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homebodymom

HELP!!!! fluoxetine/reconcile/prozac for cats

homebodymom
13 years ago

Has anyone had success using this med to stop a cat from spraying/urinating in your home? The stray we found a few months back has been peeing in our home as well as his litterbox.

He had 2 full physicals, 2 urine checks and a full blood panel- kidney,thyroid,diabetes,crystals,UTI, etc..... Hundreds of dollars later ( for a found stray I might add- my hubby is going to kill me) nothing physical has been found. If it matters, the poor thing has been declawed front and back, and I have another cat (indoor only male)at home. He was urinating in my daughters rooms- the only rooms with carpet, and spraying on the walls nears his litterbox as well as going in it. I have treated the carpets with the peroxide/baking soda/dish soap combo as well as Natures Miracle and banished him from those rooms. His litterboxes (3 of them) are in the guestroom which has a laminate floor. He is now urinating is the litterboxes as well as on the floors. He has never pooped out of the box.

Yesterday my vet had me start him on 2.5 mg of Fluoxetine/prozac 1x daily. He said he has had success with it for behavioral urination problems.

PLEASE share any thoughts-personnal or professional-thanks and sorry so long.

Comments (82)

  • Sassy1214
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We have two female rescue cats, a Persian mix (Sassy) and a long haired domestic (Sadie). We had Sassy, 3 yo (August 2012) six months before acquiring Sadie, 2 yo (April 2013) and even though we followed all the directions about introductions, they still don't like each other. While they don't fight, they are always watching for each other and walking wide around each other. A few months ago Sadie started spraying and we've finally put her on fluoxetine. After about three weeks on the meds we've noticed that she's less affectionate and more clumsy, often falling when jumping. She used to run through the house like her tail was on fire but no more. The spraying is lessening but has not completely stopped and now sometimes Sassy is going outside the litter box, too. We have tried every litter on the market, every type of litter pan, even experimenting with depth of litter and placement. We currently have six litter boxes on four different levels. We have read everything we can find on the internet about cat interaction and elimination outside the box. We've even started a blog to share our journey. We doubt there is anything that we haven't done but if anyone has any advice to straighten them out or make them tolerate each other, I would appreciate it. At this point we aren't planning to removing one from the household but that option is always at the back of our minds.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Suddenly There Was Sassy

  • pineconecat
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Those are just halogen-based drugs, flourides and chlorines etc. that block iodine, that serve only to make the subject more manageable at great cost to their health. Causes significant damage to liver, thyroid, pituitary, bones, mind. Works by making you basically 'not care' - causes calcification in the brain damaging fight-or-flight response. Serotonin theory was falsified (whole history of psychiatry lacks real science and look at how the drugs get pandered nowadays) - also serotonin manufactured mostly in the gut. Probiotics and diet can help improve behavioral and mental problems. (most cat food is pure garbage - corn, pesticides, no meat, waste, dead pets from rendering)

    Herbs like oatstraw and short-term valerian can help cats. There are others based on the individual. Feliway helps a lot of cats. Diet change with meat and fats helps. Probiotics and food with enzymes. Finding causes that may not be noticed by humans is good (try the book 'cat vs. cat') - Can be caused by health problems not found by vet - not every vet is that good so second opinions might help (interview vets and doctors first - it is possible to become a vet and not know that cats can get fatty liver if they don't eat, thus misdiagnosing an obese cat that lost half its weight as having a cold, after $500 of tests no less, and send it home to die) If you have a cat on SSRIs, stop it slowly.

    My health was trashed after being made to take psychiatric drugs, for the disease of not liking school - always healthy before then. They cause a fog in the mind and the culture says that if a doctor prescribes it, then its good, and you are crazy - so I was on them too long before pinpointing it as the cause of decline. (every emotion or behavior you have can be seen by a psychiatrist as signs of disease or signs of medication 'improving' you - no biological tests needed - one can easily lie about it and come out with a diagnoses and pills basically guaranteed.) It caused so many mental and physical problems, nothing but poison, disgusting that the poor cats (and kids or trusting adults) get put on this without true consent.

    Snagged text - "Prozac is a fluorinated drug called "fluoxetine". - ssri drugs contain fluorine and chloride. Fluoride is present as a '4-fluorophenyl' compound, part of the 'active' ingredient.

    In animals chronic administration of fluoxetine resulted in a decrease in both T4 and T3 levels.

    In the 1930s is was first observed that all fluoride compounds, organic and inorganic ones, inhibit thyroid hormones. Numerous fluoride compounds were used subsequently as the first line of treatment for hyperthyroidism in various countries, for several decades.

    Fluorophenyl compounds are potent inhibitors of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme system in the liver.

    Prolonged inhibition of P450 leads to thyroid hormone reduction.

    Fluoxetine has been shown to cause severe liver dysfunction such as hepatitis. Fluoxetine has also been shown to cause secondary hyperthyroidism - originating from pituitary dysfunction. Dyskinesia has been reported with use of fluoxetine. Fluoxetine showed tumor-promoting activity in rat liver , as did fenfluramine, another fluorophenyl-containing fluoride compound. "

    Here is a link that might be useful: prozac/paxil facts

  • worriedone
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Meds are to be used for a short time. Until a more safer alternative can be found. All too often this is not the case.
    I wouldn't serve my pet water treated with fluoride.

