Juni & Chloe are going on Prozac for a while

[Barbara]

I had no idea all this fighting was still going on i am so sorry to hear this. How old are they now? Well below ten both of them I'm sure. I'm a little worried about Juni's kidney levels. Filou, and then Tama, it really seems to be an Abyssinian thing. i hope the prozac does the trick. I wonder however whether there would be another option than heavy medication-but I'm sure you tried everything.
Orion tells me they should simply accept that sisters are a pain. He certainly thinks this of his sister

[sasvermont]

Hi Barb, We have kept them apart for almost two months now. They have both had thorough exams. The breeder has chimed in as well. If you heard them fighting you would not want to experience the event all that often! It is horrible to witness as well.

We are hoping that we can break the "horror" cycle by drugging them. It shouldn't modify their personalities anymore than a human. We hope it cuts the drama out of just seeing each other and they can resume their old relationship. Right now, all they can do is scream and fight. It is hard to believe, isn't it. It just happened one day. Once Chloe decided that Juni was "going to get her" it was all over. From that day on, they fight when they are in the same space. I know, they used to groom each other!

So, we are going to go this route. We will give it a few months on the Prozac. We are also going to change the diets back to grain dry food. My vet said that sometimes high protein diets can effect cats in strange ways.

Juni's kidney function numbers were normal in all categories except one and that one was not in the danger zone at all. It was a high normal. That is why we're going to switch their food back. Less protein.

So, I will pick up the prescription tomorrow and begin the battle to see what I can put it in so that they will eat it. Since they are all being fed in different rooms, keeping them apart for the meds will be easy.

I am happy that we are on the way to at least trying to fix this problem rather than just keeping all the cats apart.


Oh, they are eight and nine years old. Juni weighs 6.5 lbs. and Chloe weighs 8.5. and is the younger.

Ugh!

[Pinot's Mom]

So sorry you're having such a time with them. Did the grain free start first or the behavior? I just switched Pinot this year to grain free as well, but she doesn't have a sibling, so I can't really compare results.

[sasvermont]

So sorry you're having such a time with them. Did the grain free start first or the behavior? I just switched Pinot this year to grain free as well, but she doesn't have a sibling, so I can't really compare results.

The behavior started several weeks after switching to Blue Buffalo grain free. I had been giving them another grain free brand before that switch. I really don't think it had a connection, but we're going to switch back because of the strain on the kidneys. Abyssinian cats have kidney problems in their breed line, so I don't want to add insult to injury. Once I heard that one of her(Juni) kidney numbers was on the high side, I knew the food had to be changed.

I didn't think about the kidneys when I switched them to the Blue Buffalo. Oh well. It doesn't cause disease, it is however, high in proteins.

[Catty1]

Queen of Poop has/had a kitty who suddenly got nasty and attacked his littermate.

She got the Prozac compounded into an ear cream. That may be a less expensive option for you to consider.

Best of luck - and maybe even the food change will help.

[Karen]

Here's hoping it helps, and they can relearn how to be friends. It'll be better for your sanity, their safety and everyone's eardrums in the long run.

[sasvermont]

Catty1, thanks for the comment. My vet said the topical (cream) is less effective and more expensive. I am going to pick up the prescription after work today and will ask all kinds of questions then. I have to drive to the company doing the compounding. I will let you all know the outcome.

By the way, Chloe was a complete angel at the Vets when they drew the blood. Juni, on the other hand, a couple of days earlier, was a mess. She wasn't unkind, just a major league wiggle worm. They had to go to two different places on her body to get enough blood. Of course, I figured it would have been in the reverse. ....................Go figure...................... C A T S!!!