For Those Who Have Medicated Their Cats for Anxiety.....

Hi! Thanks so much for the information. My dad is a pharmacist and he isn't happy with the choice of diazepam either. I think you hit the nail on the head, my cat has been worse since he's been on the diazepam. Now he's jumping up on counters and dragging his food spoons into other rooms, etc. He's not quite himself. As far as the cancer, he started out with a grapefruit sized tumor that blocked his intestines. It was removed and hadn't spread at that time. The following year, we discovered that the cancer was back. The vets started to do surgery to remove it but told me there was nothing they could do because it was in his kidneys and liver. That was over a year and a 1/2 ago and he's still doing relatively well. I think they have given up on him because they don't expect him to be alive right now, so they aren't doing testing or anything else to help him. Unfortunately, I live in a small rural area and they are the best vets in the area. *sigh* The good news is that my parents' vet in a nearby state will see him. I know they love our pets as much as we do and they will do more to help him than the vets here are willing to do. The only question is how soon I can get him there. Basically, I only need to get my cat to sleep through the night. That's the most immediate need because he won't let me sleep. I know part of the problem is that he's jealous of my daughter - he always has been, and if she's in bed with me, he's worse. She's a special needs child, though, so it's not simply a matter of getting her to stay in her own bed. Also, as far as feeding him, he has had a habit of gorging for quite some time. I can only feed him what he can eat at one time, otherwise he will eat it all and throw up, then he'll beg to be fed again and do it all over. So, that's why it's such a problem that he won't let me sleep at night, because I have to get up and feed him. I tried keeping food by the bed, but he knows it's there and just begs even more. Thanks for your input! I'll watch for replies as well. And welcome to Mylot! I hope you enjoy it here! :-)

Hi again...he definitely presents some challenges and I truly would consider the alternative veterinary opinion when you have the opportunity to travel, because they can evaluate him further and determine which medications may be more beneficial since Diazepam tends to cause increased appetite symptoms. I don't know if suppressing his appetite is such a good idea either because of his age and overall health history which creates another whole set of lifestyle challenges not only for him but his family members. The fact he is still doing quite well at 16 with recurring cancer is amazing. I am speculating here ...but wonder if he has another metabolic disorder such as hyperthyroidism was pre-existing which causes increased appetite symptoms and is very common among aging senior cats. Sometimes gastrointestinal cancer can cause changes with appetite and also surmise that may have all along caused your cat to always have the gorging disorder--just theorizing. Anyhow, I hope some food for thought I have offered will be of help when bringing your cat to be evaluated by the other veterinarian. Feline Hyperthyroidism: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/thyroid__signs__symptoms_and_d.html

I did forget to mention that senior cats (over the age of 9 years) develop age-related disorders such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc and should be evaluated to be ruled out when treated for anxiety disorders as well. Here's more about hyperthyroidism: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/thyroid__signs__symptoms_and_d.html Please forgive me as I'm still trying to figure out how myLot works so hopefully I'll be able to return to this question and see your response and try to provide feedback.

Hi! Thanks for your reply! I think the problem with the vets is that they have given up on him. They didn't expect him to live this long - no one knows why he has except for the grace of God! - and he's doing very well except for this constant begging and wanting me awake all night. My parents have a very good vet where they live and I'll bet he'd be willing to work with him more. Maybe a different medication might work better than what I was given as well. Thanks! :-)

Hi! Yes, I think the other vet will do a better job of checking him out. The cat has only a few foods that he can keep down consistently. Another thing about getting older - he's gotten a lot more picky! LOL I usually feed him the fancy feast with the garden greens to help settle his tummy. He likes it and keeps it down very well. I'm sure he has upset tummies from time to time. Maybe the other vet can help me with that as well. :-) Thanks for the advice! :-)

A new vet sounds like a good plan of action. Check on a different medication as well as find out if your kitty might need a new food. Medications upset my stomach something bad so I wonder if your kitty might be having difficulty with the medication and stomach upset.

Hi! Thanks for your kind words! I just want him to be able to enjoy life again. :-)

Hi! You have wonderful suggestions, and I have tried them. If I leave food out for him, he'll eat it all and then throw up, so I can only feed him what his tummy will hold at one sitting. He has always had problems with gorging then throwing up. I've tried keeping food next to the bed, but he knows it's there and he begs even more. I will take him to a different vet when I get the chance. I want him to enjoy his life, not waste it worrying about being fed all the time! Thanks for your reply! :-)

Thanks for the reply! Actually, you'd never know he has cancer because he seems fine most of the time. It's just the constant begging that's the only indication of something wrong. :-)