    There must be a way out from under these powerful drugs that do not cure.

  • sflenn
    8 years ago

    I GIVE MY LITTLE CAT PILLS BY CUTTING THEM INTO SMALL PIECES AND PUTTING A DAB OF SPRAY CHEESE ON MY FINGER TOUCHING IT TO THE PILL THEN COVERING IT WITH ANOTHER LITTLE DAB OF CHEESE. ALL MY FOUR CATS LOVE SPRAY CHEESE! IT IS PERFECT FOR MEDICATING THEM. GOOD LUCK.

  • magpiepix 5b/6a
    8 years ago

    I've seen a few people mention getting their pet's meds at Target. Does Target fill prescriptions from vets? I'd like to try this, rather than paying $30-40 a month.

  • Bluebell66
    8 years ago

    Yes, magpiepix, I've had pet prescriptions filled at Target, Costco, and Walmart.

  • c t
    8 years ago

    Oh, good heavens, Target, Walmart, even the pharmacy at my grocery will fill pet prescriptions. Grocery store even has a savings program for pets. They will not let you pay with your own health savings account.

    My male cat had poor aim. The work-around was cutting down a Rubbermaid tub for a litter box, and fashioning high sides for another with cheap, flexible cutting boards from the dollar store fastened to the inside, upper edge of the litter box with cable ties through holes drilled through them.

  • kittymoonbeam
    8 years ago

    Please please do not use these drugs!

    They aren't good for any mammals. Try feliway try cat trees try giving kitty a stress free zone. Slowly poisoning with drugs is not right for anyone when solutions are out there. No vet should write the prescription. Would you like being poisoned? I've retrained cats that sprayed. Cats are smart. They can learn. They get bad habits but they can change. You can do it. You and kitty together.

  • dustpan120
    8 years ago

    B/C of ur post, u mite just have saved my cat. She's been peeing pooping in my exercise rm on opposite side of house from 3 litter boxes upstairs and 1 downstairs. I have 3 cats as of Oct when my mom died in FL & I flew her cat to my house in OH. But one of my own cats is not having it. My husband want the offender gone. I want to see if

    fluoxetine/reconcile/prozac for cats will work for my cat. Did it fix ur problem? Thanks for sharing.

    If this doesn't work, I have a 4 yr old spayed female cat who's also declawed front two paws. I'll even throw in a litter box to a loving home. Her name is dustpan.

    email me at dustpan120@aol.com

    my name is Cindy.









  • gizmolee2007
    7 years ago

    My cat was recently put on Prozac for spraying in the house she is not even 2 years old and she's a girl I do notice a big difference only after a few days they told me it could take 2 weeks now my problem is she doesn't sleep she stays awake all day and night the poor little thing.

  • sflenn
    7 years ago

    Maybe you could reduce the dose.


  • sflenn
    7 years ago

    Try FELIWAY. It is a cat pheromone that calms them. It worked like a Mira Le for my 4 cats!



  • citywildcat
    7 years ago

    Boy, am I glad I read this forum! My cat has been exhibiting signs of separation anxiety/I was away for surgery and rehabilitation for a little over three weeks (he is currently on a non prescription vitamin type supplement called Composure.) The vet wanted to prescribe Prozac which she says is made up by a special compounding pharmacy in a size just for cats. It turns out that this size is 5 milligrams in a tablet form. Being of a suspicious nature that I am, I called my local CVS and found that I could get 10 mg. Tabs & cut them in half. I could get them for $16 - and she wanted to charge me $31. I now no longer trust her. I called her telling her I was going to stick with the Composure. I especially don't trust her since I asked her if the Prozac has any side effects (all medication has side effects). She said, "Oh no, it's very safe....none whatsoever." So not only did I did she try to rip me off price, but I now find out it's not a very safe drug AND I would have to continue with this therapy for many months, involving tapering off, which would cost me a small fortune. That is difficult when you are on disability. I tried feliway in the past which did not give me very good results. I'll just spend more time with my cat cuddling him and reassuring him. That will probably go as far and some of these other methods that are a little more dangerous.


  • HU-987728174
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Adopted a 12 yr old neutered male from shelter in November... in February, started spraying. Full medical exam was clear, no issues. No changes in the household. 5 mg fluoxitine stopped the spraying completely in about 2 weeks. I give it nightly with the paste treat and he gobbles it. $4 at Walgreen's lasts 2 mos (10 mg 30 tablets...I cut in 1/2). Hate to medicate, but can't live with a spraying cat. Tolerated the spraying for one month trying to resolve without success. Friday was useless. Fluoxitine saved him from a return trip to the shelter. Be advised, it takes a few weeks to see the effects of the medication, it's not immediate. Use the www.goodrx. website for the best pricing. Compounded meds are expensive!!! This is a small tablet from your local pharmacy! It's a human medication.

