Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Already a member? Sign in
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My cat has severe anxiety. What meds can I use to avoid a vet visit?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Siamese | Female | spayed | 2 years and 3 months old | 9 lbs

I have a 2 year old female cat who has had severe anxiety since kittenhood. I have tried pheromone plug-ins, collars, sprays, and calming music. She is so skittish she runs when we approach her. I am looking for advice on medications, and our vet wants us to bring her in for an exam. This will make her anxiety a million times worse, so I am trying to avoid an in-person visit. Is there any medication that will help?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on December 11th, 2019

Hi there. Yes, there are definitely medications that can help with chronic anxiety in cats, and she would likely also benefit from other changes in her environment to help make her more comfortable. Ideally, I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan for her, including medication if he/she feels that it would be helpful in Sunny's case. You can search for one in your area here: www.dacvb.org

If this isn't possible, then you can certainly work with your regular veterinarian if he/she is comfortable treating behavioral issues in cats. You will indeed need to have her seen for an exam in order to start any prescription medication - so you'll need to bring her into the clinic, or you can see if there are any vets in your area who offer housecall services. You can ask your veterinarian about using a calming supplement such as Anxitane or Zylkene before the visit to help make her a bit more comfortable, if needed.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Poor girl. Anxiety in cats that are super stressed typically is pretty responsive to medications prescribed by your vet such as Gabapentin or Prozac. However there is one over the counter that you may not have tried yet called Zylkene. You can purchase this online without a prescription, so it is worth a try. : )
    If this doesn’t help then a vet visit is recommended to get her a prescription medication to try next.

    I hope that Sunny’s anxiety subsides soon! Best of luck moving forward. Take care.

    Vote Icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 12th, 2024

    Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Ellie. I'm sorry she's having trouble with anxiety! Yes medications can help with anxiety, but she would need to see a vet in person to get the medication. We cannot provide a prescription for it from the site without seeing her in person; it's illegal, and against the user terms of the site. I recommend contacting her vet to make her an appointment to discuss the use of medication.

    A thundershirt may also help in conjunction with medication. You can buy them online, I also recommend looking at one of those. A tip to keep in mind when she is afraid is not to console her. It's natural to want to do that, but it actually reinforces the behavior. By consoling her, you are telling her it's ok to act this way. I hope this helps!

    Vote Icon

    3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Training & Behavior
My cat has severe anxiety. What are the best treatment options?
You can speak to another vet about anti-anxiety medications for Prim, but I can recommend a few things you can do at home for her. First, I suggest trying Feliway. It's a plug in diffuser that spreads pheromones around the room, which helps with anxious cats. You can also use a Sentry calming collar on her, which will also release pheromones when in contact with her skin. Certainly get a second opinion about medications for her as well.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
What's the best drug to calm my anxious cat before a vet visit?
Actually now the recommend medication is gabapentin. Ask your veterinarian for some and give it before the visit. With this the cats are just mellow, easy to handle and not as drugged as with the other medications. Diazepam is not used much in cats now due to it causing liver problems. Apromazine can make them sedate but doesn’t reduce the aggression. I personally don’t find Xanax effective. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Medications
My senior cat hates the vet. Are there drug-free ways to calm her?
Those side effects are more common with chronic long term use. One to two doses prior the appointment will provide mild sedation and help calm her for the visit. You can try feliway spray. You spray a towel for the carrier and place a towel on top to help keep her covered
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
Is it safe to give a feral cat Xanax to calm her for the vet?
It is unlikely that 1/4 of a 0.25mg alprazolam (Xanax) will sedate Pixie much, if at all. Always check with Pixie's vet prior to giving her any medication. Call the vet who will be examining her to ask if more effective oral sedatives (such as trazodone and/or gabapentin) can be prescribed in order to facilitate the vet visit. That said, use extreme caution giving any prescribed oral medication to Pixie since she is a feral cat. I would not recommend attempting to give her a pill if she is not up to date on her rabies vaccine due to the potential that she may bite you, intentionally or otherwise. If oral medication is not an option for one reason or another, you could either look into mobile vets able to come to your house, or expect to have her sedated at your vet if you are able to get her into a carrier. I hope that all goes well!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My cat attacks my older cat. Should he be on anti-anxiety meds?
Yes, anti-anxiety medications are warranted in this situation if you have already tried the other options. We save medications as the last resort. All the anti-anxiety medications are prescription through your vet so you will have to call them and ask about getting Bravo on something. They will have to examine him first if it has been a while since he has been to the vet.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Training & Behavior
How to calm my skittish cat for vet visits and get him in the carrier?
Poor Puss! I know vet visits can be a challenge with some anxious kitties. As far as calming aids that you can get over the counter, you could try a calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure along with Feliway spray in the carrier - these are generally quite safe, and can be purchased at pet stores or ordered online without a prescription. Effects are usually pretty mild, though, so if he's extremely fearful this may not be enough to make a difference. If you have a regular vet who has seen Puss before, you could call them to discuss your concerns. There are some great prescription medications like gabapentin or trazodone that can be very effective at calming anxious kitties prior to a vet visit - but you would need a prior veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with a vet in order to get prescription meds before the exam. If the visit isn't urgent, you can try placing the carrier out with the door open in an area where Puss spends a lot of time to let him investigate it and get comfortable on his own. By dropping treats in the carrier and letting him go in when he's comfortable, it can be much easier to get him in for his visit. If he needs to be seen right away, then you can use a blanket or towel to put over him, pick him up, and put him in the carrier without being scratched or bitten.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My cat is anxious and over-grooming. What medicine can help?
I am sorry to hear about your kitty! Some of the most commonly used drugs to treat psychogenic alopecia in kitties include fluoxetine, amitryptylline, and clomipramine. We may sometimes use a supplement called Zylkene as well which can help decrease anxiety in some cats. True cases of psychogenic alopecia,however, are rare. It is much more common to have hair loss due to a skin disease/itching. If your vet hasn't done testing yet to ensure there isn't a cause for itching then I would consider this, or a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. You can read more about this condition and the possible causes/testing at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2565.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Anxiety MedicationDog Anxiety MedicationCat SuppliesCat FoodPrescription Horse Behavior & Anxiety MedicationCalming Aids for CatsCalming Supplements for CatsPain Meds & Arthritis Relief for CatsCat MedicineCat Seizure MedicationCat Thyroid MedicationCat Asthma MedicationPrescription Cat Allergy MedicineHeart & Blood Pressure Medicine for CatsAntifungal Medication for CatsCat AntibioticsCat Calming CollarsCat LaxativesVaccines and Shots for CatsPrescription Flea & Tick Medicine for Cats
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Share

Styled arrow button