Prozac is a standard treatment for cats with anxiety disorders or specific inappropriate behaviors. It can be very stressful coping with a cat that is anxious and aggressive. I know because I’ve lived with one!
In Prozac For Cats we take a look at how prozac works and what it is used for in cats. We’ll discuss side effects, effectiveness, and take a look at some scientific studies that I found helpful when researching my own cat’s problems
Contents
- What is Prozac
- Prozac in cats with inappropriate urination
- Treating aggression in cats with Prozac
- Types and dosage
- How well does Prozac for cats work?
My cat, Bella, suddenly become aggressive shortly after she turned two. She would act super cuddly and then try to claw your arm off. She also began having “accidents” outside the litter box and just generally being a pain to live with.
After this went on for some time, I took her to the vet, who prescribed Prozac. We had to wait a few months and tweak the dosage, for the treatment to take effect. And then Bella was back to her usual, calm self!
Prozac isn’t suitable for all cats with behavioral problems, and it needs to be given under medical supervision. So if you think your cat might benefit, you’ll need to arrange a consultation with your veterinarian.
What is Prozac?
Prozac for cats is commonly referred to as Fluoxetine, which is its scientific name. It belongs to a group of drugs called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.
Serotonin is a feel good chemical; it induces a feeling of calm and affects sleep cycles. Over time, Prozac increases the brain’s reaction to this chemical, causing your cat to feel calm.
Prozac is used for both cats and dogs and is prescribed to treat a range of problem behaviors from aggression to inappropriate urination.
Prozac for Cats Urinating Inappropriately
Litter box problems are a big source of stress for pet parents. And stress is often the cause of those problems for cats. One of the most common uses of Prozac is to treat inappropriate urination in cats.
When a cat becomes anxious, it is not uncommon for them to urinate to “mark” their territory. This is especially true if the cat is experiencing an environment change or if you have recently adopted a new pet.
An interesting study found that Prozac was effective at stopping urine marking caused by stress. The longer the treatment lasted, the more effective it was. A break in the treatment caused the behavior to start up again, though subsequent treatment was still effective.
Prozac for Cats With Aggression Issues
Just like many humans, it is not uncommon for a cat to become aggressive when anxious or stressed. After all, we all know what cats do when they’re backed into a corner.
Now, imagine what they would act like if they always felt like they were backed into a corner. That’s feline aggression caused by stress.
In some cases, this stress can be reduced by training and by modifying your cat’s environment. However, if the catalyst of the stress cannot be removed, like a new baby for example, or the changes do not fix the behavior, the best option might be to introduce medication.
Prozac for cats is one such medication and might be suggested by your vet to stop the aggressive behavior.
Different Types Of Prozac
Prozac for cats comes in a number of forms. Including liquids, creams, tablets and transdermal prozac patches. Some are easier to get into your cat than others. But importantly, some are more effective.
One study showed that a Prozac cream was less effectively absorbed by the cat’s system than oral Prozac. And oral Prozac is the most common form prescribed for cats. It is most effectively absorbed by your cat’s system, and it is the easiest to give.
Prozac Dosage for Cats
Prozac is usually given to cats at 24 hour intervals. The dosage of Prozac given depends on what condition is being treated. And on how the cat reacts.
You and your vet will probably have to adjust the dosage over a period of months, since every cat reacts to the medication differently.
Because of this, there is not a standard dosage for cats. You’ll need to contact your vet if you forget which amount you are supposed to be giving to your feline friend.
How Long Does Prozac Take to Work in Cats
When you first begin giving your cat Prozac, it can take three to four weeks before you start to see any change.
Then, the change might be too extreme or too little. Odds are, you and your vet will have to adjust the dosage.
It is essential to stick with this medication even if it doesn’t appear to be working. Stopping suddenly can cause unpleasant side effects, such as worsening behavior.
Side Effects
Because Prozac affects the brain, a number of side effects can occur.
Serious side effects include seizures, tremors, shivering, muscle stiffness or twitching; a red, blistering, peeling skin rash; problems with balance or coordination; or agitation, confusion, sweating, or fast heartbeat.
Minor side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, diarrhea, changes in appetite, weight changes, and dry mouth.
One study found that Prozac for cats can also make it harder for cats to sleep deeply, so sleepiness is a widespread side effect.
Because of this, all medications that can cause drowsiness should be avoided while your cat is on Prozac.
