would be appreciated.

Please keep in mind that we do live in a small one bedroom apartment and hopefully within the next year (if our financial situation looks better) we can get a 2 bedroom which we hope that would help with Anika.

Thank you,
Melissa

[pitc9]

Check this site out for natural Flower Essence remedies for animals.

http://www.greenhopeessences.com/Animal/index.html

[moosmom]

Okay, I'm gonna be blunt here. Please do not get mad. I'm just trying to show you how I see it and a possible option.

It's obvious that Anika has been with you far longer than Sebastian. It's not fair that Anika has to be medicated. She was there first.

Here's why I say this:

I had adopted a cat from a NYC kill shelter. He was 6 months old. I thought for sure it would work out. Hardly. Tucker, nka Otto, kept sabotaging my Casey (RB) in the litter box.

The vet gave me a sedative for Casey. It turned him into a totally different cat, always hiding in the closet. That's when I had to make the most difficult but correct decision of my life, to re-home Tucker. Best decision I ever made as he is now spoiled rotten and I have visitation!!

You do what's in your heart and what is best for the new kitty.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

She just wants to be an only cat, having said that I've heard good things about scullcap and valerian

http://www.nutrecare.co.uk/prod6.asp?prod_id=1850&id=115&sub_cat=526&grpid=1850&msg=&offset=

[moosmom]

She just wants to be an only cat

EXACTLY!!!

[Anikaca77]

Ok I may have put things wrong here.

Anika does get mad at Sebastian but the only reason why I medicated her was because she had bumps on her back from a skin irritation. She was also licking due to stress.

I love Anika very much and she loves my one cats Claudia. She doesn't want to be an only cat. I adopted Claudia when she was baby and Anika thinks she's her mom so there is no way Anika wants to be an only cat!

Yes it is true that Anika has been with me longer than Sebastian and I agree it's not fair to medicate Anika but I'm not over medicating her. Anika has calmed down alot since she was at the vets in Feb. and had 2 teeth that were pulled that needed them.

Anika sleeps on the same bed as Sebastian sometimes and some days are better than others.

Anika did really well when I brought Hermes, Fiona, and Athena into the house. Of course they were younger then. I'll just have to see what the vet says. I love both of these guys very much.

Melissa

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Ok I may have put things wrong here

You did give the impression that the root of the problem was Sebastian ;)

I guess the vet has done tests on the skin irritation (scratched off a sample of skin to be tested) for mites etc?

These may help
http://www.nutrecare.co.uk/prod6.asp...0&msg=&offset=

or Rescue Remedy drops in her water.

Hope you get to the bottom of this

[Anikaca77]

Thank you, I will check into these.

Melissa


Check this site out for natural Flower Essence remedies for animals.

http://www.greenhopeessences.com/Animal/index.html

[moosmom]

I guess maybe the socialization/introduction period might take a little longer.

[catmandu]

I AM SO LUCKY AT THE FOUND PARADISE CAT HOTEL IN HAVING CATS WHO GET ALONG SO WELL. IF THERE ARE ANY SPATS HERE ITS BECAUSE MIQUELITO CAN BE A LITTLE ROUGH WHEN HE PLAYS AND HE SOMETIMES CHASES POUNCIERGE ALL OVER THE HOTEL.
HE TRIES WITH TUBSTER PANTHER AND GETS BRUSHED ASIDE.
HE TRIED WITH EBONY TUNSTER AND POWWW!!!
I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM, AND I HOPE THESE FLOWER ESSENCES DO THE JOB.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/cat%20angels/cats1012357.jpg

[Anikaca77]

Well I had Anika at the vets tonight, she hasn't been there since she had her 2 teeth out and she was so scared today I felt so bad and I forgot about her 2 teeth being out until we arrived at the vets.

The vet said that she has a skin allergy. I forgot the name but she said that shot it's a depo something should help it and we will just have to see if it forms another lump or not.

She said she only likes to give this shot only when there are bumps on the back end like Anika's.

She said it's part allergy's and part stress so hopefully this will cure it for a while. Anika had this shot in January and it really helped her flair up then.

Melissa

[Catlady711]

Well I had Anika at the vets tonight, she hasn't been there since she had her 2 teeth out and she was so scared today I felt so bad and I forgot about her 2 teeth being out until we arrived at the vets.

The vet said that she has a skin allergy. I forgot the name but she said that shot it's a depo something should help it and we will just have to see if it forms another lump or not.

She said she only likes to give this shot only when there are bumps on the back end like Anika's.

She said it's part allergy's and part stress so hopefully this will cure it for a while. Anika had this shot in January and it really helped her flair up then.

Melissa

The shot was likely Depo Medrol which is a long acting (like about 3-4 weeks long) cortisone (steroid) which helps the body stop overreacting to allergens.

Most vets don't like to give cortisone if not truely necessary because repeated or consistant use messes up the body's natural ability to make cortisol on it's own. It also decreases the pet's immune system from fighting off infections. In some pets it causes an increase in thirst and hunger, in some cases resulting in accidents in the house. Despite it's downsides, Cortisones do have their uses and it helps a great many pets from suffering from certain problems.

If you're into in depth reading on Depo here's a link. http://www.drugs.com/vet/depo-medrol.html

[Anikaca77]

Thank you so much for the link and your information.

The vet said she doesn't like to do it but when bumps show up on her back then I should take her in for the shot otherwise she said if she's just licking but not breaking the skin and if not bumps appear the she said just to let her go and hopefully the allergy will work it's way out.

I'm not sure what she would be allergic to especially since she had a breakout in January and now in May.

Thank you again,
Melissa




The shot was likely Depo Medrol which is a long acting (like about 3-4 weeks long) cortisone (steroid) which helps the body stop overreacting to allergens.

Most vets don't like to give cortisone if not truely necessary because repeated or consistant use messes up the body's natural ability to make cortisol on it's own. It also decreases the pet's immune system from fighting off infections. In some pets it causes an increase in thirst and hunger, in some cases resulting in accidents in the house. Despite it's downsides, Cortisones do have their uses and it helps a great many pets from suffering from certain problems.

If you're into in depth reading on Depo here's a link. http://www.drugs.com/vet/depo-medrol.html

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Poor puss - feel better soon sweetie :)