  • HU-149810316
    4 years ago

    My 8 year old neutered male cat began spraying a year ago. Vet prescribed Flouxtine and it was working great, no more spraying. I have the liquid compounded form that i was putting in his wet food. Smart as he is, he is on to it. He doesn't eat all day while he is in a finished basement alone away from my other two cats and comes upstairs and eats their wet food. I don't want to have him be alone any longer than my day at work. I had tried giving him the pill form with no luck. Has anyone had success with the ear form of the medicine?


  • annztoo
    4 years ago

    HU,

    I've used the liquid, pill and the transdermal (ears) forms. I have a female cat that became aggressive (kill mode) to a 3 month old cat I rescued. The pill form was a fight to get down her and half the time she'd spit it out. The liquid was no better since she would salivate & drool so badly she'd loose most of it, even tho it was flavored. (Taste it yourself to see how bad it tastes!) The transdermal was a hit & miss since only a percentage of it is absorbed. After a month of the transdermal my cat developed dermatitis on the inside of her ears.......a painful condition, especially if more med is applied.

    We didnt have any luck with a positive change in behavior. My cat still wanted to attack the young cat, and her overall personality changed to being reclusive, withdrawn when touched, and overall a very gloomy unhappy cat. I decided to take her off the meds (it took about a week of tapering off) and my otherwise happy, talkative cat returned. We still have to keep the two cats separate (rotate between rooms, outdoor kennel and deck) but after 6 months I can tell she's starting to ignore the young cat more.

    I think the med works best with cats that are spraying and, IMO, anything that keeps an owner from putting a cat down due to spraying is worth trying. Even my vet uses the lowest dose on his rescued, feral cat that was spraying indoors.

    After 8 years of having a cat that didn't spray, I think you should look at things inside and outside the home that may have caused your cat to start this behavior. I suggest watching episodes of "My Cat From Hell" to get some ideas of how to correct the problem before using the Prozac.

  • HU-149810316
    4 years ago

    Thanks! a third cat was introduced but all was okay for close to a year and then he started spraying. I moved from a noisy city road to a quiet more country are with alot of wildlife including bears. Vet mentioned it may be the outside animals causing his anxiety. He is such a lovable cat I just need him to stop spraying. I have ordered some of those feliaway plugins for each room to hopefully calm him....

  • HU-975284402
    4 years ago

    I wrote extensive instructs to solve cat urine issues and while typing everything disapp i rescue have 15 kitties i can help you i know the products and methods that work i am committed to solving cat urine problems to save their lives they are being dumped euthanized or surrendered to a shelter for this problem and i can tell you what to do having trouble typing this might lose it again pls call Marge in s diego 858 566 7256 anytime no charge or money involved just good my prev instructions were very specific and detailed all text dissappeared want to help thank

  • PRO
    Maple Lane Farm
    4 years ago

    I would appreciate ANY advice to help with my Kitty’s ongoing urinating issues. My 1 year old neutered male cat is urinating on EVERYTHING that has my scent on it. He is not spraying. He is squatting and urinating... in large amounts... daily. He has peed on my bed every day for the past few weeks. It has been a nightmare. He has ruined many down comforters And bedspread ads and 2 mattresses. The smell and mess, and clean up process is literally leaving me exhausted and frustrated.

    We found the little kitty on our farm when he was about 5-6 months old. We neutered him and slowly integrated him with our two large dogs. I would leave my closet open which had my laundry basket in it. He started out peeing on my dirty clothes in The closet, which I stoppes pretty quickly. He is now urinating on just the bed, pillows, blankets and any of my dirty clothes. I am at my breaking point with this. He is super sweet and loving towards me and seems to be a pretty happy cat. I clean his litter box Multiple times a day. He has multiple litter boxes. He has TONS of toys and will play with the dogs often. I make sure to spend time each day to play with him and give him attention. I have spent so much money getting him ”treated“ by the vet. The vet charged 500$ for exams and bloodwork. The results were pretty odd according to the vet. H the cat has an inflamed bladder but no infection and the ph level of his urine was normal. He said he could see small crystals, but ruled out a UTI. The Vet gave me antibiotics, muscle relaxers, and pain medication. He didn't really know what to prescribeHe takes his meds daily and we have not seen a difference. If anything it’s getting worse. I have multiple feliway plug ins and have made sure the cats environment is safe. Nothing has worked so far. I don’t want to give him away but I have spent a fortune replacing everything and I have spent several hours a day cleaning up the house. it’s taking a big toll on me. Here is some other info:

    -Urinating in litter boxes, bedding, and clothing.

    -the Cat sleeps on the bed too which I don’t understand as he urinates on It every day.

    - he has never pooped outside of the box.

    -we have tried so many different litter and litter boxes


    Thanks in advance if anyone can help. I am getting pretty upset with his large amount of pee. it’s so gross.



  • annztoo
    4 years ago

    Diet plays a huge part in the development of crystals and I think you'll find some good info on this site. Is your kitty already on a wet diet or did the vet suggest he be put on canned food?

    If not, I'd look for another vet, and if there's one in your area consider a cat-only vet.

