Anxious cats
December 23, 2022 6:44 PM Subscribe
I have a four year old cat. He had a VERY traumatic beginning to his life. After being a pretty chill kitten/teenager cat, over the last few years, he’s become increasingly stressed by relatively common place occurrences. Is this a time we should consider some sort of medication or holistic care for him? Our primary goal is his life quality.
Cat backstory: as a kitten, he was on the streets, nearly died, shelter nearly put him down before a foster took him in) and has had limited interaction with other animals other than his frenemy, cat #2 who he both bullies (he’s a lot bigger) and is terrified of (she’s a lot more dominant). Over the last three years, he has turned from a social butterfly who loves everyone into a very scared muffin who hides under the fridge (gap = 6 inches, substantially smaller than his 15+ lb chonk) when anyone he isn’t very familiar with visits. When familiar people visit, but have been gone for a few weeks, he’s initially equally terrified.
Last week, his friend visited but hadn’t seen him for about 2 months - he hid under the fridge and panted audibly with his ears in “airplane” mode the entire visit.
We want our cat friend to have positive quality of life. When he’s not around scary people (or, frankly, scary things like the refrigerator door opening unexpectedly or a door closing) he’s a very happy, silly lazy snuggly furball. When he’s not, he quite literally vibrates with anxiety. Is this the right time to contemplate meds/holistic care/fill in the blank? What would you suggest? Also open to pet psychics (but mostly for our entertainment, not his welfare)
Cat backstory: as a kitten, he was on the streets, nearly died, shelter nearly put him down before a foster took him in) and has had limited interaction with other animals other than his frenemy, cat #2 who he both bullies (he’s a lot bigger) and is terrified of (she’s a lot more dominant). Over the last three years, he has turned from a social butterfly who loves everyone into a very scared muffin who hides under the fridge (gap = 6 inches, substantially smaller than his 15+ lb chonk) when anyone he isn’t very familiar with visits. When familiar people visit, but have been gone for a few weeks, he’s initially equally terrified.
Last week, his friend visited but hadn’t seen him for about 2 months - he hid under the fridge and panted audibly with his ears in “airplane” mode the entire visit.
We want our cat friend to have positive quality of life. When he’s not around scary people (or, frankly, scary things like the refrigerator door opening unexpectedly or a door closing) he’s a very happy, silly lazy snuggly furball. When he’s not, he quite literally vibrates with anxiety. Is this the right time to contemplate meds/holistic care/fill in the blank? What would you suggest? Also open to pet psychics (but mostly for our entertainment, not his welfare)
Response by poster: Could I ask - does your kitty seem happy in his less anxious state? My concern has been involuntarily medicating him that he’d be less content/happy medicated than anxious and unmedicated.
posted by arnicae at 7:10 PM on December 23, 2022
posted by arnicae at 7:10 PM on December 23, 2022
Jackson Galaxy (the My Cat from Hell guy) has a YouTube channel where he talks about various cat issues and how to catify your space so they're more comfortable. He's near always right about how to get your cat to be confident and secure. He has a bunch of videos about fearful cats. I would check through his channel and see if some environmental changes might help your little buddy. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some tension between your two cats that's drawing out his avoidant behavior.
posted by fiercekitten at 9:31 PM on December 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercekitten at 9:31 PM on December 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
It sounds like the rise in fear coincided with the pandemic, where his social stimulation would disappear or become much rarer. I have pandemic kittens and they still hide when anyone other than very frequent visitors come over, though they start recognising people after three or four visits. Once he's not as badly frightened, gentle exposure to more visitors may help.
I've had good luck with low concentration full-spectrum CBD oil for different kinds of kitty anxiety (mood booster during cancer treatment and, for a different cat, cat-to-cat aggression), on vet recommendation. Might be worth a try and much easier to give than pills.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 10:22 PM on December 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've had good luck with low concentration full-spectrum CBD oil for different kinds of kitty anxiety (mood booster during cancer treatment and, for a different cat, cat-to-cat aggression), on vet recommendation. Might be worth a try and much easier to give than pills.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 10:22 PM on December 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have had several anxious kitties over the years and I would definitely think about meds for this little guy, as well as some Feliway diffusers around the place. Feliway is not always a miracle cure but for 2 cats that I had who were highly anxious it really seemed to help them feel more comfortable at home. I also agree with the idea to check out some videos on adapting your scared cat's environment for him - we did that for my current little weirdo who when he came to live with us was so scared that he stayed in the box he came home in for FIVE DAYS. We placed some other boxes around with comfy towels in them and draped over them and put them in places where he could be near us but "invisible" and he very much liked that. Good luck!
posted by fairlynearlyready at 11:28 PM on December 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by fairlynearlyready at 11:28 PM on December 23, 2022 [1 favorite]
Meds, YES please. He'll be happier, and it will give him the breathing room for environmental mods (various, YT links are a good start) to help.
He may benefit from separation from the other cat.
Agree about pandemic being a big change, and that he might have done ok with constant exposure to a variety of friendly people and more low-level stimuli, here, (panting?! That sounds like panic-attack level anxiety in a cat) but now he needs a lot more help.
I'm sorry, and I do hope you see immediate changes with meds. 1) ask for a script and fill them at a human pharmacy if he happens to need something expensive and 2) if you live somewhere not culturally supportive of medication, keep looking for a vet who is - those who have graduated more recently and/or from an east coast school may be more supportive.
Re: #2, I didn't even know any vet under 60 was still meds-resistant in this day and age, but my brother can't find one who will treat his wildly separation anxious dog (a classic and well-supported use case for ssris) where he lives in NC. I have a few friends who graduated from e.coast vet schools and all are horrified by what he's hearing, so I hope it's a local issue only. If it's a school, looking for younger grads will help.
posted by esoteric things at 12:34 AM on December 24, 2022
He may benefit from separation from the other cat.
