Why are anxious cats treated more humanely than humans?

[Robbed]

A few months ago, we got a cat. And she appears to have an anxiety disorder. She hyperventilates, sleeps little (VERY atypical for a cat), startles REALLY easily, is always 'wild' and 'keyed up', always has her eyes wide open to the point that they look like they are going to pop out of her head, shows no affection for anyone, and cries when you leave the room. Sure enough, anxiety disorders DO exist for cats. But something REALLY got me on reading about feline anxiety. Specifically, all sites say that, while medication CAN be used, it should be a last resort. Behavioral techniques should be used before medications should ever be tried. This is in such stark contrast to human anxiety disorders, where medications are the first line treatment, and are pushed on you by virtually any health care or mental health professional you see. The idea seems to be 'medicate first, and talk later, if ever'. I just find this SO striking that the veterinary community seems to be SO much more enlightened than the (human) health care and mental health community. Does anyone else feel that there is a problem when animals are treated better than we are?

[TheShortBus]

thats really interesting. i never really thought of a pet being nervous and such for no reason like a lot of us are.

but one big reason i think that dr's go straight to the meds is because (for me anyway) is something to give you a type of hope. like even if they dont kick in right away and your still not feeling well, you can say im taking the new meds now so they should start to help in a few days.

i duno now that i look back on that it all sounded pretty dumb, but i guess that just how i think about it anyway

[Robbed]

but one big reason i think that dr's go straight to the meds is because (for me anyway) is something to give you a type of hope. like even if they dont kick in right away and your still not feeling well, you can say im taking the new meds now so they should start to help in a few days.

I don't think this is why they go straight for meds. After all, due to the fact that bad effects from meds are SO widespread, a great many people fear meds rather than see hope in them. Yet, doctors still push them on such people, even to the point of trying to make it sound like you need to take them for your own good. And therapists (who can't even prescribe meds) can be relentless about making appointments to see psychiatrists even when the patient shows strong trepidations about taking meds. Honestly, I think it is all about money. While sales antidepressants rake in wads of cash when used by humans, they are not likely something people are going to stick with in the long term for veterinary use.

[TheShortBus]

haha ok good point.. mine was dumb lol. your too smart for me :p.

no but seriously i do agree that they do push them wayyy to much. not to sounds like a hypocrite cuz im currently taking stuff and seeking new ones that will work for me better, but just like all of us all i want to be is be better. so i guess the dr's have kinda got to my head that i do need them and they willll eventual help for sure. but its good to have hope.

[joey9]

Do you think the cat was born with a predisposition to anxiety or do you think something happened to it as a kitten to create negative thought processes?

[Robbed]

Do you think the cat was born with a predisposition to anxiety or do you think something happened to it as a kitten to create negative thought processes?

The cat was picked up at an animal shelter. So nothing is known about her past.

[TheShortBus]

my sister and i have 3 cats. all that we have actually found on the streets as kittens.

she found her two just roaming a parking lot. once they were only a year old we had to put them down because the male actually had feline aids :(. since then the female (the males sister) we extremely depressed for awhile. i think is so interesting to see even an animal like that deal with emotions just like we do.

and then the little guy i brought home i found in a box next to a dumpster at my apt.. there were 5 others and some other lady took them. he has always been extremely skittish though even know hes treated like a little king.


anyway after reading this thread some more i got to thinking that maybe he has this problem as well.