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September 21, 2006
Six Month Plan
Uncle Irving began his trail of antidepressants on Tuesday. He is taking Elavil, which is a tricyclic drug used for clinical depression. Said the vet, "Irving must have a very good memory [he's had this licking and behavioral problem for a year, increasing in intensity]. Hopefully the Elavil will help him forget his trauma and move on with his life."
At this point, I was transported to some future time when, sitting in a small consultation room with my child and a psychiatrist, I am informed that I have caused some sort of life altering issue that can only be reversed by a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. If he is anything like his mother, we'd better sign onto a hefty feline mental health plan and hold onto our seats for some ten years or so. But the vet thinks six months should suffice. We probably won't see results for at least a month or so but, as it stands right now, Irving is a tad more needy and cuddly, which is a-okay with me.
Posted by callalillie at September 21, 2006 7:40 AM | Feline Musings , Mental Health
Oh, Irving, you are lucky that your human loves you so much. Take your meds like the good kitty you are, and by-and-by all will be better.
Posted by: kmkat at September 21, 2006 9:59 AM
I should note that after the pill is shoved down his throat, Irivng licks himself even more because he is so upset. Sheesh.
Posted by: corie at September 21, 2006 10:02 AM
Man, they should mke kitty antidepressants in the form of a seafood-flavored soft treat. Poor depressed kitty :(
Posted by: lesterhead at September 21, 2006 10:21 AM
They do make little soft yummy "pill pockets" but I suppose you've already thought of them. I've wrapped pills in meat for Dexter, but eventually he learned to suck the meat off and spit out the pill.
Posted by: beth at September 21, 2006 11:13 AM
Bella had to go on anti-deppresants as well.
You should just blame Irving's birth mom.
Posted by: Phc at September 21, 2006 12:28 PM
haha, true. she did name him busby.
Posted by: corie at September 21, 2006 12:36 PM
Is licking a usual sign of pet depression? Is that how they knew he was depressed? I would not have a clue if my Jasper was depressed. I suppose if he stopped eating, but beyond that I would not know what would be symptoms to look for.
Poor Irving....
Posted by: gina at September 21, 2006 2:37 PM
He's actually not depressed (although the hours he spends staring at the wall seems to suggest otherwise). He's got OCD behavior-- the licking is constant and he can't relax. It's actually quite amazing to watch. It probably depressing me more than him, though if he was a human I'm sure he'd be opening and closing the refridgerator door until he got it just right instead of licking his stomach into a moist pulp.
Posted by: corie at September 21, 2006 2:43 PM
Poor sweetheart - I hope this helps him.
Posted by: jenblossom at September 21, 2006 3:51 PM
so does this restult in large or frequent hairballs?
Posted by: tien at September 21, 2006 4:10 PM
oddly, no more than he normally had.
Posted by: corie at September 21, 2006 4:56 PM
Aww, nose rubs and skritches to poor Irving. Hope he feels better soon!
Posted by: Nick at September 22, 2006 4:02 PM
Aw, my Thurston licks his belly constantly too - and my vet said it's all in his head. I believe the term is psychodermic alopecia, or something like that. Anyway the vet said that we could put Thurst on kitty meds but that sometimes trying to get a cat to swallow a pill every day is more traumatic than the licking itself, and that the licking wasn't severe enough yet. For a while I tried playing classical music every day for Thurston (he seems to like it) but it had no effect on the belly-licking. And he has a brother (with whom he gets along so well it's ridiculous) so he's not doing it out of lonliness.
Posted by: Janine at September 25, 2006 2:46 PM
