depo provera shots for cats

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Followup To
Question -

Hi Again Barb,
Just to clearify the Elevil, its a cat dosage perscribed by the vet. He only recomended death because he has viciously attacked my daughter twice now. Once severly, her crime was she has a pair of gloves lined with fur and Twinkie went nuts and scratched her and bit her and held on, she had to use the home phone to beat him off her arm. She bled badly and has deep scars on her wrists. The cat was happy and playful a second before he snapped. This cats paws are huge.
We did try natural cat food, vitamins and homeopathic brews. We do enforse separtion when he gets really wild. Its almost like this cat has multiple personalities. I had no idea the Elevil was so bad!
We only give him the Elevil when he gets overly territorial and blocks the bathroom and jumps on the back of our legs(not playfully).
We really do love him enough that death is not an option.
But its very hard. Two years ago he bit me and it got infected. HE was doing that thing cats do when they take their aggression out on something other than what makes them mad. I live in fear of an stray cat that peeks in out window!
Thanks for the advice, I was thinking of trying my guinea pig vey. He is very young and maybe more open to alternative treatments.
We will definatly continue the depo, it works wonders.
Thanks,
Elyse
Hi Barb,
I have a 7 year old 16 lb Main Coon (mix?) cat named Twinkie.
For the last two years we have been struggling to control his aggression. The thing we have found to work wonders is the Depo-Provera shot. It makes him a sweet little lap kitten. As soon as the shot wears off (this time we not let that happen...) he turns very violent, territorial(we are not allowed in the bathroom) and mean. We also punish him with Elevil pills as needed, he hates them, they make him a zombie for days.
Is there anything else we can try? Once the shot wears off it can take weeks for it to start working again. The vet recommended death (this cat has hurt children-not allowed around any children anymore), he also said the shot can give him cancer. He is getting the shot every 3 months now. This will be his 3rd shot.
Do you know of any other treatment or pill that can cure severe dangerous aggression?
Answer -
I would search around and find another vet.  No vet should recommend death!  There must be a pill or something that can help this cat.  Even if you gave the cat a shot say every six to eight weeks, maybe that would work, but I would say call around to the different vets and find the best one that can help you with this problem.  Don't take death for an answer.  Not until you have exhausted every other option.

One other thing.... Please stop giving him Elevil!  You should not punish a cat for anything!  He cannot help how he is.  Giving him Elevil is criminal.... you might as well put him to death if you are going to do that. It will kill him eventually anyway if you keep giving it to him.  Please find another vet that will give you some good solid advice and get your cat on a sensible medicine regimine.  Good luck and please write again if I can be of further help.

Hugs,
Barb

Answer
I have found from experience that vets don't always know their drugs.  They only know what they read.   Most of them do not know first hand what these drugs actually "do" to animals.  I am found that 90% of the time that they way overdose animals.  Maybe if you tried 1/4 of the dosage they suggest of the Elevil that would work the way you want it to and not zonk him totally out.  I would never give the whole dose to him again.  Do keep using Depo, even if it isn't a good drug in the long run, you cannot live with a cat that is constantly attacking.  Maybe you can use the Depo more often?  Or maybe there is an alternative drug to Elevil you can use, but NOT in the dosage prescribed.....  Let me know, and maybe I can help further.  I have a very good vet I can ask.  

Hugs,
Barb