    Personally, I'm not sure I'd keep him on the antibiotics if there was no infection found and the pain meds and muscle relaxants could be masking other symptoms. Plus, all these meds have side effects and it may be why the problem is getting worse.

    I would first change to a canned/wet diet and eliminate all dry food (except as a treat now and then) and also keep him out of the bedroom until you see some improvement.


    Is there any chance there's a stray cat hanging around, or any other animal outside the bedroom area? Also, is he ever closed up in the bedroom during the day? If so, he may be frustrated from being enclosed, especially after being a stray for 5-6 months. I have a cat that I rescued as a stray at 3-4 months of age and her anxiety level goes up whenever she's enclosed in a room too long. She's gotten better with time but to keep her, and my other 2 cats, happy, I have a large dog kennel that they can access thru a cat door (and small tunnel). Look into doing the same for your cat or have some type of catio built for him. A change in diet and access to the outdoors may be the answer to your problems......and lead to a happy household. :)

  • Debbie Downer
    4 years ago

    Havent been around here lately -glad to see Annz still giving her usual spot-on advice!


    Yes the current thinking is that what used to be called uti - urinary tract INFECTION - is most often not infection at all, but an inflammatory disease caused by diet, stress and not getting enough waterr..... Cats evolved from desert animals who got most of their liquid from eating prey so if they are subsisting on dry food and not getting enough water.... well the results can be disastrous.


    I say that, but am puzzled because you are talking about "large amounts of pee". Did the vet run tests that would detect diabetes or kidney disease? Can you tell if he's been drinking a lot more than what youd expect from a normal cat? Try to keep track of how much youre filling each day.


    Finally Ill just mention that cat aggression can be VERY subtle - it can take the form of guarding the litterbox and not allowing the victim access (a common cause of cats going outside the box), it can be just a poke or a dirty look from the dominant cat which gets the other cat to get off the favorite chair or leave the room. It may not look like the big screaming cat fight, but still stressful to the cat getting pushed around.


    Im along time cat person and had no idea, until I had these 2 who dont get along. It can be very stressful not only to the bullied cat but the bully can be acting out of fear and insecurity as well. I basially keep mine totally separate, except at times they do mingle briefly, and its made ahuge difference.



  • Katie Glaser
    4 years ago

    I just started my cat on Fluoxetine (10 days ago) and I don't know how I got so lucky but he stopped peeing immediately. It's supposed to take 30 days to kick in but he stopped on day 1 (this is highly irregular).

    Bubby was a really bad case. Hes been peeing every day multiple times a day lately (progressively getting worse for a little over a year). He peed on my kitchen counters, my oven, my shutters, my dining room table, my clothes, my bed, my couch, etc. He was peeing on me in the middle of the night but instead of spraying he would unleash his bladder on me if I didn't wake up to let him out. So I had to wake up a few times a night to let him in and out. I throw away almost everything that he soils because he can still smell it even though I can't (vet reccomended this) and it's cost me over $5K.

    I was at the point where I was calling shelters, seriously contemplating giving him up which is something I never thought I'd do. One shelter told me no shelter would ever take him because of his issues (I found out later this isn't true). But 10 days ago we started him on .5 ML of liquid Fluoxetine and he is a different cat. He sleeps much more than usual, but he has slept through the night every night since we started the meds. He stopped purring and hasn't sought affection until tonight but he's sleeping on my lap as we speak. He stays inside much more than usual and stopped growling at his brother which was another issue we were having. He was also fighting with this neighbor cat who is a bully that beats up all the cats in the neighborhood. My vet thinks this is how the anxiety issues started but that has also stopped (probably because he's not outside as much).

    If you are having issues and have ruled out urinary tract infection, and tried everything like me (Feliway, puppy pads, multiple litter boxes, different litter etc), I highly recommend this drug. I can't promise that you'll see results as quickly as I did but it is worth a shot. I'm pretty amazed at the results and to be honest, I didn't think it would work. Bubby was a nightmare but hes a totally different cat right now. I really pray that it continues and will update you all as we move forward.

  • sarahsocal
    4 years ago

    Another Prozac success story here.


    A little under a year ago, our 4 year old male cat started not using his litter box. For us it started with poop but unfortunately he moved on to pee. It was not spraying - just squatting and peeing. On the couch, the chair (we had blankets on each) and then ultimately in our bed.


    Long story short (more detail to follow), we did start him on Prozac - seriously not a single accident since. I would be REALLY careful with the antibiotics as detailed below. We also tried the feliway, cat attract litter, EVERYTHING.


    Long story long - the first general vet couldn't find much wrong but thought maybe a UTI so gave us antibiotics. That was a HUGE mistake which made everything 1000x worse. The med completely messed up his digestive tract which mean that when he would poop outside the box, it was then diarrhea. What an awesome outcome.


    Vet #2 put him on Metronidazole which helped but we couldn't take him off without more diarrhea.


    Vet #3 (internal med specialist who also treated our other poor kitty with IDB and pancreatitis) did a full eval and found nothing wrong. Shortly after that visit was the great peeing on the bed incident at which point is was very clear it was behavioral. Enter the Prozac and problem solved. But he still had the digestive problems. We had him on MDZ for months and then Rx food for a few more. Luckily he is now off the MDZ and eats non-Rx food again.