Always report side effects to your veterinarian, as they might indicate a change of dosage is needed.
The Outlook For Prozac for Cats
It’s not unusual for cats to develop anxiety and behavior problems related to stress. Prozac can be extremely useful in curbing stress-induced behaviors in cats. It will most likely continue to be useful until and if a better form of treatment comes along.
A vet prescription is required to give your cat this medication. And you should work closely with your vet when giving your cat Prozac to figure out the best dosage for her.
It’s essential to take your cat to the vet if they are displaying behavioral problems that you are concerned about. These behaviors can be signs of an underlying health problem or anxiety disorder. Medication can help. And your vet is the best person to decide whether or not prozac is appropriate for your cat at this point in their life.
My cat is generally unmedicatible and considers the slighest thing to be punative and avoids me for days. I have a siamese who has bad anxiety of every type, and prozac clearly helps her except the only way I can give it to her is to rub the cream in her ear, which is enough of an ordeal. I do it once a week and I can see a big difference, but also she is so picky and will not eat unless it is junk, that I wonder if it is worth all this.
Try the oral tablet. Put a small piece of cheddar cheese about the the size of a small post it note (my cat prefers Sargento sharp cheddar sliced) and microwave it until its a melted slippery consistency (I do 7 seconds on high) and put the pill in it. Blow on it before giving it your cat because it will be hot. The key is to keep it a slippery consistently and it slides right down their mouth when they take it from you. Good luck
Try a higher dosage. Mine has to get double the typical dose. Also, a pill popper ordered from Amazon can be a lifesaver! It’s 2 sec of discomfort a day. I feed mine a lot of treats throughout the day (as well as immediately after he gets his pill) so he will be distracted and also so he will see my presence as something good —most of the time lol—in his life.
Hi Cosette,
I am wondering if you are still using the cream on your cat? My vet just prescribed Prozac for my cat and I have tried EVERYTHING to get her to take the oral tablet! I have tried crushing it and putting it in her wet food or a Tiki Stix. I have tried the pill pockets and none of this works. She will not eat any of it, and these are things she used to love. The vet is now recommending the cream which is much more expensive than the pills. I have not filled the prescription because I just don’t know if it’s worth it and also if it’s hard to administer. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!
we put prozak in a little capsule – which we bought because our cat seems to smell the prozak-we put the pill the capsule fold it in half by moistening it and then wrap in some wet food he really likes
If you have a compounding pharmacy in your area, they should be able to make a liquid medication for you (with vet’s Rx). Our pharmacist is even able to make a tuna/chicken flavored medication, and my extremely fussy cat doesn’t mind it in her food.
Compounding does make medication way more expensive as a side note (I recently found this out the hard way)
I have used the cream for several years. So easy can’t give a pill when they are having an anxiety attack.
If you are still looking for a solution, I formed a tiny bit of unsalted butter around the pill. And then put it in the bowl covered with nutritional yeast. My cat eats it as long as it has the yeast on it.
I had a cryptoid cat and live in a country with very limited vet services. We were not able to remove the undescended testicle until after he sexually matured. In fact I only did it because his spraying became so bad I was willing to risk it. After the surgery he started spraying again. He would spray anywhere and everywhere up to 8 times a day. I spent hundreds of dollars on products and was cleaning up after him 2 hours a day. I didn’t have the heart to put him outside or lock him in the garage but my life was becoming a nightmare. There was a neighbors cat outside that was irritating him but I couldn’t get rid of that one either. After 18 months of living with this constant urine smell, always closing rooms off and almost no relationship with my cat, I decided to start discussing putting him down. As a last ditch effort I put him on Prozac. It had n effect for six weeks and then a miracle happened. He started spraying less and then a few weeks later not at all. My kitty is back to being a little love bug. He still watches the neighbors cat but doesn’t mark. He had access to the whole house again. So far no side effects. I share this because it worked on a cat that had been spraying non stop for over a year. I didn’t think anything would work. If you have this problem you may want to try it. I can only get human Prozac capsules but I cut it down to 5mgs and mix it with paw gel. He eats it up everyday with no issue.
This gives me hope. I’m at week 5 and my cat is still spraying. I just don’t know what else to do if this doesn’t work. I’ve tried so many things. Maybe in another week I’ll see a difference. Fingers crossed
How is your kitty doing now? Did you have to raise the dose?
I read on another cat site that it may take a few months working with your vet to get the right dosage.
