Old cat probs

Question
Hi. We've had Jane since she was a month old, 13 years ago. She's declawed, desexed, and depressed (I think).
Every year she becomes more skiddish, sensitive to smells/territory, and marks it accordingly.  Over a year ago 4-year-old declawed, desexed male joined us from a rescue organization. He has the personality of a dog, and gets more attention with his friendliness and daily escape around the neighborhood.
Here's the problem: Jane hates him, he's like an annoying younger brother that wants to play, and she's the angry older sister. She secludes herself, and increasingly marks her territory (which is something she has done since a few years prior.) Vet says she's physically healthy. Kitty lexapro is almost impossible to daily dose her long enough to even see if it works. She has now peed on the master bed, and locked in the dark garage with litter & dishes for 24hrs. How can we make her happy? And more importantly, how can we get her to stop?

Answer
Hello Brooke!

Wow...sounds like Jane just really doesn't like his company!!  Which, in her old age, is a bit of a prerogative-type issue, really.  When a kitty gets past the age of, say, ten, considerations have to alter, as you're dealing with quite the senior.  Sounds like you're ready to do this, and have been a bit already!  :o)

Okay, is there any way to permanently separate the two, giving Jane her own section of the house with all her necessities (food, water, litterbox, etc.)?  It sounds to me like she's getting stressed by his constant attempts to play, and may just need a permanent, yet comfy, separation from him.  I hope there's some way that this is possible, without having to live in the garage.

An additional thing you can do as far as cleaning the spots where she's marked is to get an enzyme-based cleaner (which will wipe out any trace of the spot down to the bacterial level) and a solution of half white vinegar and half water (which you can put in a spray bottle as an excellent general cleaner around the house).  You can use both solutions on carpet and matresses as well.

Another thing I'd like to throw out is possibly getting a second opinion on her health.  I always worry when a vet is at the ready to give medications like Lexapro, instead of trying to work out what may be behind the animal's behaviour.  In light of this, I strongly recommend finding another vet to visit.  In my STRONG opinion, animals don't need depression medications, as they don't get the same kind of extended depression we do.  Yes, they could be stressed or upset about something, but I never advise giving them a depression medication for it, when there is ALWAYS a good solution in just changing something in their environment.

So, let me know what you think about these things, okay, and keep me updated on your girl's progress!  

Hugs to you all!

Rosie