    At some point I may try to remove the Prozac but must admit I am terrified!!


    (In retrospect, we think kitty may have been reacting to the other cat's health situation. Our other cat had been battling pancreatitis and probably digestive cancer for a few years. All the other problems seemed to start when he was declining. Cat #2 is very sensitive and we think he was freaking out about his brother. Could be totally wrong, but the timing makes sense. If that was the issue, he was right because we had to put his buddy to sleep at the end of 2019.)

  • Debbie Downer
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Re "vet couldn't find much wrong but thought maybe a UTI"

    He thought "maybe" a UTI? Based on what?

    This is truly sad. Get a new vet. Unfortunately there are some old school vets out there who just do what they've been doing a gazillion years and cant be bothered to learn anyting new.

    The current thinking is that these things are usually UT INFLAMMATION, not INFECTION. No animal (or person for that matter) should be given antibiotics unless pee sample has confirmed the prescence of the specific bacteria that causes UT INFECTION.

  • Deborah Bergeron
    3 years ago

    We have 2 cats adopted as kittens; brother & sister, from a shelter. Recently the female started going to the bathroom in our bedroom. Then the male cat peed on our bed. Husband brought the male cat to vet...cuz the female is a neurotic ****h & can't be caught/handled to be brought to the vet but she will come to each of us for affection. We we put litter boxes on all 3 floors of our house. The type of litter we used has not changed. So the male went to vet to rule out any health issues. Male cat got a clean bill of health but was put on prozac...it's been a month and the problem is worse. MALE is pooping more in various places & still peeing on our bed. There's really no excuse for this...I've had several cats prior to these 2 & never had issues. I'm frustrated & ready to get rid of them. We've tried all suggestions and behavior won't stop. My husband is co-dependent on having cats, doesn't really discipline or search for reasons, answers etc. I feel bad for the male cat...prozac altered his loving personality some, I used to be able to handle him like a baby, he won't let me handle him now much...he's skiddish to being pet also. All because his sister started this nasty behavior. My husband says she did it because her brother wouldn't let her go to the litter box, eat, etc. I disagree...female is a night owl and would eat, drink etc in the night. Anyone have other suggestions...cuz I really hate living in a litter box

  • annztoo
    3 years ago

    Hopefully your vet told you a cat can't just be put on prozac and hope for the best since the cat should be monitored and the dose adjusted as needed.

    Personally, since you're seeing negative changes, I'd take the cat off the prozac, but remember that you CAN"T just stop it suddenly. He must be taken off the med gradually so check with your vet on how to do so. For my cat, I had to reduce a twice a day dosage to once a day for several days, then give it every other day for a few days.


    Have either you or your husband noticed any aggression between the cats or bullying from one of them? If the female is fearful of the male, that would be a good reason why she is active during the night (and just how active is she?). Hopefully she's not going all day without eating/drinking. Since she's the one that started peeing first, then she should definitely see a vet for a possible UTI....or other health issues.

    Even though she's difficult to catch you need to figure out a way to get her in the crate.....even if you have to get her into the bathroom somehow and then throw a towel over her. Tip: make sure the crate is large enough for her.


    After having her checked by the vet, you should consider giving the female her own area where you feed her separate from the male. She should also have a litter box in that area.

    As mentioned in an earlier post, I suggest you read all the info found on this site.

    Also, watch the TV episodes of My Cat from Hell, and also check out the website. If your husband has more time on his hands than you, ask him to watch the shows and read the info on the websites.


    It sounds as though something between the cats, or within the household, is stressing one or both of the cats. Observe the environment objectively and go from there.


  • Anna Barrett
    3 years ago

    I see a few comments about a bit of a personality change. My cat has been on fluoxetine for a week now, and he stopped marking pretty much immediately, but I’m seeing change in his personality too.


    I have an indoor neutered rescue tabby. He’s always been hilarious, lover to run around, talk and get our attention. But any sight/ smell/ sound of other cats would trigger him to spray around the house. Much like everyone else on this thread, we’ve tried everything. All types of calming sprays, calming creams, calming collars... Weekly offerings of toys, endless stream of attention, 7 different types of treats, 5 different types of litter boxes, not to mention different types of litter. We’ve also thrown hundreds of dollars at urine removers - I have a feeling it all works differently on different cats. We even bought window coverings on top of curtains to prevent any cat sightings. We’ve gone through so much home DIY, and after spending thousands of dollars on this issue, we finally begged our vet for drugs.


    The vet wanted to rule out every other scenario, so they conducted a few tests. Bladder tests, xrays, and blood test. He came back negative for all with flying colors, which meant it was a behavior problem. I fostered a cat during the COVID lockdown, and that seems to have worsened his territorial guard. Or that he’s just being a pain.


    When it comes to drugs, they come in different forms as others have mentioned. Liquid, cream, tablets and treats. The treats we’ve tried were large gummy and my cat didn’t know how to eat it, so that was a no go. Didn’t want the liquid either, so we opted for what we could force on him. The smaller tablets for cats are much more expensive, so they can prescribe human pills that you cut into smaller pieces - you can get a pill cutter for a small price, and this will help cut them without crushing the pills.