I just started my 9 yr old cat on Prozac – .4 ml of a 10mg/ml suspension. I opted for the liquid because I thought it would be easier to dose. It’s alright.
She started acting aggressive to our other cat when there hadn’t been a problem between them for the 2 yrs we’ve had the 2nd cat.
It became an anxious cycle culminating in 1st cat defecating all over the house, every day and peeing on my bed.
I took them both to the vet when 2nd cat was having tiny splats of pee in the litter box with blood in them.
Due to stress both had psychosomatic cystitis with 1st cat also having inflamed intestines.
For drugs, we came home with Buprenorphine, Dasuquin, fiber packets, Onsior & Metronidazole. Not all were given to both cats.
They also wanted my poor cats to eat Hills Diet c/d for urinary care. Well, I did my research a while back and have been feeding them premium brands manufactured by companies that believe cats are carnivores and don’t need to ingest pea products, tapioca starch, grains, rice, gums, legumes, etc.
Consequently,they refused to eat the Hills Diet mess which 2nd ingredient is corn, then corn gluten, wheat, brewer’s rice! That’ll sure make my cats feel better.
I’m glad to have a realistic idea of the time this might take. 1st cat is angry about having to have liquids squirted in her cheek.
Now I’m anxious about where she’ll poo next – on top of me sleeping on the couch?! She totally ruined our mattress.
CatMom, I would love to hear how your furball is fairing.
Hi there how os yout household doing. Mine is exactly the same. Pee on bed. We did however have a freak accident. 1ste cat fell from somewhere hit a hard surface with her jaw and broke off eye tooth. They operating the jaw and extraction on monday. We have spent money on every natural calming meds. Feliway, calm eeze l,homeopathic etcm the 1st cat is now on prozac. And shes still very much on edge. Its been a household out of hell. 2nd cat is very scared and timid. We were also asked to change to the hills food but we have 3rd 20 year old cat who also eat with them and shes on special joint/unirary food. Weve contacted an animal communicator.we dont even know if that will work.
Unfortunately, the Prozac stopped working after 3 months. The spraying started again. I put him on buspirone but that didn’t work either. I am supposed to move and I don’t see how I can take my fur baby to a new house and let him destroy that too. This is a very thought problem and he is going to be impossible to rehome. I am not sure what else to try.
I would like to hear how everyone else’s cat is doing or if anyone has any ideas.
Hi, my cat did not respond to 5 mg. He is now in 10 mg of Prozac, and the peeing and aggression have really almost ended (less than a month still). I strongly encourage you to increase the dosage. Every cat’s system is different. The only thing is that you’ll need to keep it up for several weeks before you necessarily begin to see the results. Good luck!
I had one beautiful cat that was spraying everywhere because of the feral cats outside. I took him to a vet who said nothing could be done. I even asked about prozac, but he said no. I put the cat I loved down because I couldn’t live like that. It was only years later that I found out that there was a solution.
I adapted a feral, but when I adopted the 2nd feral the first started spraying. I also took this cat to a vet and she prescribed 10 mg of prozac. It didn’t work so she raised the dose to 20 mg. That worked. The only worry I have is how to get it into him if I go on vacation. Any ideas? The cat won’t go close to anyone but me.
Try a higher dosage. Mine had to go up to 10 mg/day, but it is working — and 5 mg was not. Also, a pill popper ordered from Amazon can be a lifesaver! It’s 2 sec of discomfort a day. I feed mine a lot of treats throughout the day (as well as immediately after he gets his pill) so he will be distracted and also so he will see my presence as something good —most of the time lol—in his life.
Giving this a shot as well as I only have access to 40mg capsules I can break down. It’s cheap for humans but a bit costly for the cat variations. Thanks for your input.
Have your vet call 5 mg tabs (or 10) into Walmart. It will only cost you $4 for a months supply, and you won’t need to be bothered cutting them down to size. Good luck!
Just human Prozac? My kitty is on the cream one for the ears….. been on it for a month. Not sure it’s working?
Prozac has been a lifesaver for my six year old, neutered male cat.
Mani had a stressful start in life; in fact, when I met him, I was a vet tech and he had a fractured leg and had been surrendered by his owner. He was only eight months old.
Fast forward to after his orthopedic surgery, wearing a cast for six weeks (as well as an e-collar) and was now full time indoors, when his previous life was outdoors.
