Paroxetine Cat Anxiety Medication | Petco

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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 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
What's the safest anxiety medication for my cat: Fluoxetine or Amitriptyline?
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 :)
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellness
My cat has severe anxiety. What meds can I use to avoid a vet visit?
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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Medications
How much Xanax is safe for a 10-pound cat to take for anxiety?
In cats, the dose is 0.125 to 0.25 mg per cat as needed up to every 12 hours. This medicine should be used only if strictly recommend and/or supervised by a veterinarian. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Medications
My cat has vet anxiety. Is 100mg gabapentin safe to mix with food?
Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, 100mg is a normal dosage for an average sized adult cat. You can open the capsule and mix the powder with a small amount of canned food. Only use enough canned food to mask the powder. If you mix it with a large amount of canned food and she doesn't eat it all, she won't get the full dose. Be sure to give it at least 2-3 hours prior to the appointment. I often recommend people give a dose at home on a day that you can be with him as a trial run so you can see how the drug affects him. You may find that it seems like it is doing nothing for him or you may see that he is too sedate or maybe it is just right. But you can take note to see how long it takes to affect him after he ingests it - some cats take 2-3 hours to get sedate and others only need 30 minutes to an hour. This way you can get the timing right for dosing him for his appointment. You don't have to do this but it may be a good idea as "test run". Hope this helps. Best wishes.
Updated on September 24th, 2025