    There are also pill dispensers you can get to help feed your pet, but the 10mg pills may be too small for those.

    If your cat refuses to swallow it, you can apply some of their favorite cream on the pill to help them swallow.


    The day after his first pill, he was awesome. Wanted to play a lot, was energetic, didn’t have an incident. But his attitude toward us started to change throughout the week. He’s skittish with dilated pupils, not playful, he avoids us, and does not want to be touched. He used to be very talkative, and would sleep on my lap and purr. Those days are gone.


    He’s also eating less, peeing less, and pooping a lot less. He went from peeing twice a day, and pooping daily to peeing once a day, and poop seems to appear every 1.5 - 2 days. It’s great he’s not marking anymore, but if this continues after 2 weeks, he may need to get off this medication as he may develop more serious problems.


    I do feel like this will pass. Maybe he feels a slight change in his body, and is internally freaking out a bit. But I would love to hear from anyone who’s gone through this before.


    Hope my essay helps a few worried cat parents.

  • Katie Glaser
    3 years ago

    Bubby who I wrote about above went back to normal after about a month of being on Prozac. The negative side effects disappeared and he sleeps in our bed every night which he never did before being medicated. I started him on liquid which was a nightmare to administer so I tested out pill pockets to see if he liked them and he LOVES them so i switched to pills which are pretty cheap. I cut them in half and give him 2 pill pockets per day. Its so easy and he sees it as treat time. If you are seeing unwanted side effects wait a month or 2 and possibly try lowering the dose before giving up completely.

  • sarahsocal
    3 years ago

    For our boy, there were no noticeable side effects from the meds. In fact, he became more friendly. I know it isn't everyone's experience but the meds were nothing but helpful for us.

    Having said that, I hate having him on meds period so I started to wean him a couple of weeks ago. He went from a quarter pill once a day to every other day. So far so good!

  • misslindseydavis
    3 years ago

    Same! When I put my cat on Fluoxetine she acted like a vegetable for the first 3-4 weeks and I felt like the worst person ever! Luckily she adapted and her sassy personality returned. She stopped peeing everywhere and still fights with all the other cats in the house so her personality is the same (minus the pee!). We tried all other options before finally settling on Fluoxetine. We did tests at the vet, added an extra litter box, took the lid cover off the cat box, tried the calming plugins and spray....then tried Fluoxetine and it worked!


    I would like to try to start tapering her off of it but I am scared she will resort back to marking. Has anyone had luck tapering off of Fluoxetine or does it become and life long medication? I am paying about $80 a month right now bc we had to get the compounded cream to put on her ear (she was too picky with the oral pill and always knew when something was in her food).

  • HU-82937772
    3 years ago

    @Anna Barret
    We are having the same experience with our older Siamese cat when putting her on Fluoxetine. She’s been on in for about 5 days and has all the symptoms that you’ve described (not peeing/pooping as much, dilated pupils, eating less, etc). How did this turn out for your little guy? Did you keep him on and did these side effects disappear eventually?

  • annztoo
    3 years ago

    HU, talk to your vet about reducing the dosage. Sometimes the smallest dose, every other day is all that's needed. If it's too difficult to cut the pill into the correct size, also ask the vet about having the med compounded for a smaller dose.

    Just remember that if you use the transdermal cream on the ears, check the ears daily to make sure they don't develop dermatitis.


    misslindsey......$80 seems high for a months supply of the cream. You can price check some compounding pharmacies yourself, then let the vet know the one you want to use. Also check out some of the reputable online pharmacies and ask the vet for a Rx.


  • sarahsocal
    3 years ago

    I did start weaning my boy to every other day a while back. So far so good. And that is with the introduction of a new kitten into the house. Hope to get him off ASAP.

  • Adelle Kingsberry
    3 years ago

    Yet Another Fluoxetine Success

    Toby was put on Fluoxetine 5mg a day 5 years ago and He almost immediately stopped the peeing. He had started it right after my son left home. He had no side effects or changes in his acting in any manor. I give it to him using Greenies Pill Pockets for Cats with a few treats and have no problem getting him to take them. So far no side affects and best of all no inappropriate peeing.

  • Anna Barrett
    3 years ago

    Oliver returned to being himself after 2 weeks, and has been a happy loving cat. He eats and drinks half as much now, so he doesn’t poop or pee as regularly. He still plays, but is much calmer now. We’ve had no incidents outside of his litter box. And even his litter box is a lot cleaner! Whaa??


    I cannot tell you how relieved we are that he’s back to being happy. He doesn’t seem anxious about other cats’ smell outside at all anymore. I will keep him on fluoxetine for sure.

  • Billie Harwood
    3 years ago

    You can stop using any over the counter or hints from heloise combos to rid the urine.

