Are there Prozac alternatives for my cat's stress and urination?

Yes, it's true that Prozac can cause changes in elimination. However, infrequent urination can have many other causes and given the history of cystitis, I would want to ensure the kidneys are functioning well prior to looking at other causes. If your veterinarian has ruled out other causes and it appears that Prozac is the cause, then you do have other options for similar types of drugs. However, switching will be a gradual process and all of these drugs tend to have side-effects, so you would have to weigh the risks versus the benefits. If your cat is otherwise acting, eating and drinking normal, then it's likely that this urine retention is not impacting Duck's quality of life much. However, if you do feel like it really affects Duck, then you can explore other options with your veterinarian. I hope this is helpful.

Hi, thabks for using PetCoach! What medicine are you using? I would recommend prozac and Feliway diffusers. I would also use the environmental enrichment ideas in the link below. Good luck! https://indoorpet.osu.edu/sites/indoorpet/files/assets/documents/Herron10_EE_for_Indoor_Cats.pdf

Stress-related cystitis can be very frustrating to manage! It sounds as though you are doing everything you can to help Duck. Cats can become stressed by nearly anything - a new person in the house, rearranged furniture, a new type of litter, etc. I'm glad to hear that he is eating the SO food and has been started on Prozac. It can take 2 months to see full efficacy from the Prozac, and if it still isn't effective after 2 months, he may need to have a dose adjustment. Unfortunately, there isn't anything else to try at home since you're already using Feliway, an extra litter box and water fountains. A new kitten is likely to cause more stress to Duck. Until you have his stress-related cystitis under control, I would wait to bring a new kitten into your home. I hope that all goes well!

Personally I would try to reduce stress in the household by providing private, quiet areas for her to relax, use a pheromone diffuser like Feliway, try anti anxiety supplement like Solliquin, and if you need medication to stop it right away I prefer using a long acting steroid injection. Giving daily medication to a cat is stressful in itself and I don’t like to medicate cats excessively for overgrooming. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Archie.

Ultimately, this is a decision that really needs to be made by the prescribing veterinarian, as there may be good reasons for choosing one of these medications over the other for a particular patient. But in general, I can tell you that most veterinary behaviorists prefer SSRIs like fluoxetine over older TCAs like amytriptyline as a first-line choice for anxiety issues in cats because they tend to have fewer side effects and are better tolerated by most patients. I personally use fluoxetine frequently in both dogs and cats, and have not prescribed amirtiptyline in years. But again, your vet may have good reasons for whichever medication they recommend - just ask, and express your concerns if you have any so that the two of you can come to the best decision for Fiona :)

There are many options from dietary supplements such as zylkene or kalm aid, pheromone diffusers and prescription anxiety medications. For renovation works, a short stay in a cattery could also be considered and may be less stressful than house and disruption at home

Poor Dylan! I would recommend you keep him on a canned prescription diet for urinary crystals. Your veterinarian can recommend one that should work. I usually recommend rechecking the urine after at least 2 weeks of this diet to make sure the crystals are no longer present and the diet is working. You also can try environmental enrichment to see if that helps with his stress level. For example, you can use shelves to make space so he can perch up high away from the other cats and have his space. I would also make sure you have multiple litter boxes and they are cleaned regularly. We want to encourage him to use the litter box often and not hold his urine. Feliway is a product you can purchase either through your vet or at a pet store that sometimes helps with stress. It is a synthetic cat pheromone that is sometimes effective to help with stress and urinary issues with cats. It will not impact the crystals, but hopefully help calm him and make him more relaxed and use the litter box more readily. Some vets also will add in glucosamine to the cats diet. It won't hurt and could possibly help with his cystitis. Some cats needs other medications, like anti-depressants, if they are still having problems. Hopefully a few changes will improve Dylan's overall situation. Good luck!