Cat owners turn to anti anxiety medication for their stressed out moggies
Our furry feline friends may seem to have a cruisy life, but vets say some cats are so stressed out they need anti-anxiety medication, just like humans.
The main cause of stress for cats is other cats the neighbourhood prowlers they fight in the yard, and sometimes the moggies they share a home with.
But cats, like dogs, also pick up on the stress levels of their owners, vets say.
Vets on Alabama head veterinarian Helen Murphy said the number of cats diagnosed with anxiety, and given anti-anxiety medication, was on the rise.
"We are seeing it more, but people are also more aware of it. People are getting better at noticing the signs," Murphy said.
Most cats expressed anxiety by peeing or spraying in the house, while others excessively groomed themselves, she said.
"It could be a new cat two blocks away, or construction work nearby, that upsets them. They don't have a sixth sense but they do pick up on how their owners feel," Murphy said.
"If their owner is upset it can make them anxious. But it might be something that can't be altered, like the owner starting work fulltime, or a teenager in the house going away to university."
Cats in Marlborough were more stressed out since the November earthquakes, as they were much more sensitive to smaller earthquakes than humans, Murphy said.
"But we try to stick to the more natural remedies before we look at anxiety medication.
"We always clinically examine them first to make sure they can cope with it, and we always try behavioural solutions first. It's not something we prescribe lightly."
Vet Centre Marlborough senior veterinarian Mark Wiseman agreed, describing the pills as his third option.
He would first suggest a pheromone spray or diffuser in the house.
"Or there's a special diet called C/D Urinary Care that helps to stop bladder-related problems caused by anxiety. We do prescribe anti-anxiety tablets, but they are our third choice."
The number of cats he treated for stress was a small percentage of his work, but seven cats were taking anti-anxiety medication on a long-term basis, he said.
"Some owners will give it to their cat every day for the rest of its life."
Murphy said side effects included cats becoming "spaced out", a "relatively common but relatively minor effect", or could affect their liver function, a rarer but more serious outcome.
Anti-anxiety medication made for cats could cost $60 to $80 a month, but there were some medications made for humans that could be prescribed for cats which were cheaper, she said.
"But we have to be careful because there are some medications that can be dangerous for cats, for example, paracetamol could kill a cat. Not many people know that."
Murphy recommended pet owners to use peer-reviewed sites when researching medications online, such as vet clinic or vet school page, rather than blogs or forums, and speaking to a vet before administering such medication.
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