    I have had animals my entire life and after all the vomit, urine, poop, and whatever else they spewed there is only one product I have used that actually eliminates everything. It is called SCOE10x and is made by a company called BioFog. You can order online or if you live in Georgia you can pick it up in person at their office in Alpharetta. You will need the solution( obviously), a black light, and a spray bottle. All of which they sell. You must do one thing and that is follow the instructions to a T. It works if you follow the instructions. This product is all natural enzymes and literally eats the urine, vomit, poop, gasoline, etc. You must clean up the mess as best you can with paper towels etc then put the solution on. If it’s a soaked spot then pour the solution on it. The wetter the better. If it’s just a piddle on a hardwood or tile floor etc then wipe it up and then use the spray bottle to spray it thoroughly. Follow the directions exactly and you can’t go wrong. Only product I’ve ever found that my dog or cat never went back to the same spot to pee again etc. Because it is enzymes it literally eats whatever is left behind. So your pet never smells that odor and therefore does not return to that spot.

  • Caitlin Campbell
    3 years ago

    My cat had problems with urinating out of the litter box ( a stray cat as well) and was aggressive towards my other established cat. The vet prescribed 5mg of Prozac- no real helpful change. I figured out her eliminating issue was litter box aversion. That could be part of the problem if your cat sometimes pees in the box. It also sounds like territorial spraying is happening- the prozac could help with that. No harm in trying. I ended up crushing the Prozac tablet, and mixing it in wet food- which is easier to administer but seems even less effective in calming her. Trying to give my cat the pill was frustrating for us both.


    I’d recommend getting clumping odorless/unscented litter which is “most sandlike”. Keeping the boxes clean (everyday) and especially cleaning them well and replacing litter if they get messy at all. Put 4 inches of clean litter in each box- separate them out in the house as well if possible so there is less territory issues and less competition.


    I have also been giving my cat Composure, its OTC and available on Amazon, Chewy.com its cheapest I think. I started with the treat form but had to smash it and mix in a small amount of wet food, my cat wouldn’t eat it otherwise. That seemed to help best with the Prozac. So many meds!!!


    It took me months to treat these issues. Now we have NO elimination issues, the cats are mostly separated by their choice and we have a fight once a week or so. I thought my boyfriend was going to force me to get rid of the kitty :(


    Hope this helps!

  • Kelly Laney
    3 years ago

    What a wonderful forum. I am so relieved to know so many others are having or had these issues. I thought my next stop with my female kitty was the shelter. I am currently in the beginning stages of all of this after her ruining a mattress, and countless cleaning of carpets. I am doing the feliaway, the mentioned litter from other recommendations above, and she has just been cleared by the vet of any and all health issues. Next step will be the transdermal prozac. Hoping I can avoid it, but it feels like I'm just waiting for the next accident. One more and she will go on this for sure!

  • Nancy Gathright
    3 years ago

    This forum has been so helpful! We have 3 rescue male cats of which two are brothers, PB & J, and Roger. All 3 are neutered. We had them for 9 months when out of the blue J peed on me while I was surrounded by tissue paper & sitting on the floor. That incident didn't happen again. Fast forward about 14 months and now all three were spraying in the house. We know why which is another story that is rather long. We tried everything to bring peace & stability in the house - pheromone plug-ins in every room, three places throughout the house with food & water, two litter boxes, played with them daily in the manner in which we knew was each one's favorite, kept their fur brushed, invested in enzyme cleaner, had each tested by vet for possible medical issues, and so many other ideas over a 2 year period that I cannot even remember anymore. Vet finally advised us to put them on Oxazepam suspension, twice a day. This helped greatly but was not fool proof. After about a year, they were still not responding fully so vet changed them to Fluoxetine. We started them on 1 cc suspension once daily and it was way too much! They were very lethargic and basically just breathing. We lowered their dose to 0.5 cc and their energy & personality came back slowly. Also, the 3 cats are 16 lbs, 13 lbs, and 11 lbs but they all get the same dose. The vet said Fluoxetine has a very broad dosing chart. I believe it because the littlest at 11 lbs was actually bumped up to 0.75 cc after several months of the 0.5 cc not working. We did notice in all of them that in the beginning they were less affectionate, dilated pupils, sleeping poorly, but after monitoring them and sharing lots of love & quality time, treats, etc, they returned to their own self. You do have to allow for a transition time when first starting this med, I still do not like having them on Fluoxetine, but it is the ONLY thing that worked to stop the spraying in 2 years! We went through endless bottles of enzyme cleaning, ended up pulling up the carpet, and hours upon hours researching. I am still hopeful that eventually we can wean them off of it, but I also realize this will be trial & error as there is no way to know if they will start spraying again until we try. I have also been looking into other ideas, such as Jackson Galaxy's Spirit Essence line. I am going to ask our vet if we can try Fluoxetine in a pill form as my cats hate the liquid, and I have heard too many stories of the ear cream form causing dermatitis. Another idea I have read is to give the med every other day. I want to be sure this is safe, so will ask our vet that as well before trying. We love our boys! Hope some of this info helps someone (:

  • Meridith Baranja
    3 years ago

    My cat Richard used to pee on our bed constantly. Sometimes on our couch too. Basically anywhere he and I slept. I put him on .6mg of prozac to start. He stopped peeing right away but was listless, spaced out and unaffectionate. Basically he was not my baby. I lowered it to .3mg and he is back to his normal self and NO PEEING!!!! Great success! I highly recommend it!

