Sertraline Cat Anxiety Medication | Petco

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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
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
Why is my cat acting crazy after taking Ariprazol & Gabapentin?
I'm wondering if Portifoy is on aripiprazole or Abilify, and if this is causing adverse signs due to serotonin syndrome. I can't find any information on dosing in cats, but I would imagine that like most antidepressants hyperexcitability might be a symptom. Amitriptyline is another common medication that is used as an antidepressant in situations like this that can cause odd behavior. I'd recommend talking to your vet about whether or not you should continue the medications. While gabapentin can cause sedation I think it would be less likely to cause these symptoms.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellness
My cat's skin problem won't heal; vet treatment failed. Is it anxiety?
Aw, what a handsome boy! I’m sorry the treatment didn’t give him relief. You can try a product, such as [Zymox](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-spray-with-5-hydrocortisone), on the areas where he seems most bothered. Also, I would recommend a “no additive” cat litter such as [Yesterday’s News]() or [Feline Pine](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/feline-pine-cat-litter). It may be that his anxiety is contributing to his [over grooming](https://www.petcoach.co/article/excessive-grooming-in-cats-what-it-means-and-how-to-help), so you might ask your vet about trying him on a medication such as [fluoxetine](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/fluoxetine/). If none of this helps, it may be best to consider a consultation with a [veterinary dermatologist](https://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?ids=16_Find_Dermatologist) to get as directly to a diagnosis and proper treatment as possible. Thanks for asking PetCoach!
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