Agree about pandemic being a big change, and that he might have done ok with constant exposure to a variety of friendly people and more low-level stimuli, here, (panting?! That sounds like panic-attack level anxiety in a cat) but now he needs a lot more help.
I'm sorry, and I do hope you see immediate changes with meds. 1) ask for a script and fill them at a human pharmacy if he happens to need something expensive and 2) if you live somewhere not culturally supportive of medication, keep looking for a vet who is - those who have graduated more recently and/or from an east coast school may be more supportive.
Re: #2, I didn't even know any vet under 60 was still meds-resistant in this day and age, but my brother can't find one who will treat his wildly separation anxious dog (a classic and well-supported use case for ssris) where he lives in NC. I have a few friends who graduated from e.coast vet schools and all are horrified by what he's hearing, so I hope it's a local issue only. If it's a school, looking for younger grads will help.
posted by esoteric things at 12:34 AM on December 24, 2022
Not a cat but, we put our dog on doggy Prozac (same thing as human Prozac) for her extensive list of anxieties and she is not only much more relaxed but is also back to her old cheery self, stopping by for pats, wanting to play, etc. A good vet will know that the goal of anti anxiety meds is relaxation, not sedation, and will dose accordingly.
posted by donut_princess at 4:01 AM on December 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by donut_princess at 4:01 AM on December 24, 2022 [1 favorite]
Could I ask - does your kitty seem happy in his less anxious state?
Very much so. It's not a sedative or anything like that. Since starting the anxiety meds, she has spent more time in her happy modes -- curious, playful, snuggly, exploratory, sociable -- and a lot less time crunched up in an anxious little ball, trembling, with her eyes wide as dinner plates and her ears scanning for danger.
posted by ourobouros at 4:02 AM on December 24, 2022
Very much so. It's not a sedative or anything like that. Since starting the anxiety meds, she has spent more time in her happy modes -- curious, playful, snuggly, exploratory, sociable -- and a lot less time crunched up in an anxious little ball, trembling, with her eyes wide as dinner plates and her ears scanning for danger.
posted by ourobouros at 4:02 AM on December 24, 2022
Our lovely Freyja is on Prozac and it has hugely improved her quality of life. She is cuddly and curious instead of hiding and yowling. She’ll still react appropriately to threats like the vacuum cleaner, by hiding and glaring, but it’s a momentary hide in the other room situation, not a days- long project to find the cat and coax her back out of some new weird hiding place. I recommend it.
posted by Secretariat at 7:26 AM on December 24, 2022
posted by Secretariat at 7:26 AM on December 24, 2022
I had a very anxious cat (she'd get so constipated if we had overnight guests that she'd end up being unable to keep food down) and we tried a variety of things on her. Xanax would solve the immediate litterbox problems, but she pretty clearly didn't enjoy the sensation. Gabapentin, however, prevented her from getting so anxious and (at the dose we were using) did not seem sedating and she was perfectly happy on it. So there are a range of options and if one doesn't work, you can try something else! I very much agree that you *should* try something.
posted by restless_nomad at 7:40 AM on December 24, 2022
posted by restless_nomad at 7:40 AM on December 24, 2022
Echoing several others that I would absolutely try meds. My sister's cat was frequently distressed/anxious - she yowled, chased her tail, attacked her tail, and inexplicably sprinted around the house (obviously due to fear or anxiety).
She has been on daily Gabapentin for about two years now and is so much happier - she follows my sister around the house, cuddles and snuggles with her, solicits pets, and plays fetch - and has not had an episode of attacking her tail since beginning the meds. My sister has also remarked several times that she wished she hadn't waited to explore medications because of how improved her quality of life is and how much less stressed she must feel (plus it has made my sister less stressed!).
posted by vakker at 8:07 AM on December 24, 2022
She has been on daily Gabapentin for about two years now and is so much happier - she follows my sister around the house, cuddles and snuggles with her, solicits pets, and plays fetch - and has not had an episode of attacking her tail since beginning the meds. My sister has also remarked several times that she wished she hadn't waited to explore medications because of how improved her quality of life is and how much less stressed she must feel (plus it has made my sister less stressed!).
posted by vakker at 8:07 AM on December 24, 2022
My parents' anxious cats were much happier on kitty prozac & with Feliway diffusers plugged in around the house. I hope you are able to find something to help your kitty feel more relaxed.
posted by belladonna at 12:23 PM on December 24, 2022
posted by belladonna at 12:23 PM on December 24, 2022
Just make sure it isn't a reaction caused by something routine, like a urinary tract infection.
posted by Oyéah at 12:51 PM on December 24, 2022
posted by Oyéah at 12:51 PM on December 24, 2022
What are his other escape options? Like do you have a tall (6+ foot) cat tree, boxes under tables with blankets in them, etc.? Cats like having a lot of different places they can go where it's physically impossible to be stepped or sat on, and they get stressed and force themselves into weird spots if enough of those spaces aren't provided.
posted by Jacqueline at 5:26 PM on December 24, 2022
posted by Jacqueline at 5:26 PM on December 24, 2022
Response by poster: Yes - we have a racetrack that runs around the ceilings of our rooms. The cats (particularly the tree cats like our anxious boy) love it.
posted by arnicae at 5:31 PM on December 24, 2022
posted by arnicae at 5:31 PM on December 24, 2022
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posted by ourobouros at 6:53 PM on December 23, 2022 [2 favorites]