  • Bluebell66
    3 years ago

    I noticed that classic Feliway refill is on sale at Amazon half price today for Cyber Monday. Only $12.50. This may help several people on this post!

  • Becky Draper
    3 years ago

    My boy has been on prozac for almost 2 years a low dose to start then slightly higher I thought it was helping although he was very unsociable and slept all the time he has ample litter box’s and no other change in his life he actually marked quite a few times the Feliway while plugged in I’m at my end so much is ruined and hard wood floors are trashed too

  • Sheila Yagodzinski
    3 years ago

    I had a cat lived to be 16 years old rescued her as a kitten with her brother in the middle of a very cold winter. When she got to be 14 . She started peeing on my bed, washing many layers in the morning. Put water proof coverings on my mattress and pillows. Also got one of those pads like they use in nursing homes under an incontenent resident to put on her side of the bed that saved me washing everything every day, the pee doesn't leak through, found them on Wayfair. After taking her to the vet I've known for many many years he tells me constipated cats pee all over the place and she was constipated. All canned and raw food No dry, didn't use dry anyway. Added a teaspoon of canned squash or pumpkin for the fiber and a quarter of a raisin size piece of vasoline each meal per the vet. I sometimes used coconut oil instead cats love it. And she stopped peeing on my bed every night and there was a litter box in the bedroom.

  • sarahsocal
    3 years ago

    Quick update on my end. I did wean our boy entirely and all seemed fine even with the new kitten in the mix.


    Until Christmas Day when he went absolutely psycho crazy town on her. Like alley cat, "I'm going to kill you!", fighting. It was truly scary. We had to separate them and it took a weeks to reintroduce and get back to normal. I started him back on the fluozetine/Prozac that day (thank goodness I still had some!). I do think it helped.


    The moral of the story - the med may be helping with more than you realize. Our initial issue was peeing but clearly it helped calm him in general.


    Luckily we are back to normal, though we still get on edge when they play too aggressively.

  • misslindseydavis
    3 years ago

    I was able to wean my cat Sox off of Fluoxetine veryyyyy gradually and all seems fine (so far). She needed the Fluoxetine in the beginning to help with her peeing issues and anxiety but I realized after some time all she wanted was an uncovered litter box. I don’t think simply uncovering the litter box would’ve resolved the peeing issue in the beginning but I do believe combined with the fluoxetine she was able to resolve her bad habit and get back into her routine of using her box. I tried putting a lid back on her box while she was still on Fluoxetine and she peed all over my dirty clothes in the laundry basket. So I accepted that she will have an uncovered box for the rest of her life. Realizing that’s what she wanted and the fluoxetine didn’t keep her from peeing I started to wean her off. She started sleeping more (a less intense version of how her body reacted when she was first adapting to the drug). We’ve gotten through that phase and we have been accident free!!

  • annztoo
    3 years ago

    Becky,

    I think you need to consult with your vet again and work with changing the dosage. Overdosing can cause as many problems and too low a dose.

    If your vet isn't much help then find another one.....maybe try a vet that specializes in cats.

    There are many suble things in your house that could be causing your cat to spray so much, and you have to become a detective to recognize the causes. Sometimes it's another animal outside your house or apartment window.

    Having an unresponsive, drugged cat is not a happy ending for anyone.


    Again, I have to mention that watching the show My Cat from Hell will give everyone insight into what may be causing your cat to develop this behavior.


  • HU-919493486
    2 years ago

    My 17 yr old has been on it for 5 yrs now (blood tests done 2x/yr to check levels is done). It has been VERY successful- we also have another male on it who is 10 (they hate each other and the spraying was exhausting). I now am weaning my senior boy down because of his age and weight loss to see if that will help him gain some back (fluoxetine can cause weight loss in cats). When he was a strapping 16 pounder it didn't matter but with his age and now only 11 lbs my vet has recommended we decrease. He was prescribed 1, 5mg every other day vs daily. We did that for a week but I noticed a change in his behavior- and he peed on our bedroom wall (not an illness he had a physical and he had peri-urethral surgery 15 yrs ago so no blockage; it was just him 'being him'). When I told my vet he recommended 1/2 daily. That is where we are now. Bottom line is: It has been an amazing aid for us and our cats (5 of them). I never thought I would 'do' a behavioral med on them but it has really been wonderful. Best of luck to you and your kitty!

  • Jane Taylor
    2 years ago

    Help im starting medicine for my male cat tomorrow, do you mix it with food? i understand he may not like the taste im in the uk

  • Alesia Quante
    2 years ago

    I open the capsule and mix it in a nit of wet food and honey and smudge it onto my cats wrist. She licks it off

  • HU-903302482
    8 months ago

    Anyone know if paroxetine 2.5 mg good for cats? Its in liquid form and the vet prescribed for my cat since she pees and poops everywhere. We tried everything and now we got to give her this. It costs over $50 per month 😭😭