In very important ways, my new cat’s life had improved, but it was not without its stressors.
Anything negatively affecting mobility can be hard on a cat. Add to that a newly indoor lifestyle with three other cats and not even being able to jump up on a table, and maybe you can guess where this is heading.
A month after his cast came off, Mani developed a urinary blockage. It took a LOT of drugs to get him well. He did not need a urinary catheter. As soon as he was anesthetized, he passed a urinary plug.
No infection, but wow, the spasms. Thus began a series of intermiitent sick/well periods.
He never used my bed to pee on but sometimes he did use the sink. I wasn’t concerned about that, however; it was the pain and concerns over a future blockage.
Taking him to work (the clinic) made problems even worse. He would hold his urine all day, refusing to use the litter box there. I’d get him home and he would pee small amounts of blood.
By age four, he was having several bouts a year, and becoming more frequent.
Finally, my coworker (a vet) asked, “sowhen are you going to try Prozac?”
Mani wasn’t urinating inappropriately or marking. He was having spasms and inflammation.
I couldn’t really work it out in my mind how fluoxetine would help with Mani’s symptoms; nevertheless, there was nothing to lose.
This is where it gets amazing:
My cat did not need weeks to show improvement in his symptoms. He was able to to go off off three of his meds in a matter of a dew days.
That was almost 18 months ago, and Mani has not had another episode of pain, straining to pass urine, using the sink to relieve himself, or having blood in his urine.
I have been a veterinary technician for over 20 years and seeb a lot of things in my time. I never, however, would have believed a cat could have such a life-changing response to an antidepressant.
Fluoxetine has given this cat a life I wouldn’t have believed possible.
He gets 2 mg every other day in a treat. He is calm, playful, and loving, sleeping next to me every night.
I am not saying an SSRI will *fix* every cat, but for those who need the bump in their neurotransmitters, it can be helpful
In the case of Mani, I’d say fluoxetine has been a miracle drug.
So glad you had this positive experience with your kitty! I have been giving my over anxious young kitty Prozac for three weeks. I know it isn’t long enough yet but I’m not happy with what I’m seeing. He used to crawl up on the sofa to nap with me and to be next to me. Now he won’t interact with me. Or my husband. My vet and I thought this was worth a try because he’s so very jumpy but if this behavior continues, I will have to ween him off.😢
I have a rescue cat- a THREE-time return from a no-kill shelter-because of his attacking humans. He was declawed when the shelter got him-who knows what his sad life had been. I have worked hard to earn his trust. He is not a cuddly cat, but always wants to be near me. But he has attacked my husband several times. When my husband is near, he meows angrily. After the last attack, my husband said we needed to try medication. Two weeks now of prozac-and now my cat avoids me, flinches or runs away when I pet him. No attacks-but my little guy is gone. Will he ever come back to normal, or is this what I will see for the next decade? ? Any advice on whether I will ever see him friendly again will be appreciated.
Evie, bless you for trying with this poor kitty. Who knows what he has been through? I hope the prozac has kicked in for you by now and you & your hubby have seen seen improvement with your kitty. If not, it is possible a different SSRI med would be more appropriate for your little guy.
Also, you MIGHT talk to your vet about adding a wee touch of Alprazolam (xanax) to kitty’s med regime if possible. (Mine takes hers easily in a Pill Pocket.) It causes a more immediate result and USUALLY, makes kitty a bit calmer and more friendly. Many times it is used in CAREFUL conjunction with prozac to give the prozac several weeks to start taking full effect.
Then the cat can be WEANED off the Alprazolam (pets should always be weaned off ANY of these drugs, never a hard stop) over the course of a couple weeks. Just a thought, perhaps to discuss with your vet. I hope things improve, not many people would take on a kitty with emotional issues. I have, and it’s a real commitment. Best wishes to you & yours.
do the side effects of this medication decrease at all? My cat has been on it for a week and recently started meowing for no reason. Any thoughts?
Thanks for this. I have 2 cats. The younger one, Emmy (3) has always had a ton more energy but 2 months ago started attacking Sally (5) after 2 years of peaceful coexistence. Sally started pooping outside the box due to the stress and I’ve had to isolated Emmy at night because of the stalking and attacking. They are both now on Prozac and I’m praying for a miracle. Emmy can be sweet and affectionate and I don’t want to rehome her. Thanks for the article. I’m so stressed out that I’m not sleeping because of the chaos but I’m committed to trying to make this work.
