Clomipramine for diabetic cats?

Status
Not open for further replies.
FosterMomGoldie

FosterMomGoldie

Member Since 2013
Hi everyone,

I've mentioned my foster cat Goldie on here in the past; unfortunately he still has not found his forever home through DCIN or my rescue group, and the situation at home between him and my other cats has been slowly deteriorating for a while. Health-wise, Goldie is doing great, and I hope to get him off insulin soon (fingers crossed!), but he has some behavioral issues that I'm sure would go away if he were an only cat. Things escalated about two months ago, when I had to take in my grandmother's male cat Bogie after she was hospitalized. Goldie would occasionnaly pee in the corners of his room, or chase one of my girls when I let him out, but incidents rose sharply a few months ago. I started using Feliway diffusers and room spray, I put aluminum foil down over the spots where he would pee (he clawed them up immediately and peed on top of them), etc, without much luck. Now he is occasionally peeing on my couch and other places, not just carpets, and I've pretty much resorted to putting my other three cats in side rooms when I let him out.

So now I am considering a medication solution to this, and the rescue group's vet suggested clomipramine. However, she said that this would invalidate any ear-prick glucose tests done at home. She mentioned urine strip tests instead; has anyone else had to put their cat on clomipramine and had to use urine testing instead? Does anyone recommend it? Or has anyone just had these kinds of problems in general, and how did you handle them?

Thanks!
 
I haven't ever used it but I am not sure why it would invalidate the ear pricks. I would continue the ear pricks and see if the numbers start to look funny. Are there other medications you could try? prozac?

Wendy
 
I web searched and found this
"Both elevation and lowering of blood sugar levels have been reported with the use of some tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Rarely, these effects have also occurred with maprotiline, a tetracyclic antidepressant. Patients with diabetes should be monitored for worsening control of blood glucose when treated with these agents, particularly during dosage escalation or whenever dosage has been altered."

I'd be more inclined to try fluoxetine (Prozac)
 
Have you tried any other options for Goldie besides putting tin foil down? I know with my "pee-ers" I have given them several options-different litter options-Dr Elsey's Senior which is for urinary issues-I have one box with that and the other boxes with Worlds Best or paper towels or pee pads. I have covered boxes, open boxes, high boxes and low boxes. I have boxes in corners all over my apartment with paper towels in them (I'm not about to have litter all over) and they really work. Sometimes I think they just don't want the others to use "their" box.
I know someone here mentione prozac. I believe there are several FD's that have been on that. Could that be an option instead?

Are you able to keep him in a room by himself? If so, will he use the litter box?
 
My pee-er is on Prozac, but she is not diabetic. It's been a life saver for us & her, otherwise we were considering re-homing her. Her problem is purely behavioral==she's a total brat! Good luck & hope you find a solution or a home for the kitty. Jackson Galaxy's line of flower essences worked pretty well too in helping her calm down a bit.
 
miso00 said:
Have you tried any other options for Goldie besides putting tin foil down? I know with my "pee-ers" I have given them several options-different litter options-Dr Elsey's Senior which is for urinary issues-I have one box with that and the other boxes with Worlds Best or paper towels or pee pads. I have covered boxes, open boxes, high boxes and low boxes. I have boxes in corners all over my apartment with paper towels in them (I'm not about to have litter all over) and they really work. Sometimes I think they just don't want the others to use "their" box.
I know someone here mentione prozac. I believe there are several FD's that have been on that. Could that be an option instead?

Are you able to keep him in a room by himself? If so, will he use the litter box?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've kept him in his own room as long as I've had him and just let him out supervised-I'd be happy to leave him in their full time, but it makes him miserable and he cries loudly at the door regularly. Most of the peeing is in his room, it's only recently that he's started peeing anywhere and marking, etc. I do have multiple litter boxes in his room with different types of litter, I'll give the paper towel trick a try, thanks!
 
here is a list I compiled previously. Some of the items may not apply.

***********************************************************************

You might try an integrated approach using multiple options from the list below on a consistent basis:

* start with crating, using a medium large crate (30" long is big enough for cat and a litterbox) until progress. She probably won't go where she'd have to lie in it ... but if she does, something is wrong and it may be medical.

* tarps and newspapers may be easier on clean up if you don't crate her

* feeding on a schedule and then placing her in the litterbox (maybe in a crate) within 15-20 minutes after eating, until she goes, then praising and letting her out.

* Feliway/Comfort Zone - friendly facial pheromones which reduce stress and may reduce marking behavior. Cheapest prices are usually on the net (ex http://www.LambertVetSupply.com ) I've used it and it helps.

* Cat Attract litter - supposed to help attract cat to litter box

* rule out arthritis or constipation - pain causes box avoidance

* watch if the other cats ever attack her in the box and if so, you may need to keep her separated from them. I've got one the others attack, completely unprovoked.

* littebox should be 1.5 times length of cat, litter cleaned frequently, but avoid really strong smelling cleaners as cats may avoid them due to the scent.

* you've got to get residual odors out from areas which were 'nailed' - Nature's Miracle is one option and has good reviews. It _can_ require repeated applications.

* regular play sessions of about 15 minutes to reduce stress and promote bond with you

* reward desirable behaviors - if you see her use the box, praise and treat her

* put unpleasant textures in places she has peed to encourage avoidance

* read some of this author's books: http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/ she's pretty good - ex "Starting from Scratch"

Good luck.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top