Juni & Chloe are going on Prozac for a while

[Cataholic]

SAS- I am no vet, but Ibelieve your vet has it wrong. 5 mg is very, very, very common a dose to start with, though I know my sister in law is on 2.5 to begin. Her cats are behemoths, by the way.

I don't know what my cats weigh, but it is closer to 8-9 pounds. I increased my sonic boy up to 10 mg a day (5 mg in the am, and 5 mg in the pm) and it has worked very very well. I didn't even go back in to see him, I just upped it as I know someone that did the same, no problem.

I don't notice a darn thing with appetite (heck, Sonic eats a ton!) and noticed what might have been some sleepiness that very first day. Nothing since.

I wouldn't mess around with 1 mg. I would go to 2.5 and see what happens.

[emily_the_spoiled]

Oliver weighs about 12 lbs, so he is not a big big guy but we started on 5 mg and that didn't even make a dent. So if you vet is willing to try at least 2.5mg then go for the tablet for. BTW, it is MUCH cheaper to by the tablets from the vet and not your local people pharmacy (even though they are made by the same company).

I also did not notice any change in Oliver's eating (but this is a guy who will never turn down the opportunity to eat )

Please keep us posted on how things go at the vet.

[sasvermont]

I asked why such a low dose and she said they usually start the cats out really low to see how little they need. Well, in the mean time, I have cats that still fight until they get to a higher dose. So, we agreed to get 10mg. and cut it in quarters and use pill pockets.

I have to thank you folks for your stories, as I read them to the tech over the phone. She was flabbergasted at the doses but agreed that maybe the cats could tolerate a higher dose.

So, tonight, if I remember to pick up the pills today after work, I will begin the pill pocket routine. I think I should pop one or two in my evening meal, just to even out the TEAM !!

I will keep you posted.

Thanks again,

Sas and her unhappy campers

[emily_the_spoiled]

Usually the rule of thumb (at least for people) is that if the dose is adequate you will start to notice an effect within the first week or two with the full effect by weeks 6 to 8. They have already been on it long enough to know that it is time to increase the dose. Hopefully this will help you out and don't be afraid to increase it to 5mg if need be. This drug is very safe for animals and the only monitoring for long term use is an annual blood test (to check liver values).

So give the girsl PillPockets tonight with the meds and give yourself a big glass of wine

[sasvermont]

Wine it is! Thanks for the hand holding.

Off to work again.

[Barbara]

Oh Chloe and Juni, why do you naughty girls not get it. You were such good kitties-why doesn't ot work out anymore

[sasvermont]

Well, I filled the pill pockets and placed each one on a plate with a few greenies. They LOVE greenies. Juni gobbled her's right down. Didn't even chew them. Just like a dog. Chloe is STILL sitting at the top of my kitchen cabinets, looking down at her plate, decided WHAT exactly I did to it THIS time! I have Lucy, the other cat, outside, so she won't be unnecessarily medicated by eating Chloe's food. I still think I should take (the Prozac) them and leave the cats to work it out on their own.

The pharmacy charged me $9.95 for 15 pills! (10 mg.) If I find they WILL take the pills, I will hunt for a better price at another pharmacy. That seems rather high in price. But for the time being, I have 1/2 bottle of the liquid (enough for 1/2 month) and 14 pills (enough for a month).

Yikes.

Off to prepare that glass of wine!

[mrspunkysmom]

SasVermont,

Sorry to hear the kitties are still fighting. Hope the kitty prozac works. I've been thinking a requesting some to stop the peeing on my counter.

Please take care when changing the dry food. Blue buffalo is no longer under PetSmart's control, or so I heard. I know that mine started throwing up on it. I try to stay away from corn and wheat.

Hope the kidney troubles improve.

[emily_the_spoiled]

It has now been a couple of weeks. Have you started to see any effect of the Prozac yet?

[sasvermont]

A complete fail.

First of all, after two full weeks of Juni taking the pill pockets, she suddenly decided she wouldn't eat the pockets anymore. I tried putting the liquid medication in tuna and clam juice. Nope. Chloe never did really like the pill pockets after a couple of days. So, after a month of off and on taking the meds, I let them at each other and left the house. When I came home, Chloe was hiding in a bedroom under a bed and Juni was in her room, sleeping. Things in the kitchen were knocked over (their favorite fighting spot) so I assume there was a fight or two. Chloe was upset. Since that time, I've kept them in their own rooms, allowing one to roam the house while the other is confined. That is how we started out and that seems to be the way it's going to be.

I have a vet appointment this coming Saturday and will discuss the problem with my vet. She may have another idea up her sleeve.

They seem to like being apart. Even when the have the opportunity to have the whole house to roam, they end up sleeping in their own room! I guess it's like a hotel to them. I'm not happy, but I have gotten used to it.

So a big FAIL. If my problem was with Lucy, my barn cat, it would be easy to pill her. These two Abyssinians are horrible to pill. I can't even catch them, that's how bad it is. They wiggle out of my arms, scratch, bite, kick, scream. Really. You MAY be able to pill them the first time you catch them, but from that point on, they will run from you when you go near them. They have always been that way. It has to be on their terms. Right now Juni is on my lap as I type. She would not be here if I had a pill in my hand. I can just about get flea treatment on them each month.

FAIL. FAIL. FAIL.

[Karen]

So sorry it did not work out, but at least you tried. And as long as they each have their own separate place to be, maybe peace will continue. It's too bad, really, but you have done the best you can, and more than many would have done.

[emily_the_spoiled]

Sorry that things didn't work out. The only other thing I can think of is trying amitriptyline (Elavil). Some animals react well to that, but it does cause drowsiness as a site effect.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Edwina is impossible to pill and don't even think of squirting something in her mouth. She is now on a maintenance drug and the vet ordered it compounded so I rub it on the inside of her ear and it is transdermal.

She does not look forward to her twice a day ear rubs but she tolerates it.

Could you ask your vet if that is possible?

[Barbara]

These two Abyssinians are horrible to pill. I can't even catch them, that's how bad it is. They wiggle out of my arms, scratch, bite, kick, scream. Really. You MAY be able to pill them the first time you catch them, but from that point on, they will run from you when you go near them. They have always been that way. It has to be on their terms. Right now Juni is on my lap as I type. She would not be here if I had a pill in my hand. I can just about get flea treatment on them each month.

First- I am so sorry it didn't work out. And about the pilling- you are so right. Filou was impossible to pill and I am so glad I did not have to try with Orion yet. Once in a while these days (he is a little allergic) I see a bit of fuzz in his eye- it is impossible to get it out although it does not hurt and the little boy is ready to picked up. But once my fingers approach the eye, the wiggling and scratching and kicking starts.
Plus: Abys are so dainty - you are always afraid you could break something and they take advantage of that
However, I hope you find a solution.

[sasvermont]

I will talk with the vet about the cream form. If I do it, I will ask that they kick up the value of the drug, as these two are high strung and difficult at best, to treat.

Yes, Barbara, they are dainty. Chloe is bigger than Juni but they are equally squirmy to handle. They were ok at the vets this past time, but every now and then the vet gets the towel out to wrap one in it before they begin the procedure.

I will keep you posted!