Ok so I just put my cat on prozac so which is the most effective method the transdermal or oral which one is better
I’ve heard oral. We just started our guy 3 months ago on it as well. We got the 5mg tiny tabs and hide them in the pill pockets from amazon. Works wonders. I have read the transdermal does not absorb as well. His peeing stopped almost instantly when we started this! But 3 months later i’m still seeing good changes in behavior. Like today, he has purred more than i have ever heard! and he is more playful. We are hopeful this will also help him loose some weight. good luck!
Just started my cat Bug (4) on .25ml liquid Prozac for occasional spraying that was starting to happen more often now that its getting nice out and the windows are open. Its been 3 days, but I skipped the 2nd day cuz he’s pretty much been sleeping since I gave it to him. So I gave it to him on Saturday, skipped Sunday, gave it to him Monday skipped Tuesday now its Wednesday and hes still sleeping, so I haven’t given it to him yet. He gets up to eat, go to litter box go out on his leash in morning to sleep on porch all day, comes in at night and sleeps. I’ve been making him go on his evening walk which usually he has to make me take him. Is this normal? Will he eventually adjust? Also, what a nightmare getting it in him. Any suggestions? Please help me!!!
My poor baby is sleeping a lot as well. He is on the transdermal cream. Apparently it is two full rotations around so the cream will come out. I believe it’s 4 mg. I did not see him all day today I had to go get him to bring him to the basement where I live, my mom lives upstairs and he has taken to her bathroom closet. He always comes when I call him, chirping his way down the stairs to me. In fact, sometimes I don’t even have to call him he just knows that the door opening is me because my mom’s already home. He does none of this. Within the first week as well it seemed like and has not gotten any better by week 4. And of course I decided to buy 2 months worth of this stuff which is $60 a month. The vet is acting like I am not giving it enough time for him to go back to how he was, which was a sweet loving boy despite his love to try to basically headlock my other cat. My other cat is now timid and scared and walks on eggshells and she was never like that. He is the new one. He has pounced on her relatively soon on but she was never the scared until we moved to the basement. I believe it’s because he got used to it first so he claimed territory. He was upset a few times over me bringing my boyfriend’s dog, at least that’s what I believe, because he peed on me while laying in the bed with him. He does not act aggressive by what I can tell because it looks like he is trying to play with my other cat. And I heavily stressed this to the vet that it is not malicious looking behavior. I’m not even sure if he should even be on this because I don’t know if that’s considered aggression. The sprays and diffusers did not do anything for either of them, neither did the calming collars. So I have no idea how to help my other cat feel like herself again and how to calm him down enough to get him to stop but not change his personality. The technician who called me after I expressed my worries said I can go down to 2 mg but seems to think that he will snap out of it because the clinic cat was sleepy when he started the medication as well. I asked what she considers sleepy, and she said he was just a little bit more sleepy. This is full-blown sedation for my cat. Literally I will not see him for a full day like I said. Including at night, when cats are more active. the last few times I’ve gone up to the bathroom I usually pet him a few times and smooth talk as I walk out and generally within 15 minutes he comes down to see me. But not today. I have called him countless times and gone up there twice and did what I usually do to know avail. I waited until 2:00 in the morning until I finally went and got him myself and carried him downstairs.
I did forget to mention that the technician said that she thinks I should notice if he goes back to normal by the time I am out of the two months of medication I bought considering that is more than 4 to 6 weeks time that it should take to work. At least that’s the time frame I was given for a medication of this sort to kick in.
I have a ten year old male cat. He was feral as a kitten as far as I know and indoor ever since. He’s always been a little aggressive but I never knew enough about cats until recently and the aggression didn’t happen often. Over the years I’ve moved a few times and now we’re settled into a home with my fiancé and his female dog and female cat. To my surprise, my cat has done better than I thought with the living arrangements. He did scratch my boyfriend on his nose earlier this year but that was the last bad incident. I get his nails trimmed at the vet every month because he doesn’t use any scratches I buy him and his nails are sharp. We recently found out we’re having a baby and we are concerned about Dexter’s behavior around the baby. My boyfriends dad came over this evening and Dexter scratched his leg and drew some blood. I’ve always been devoted to my cat but now I’m anxious he could hurt the baby. I’ve never tried medication but maybe the continued nail clippings and a medication like Prozac can help?! Looking for some advice.
-Lisa