Stressed cats and dogs are being fed Prozac-style drugs by Midland vets to beat depression. If your moggy or pooch chases its tail or rakes its claws into your furniture, you may have thought it was just having fun or being naughty. But, according to animal experts, pets could be suffering from depression or even an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now vets are feeding the moody moggies anti-depressants like Prozac to improve their behaviour. Two per cent of cats and dogs suffer from depression problems, according to research by Dr June McNicholas from Warwick University. She said: Cats suffer from a range of emotional behavioural disorders just like humans do. Its to do with lifestyle in many cases as stress can make us all behave in odd ways. Prozac or any similar anti-anxiety drug can be useful in buying time until a permanent solution can be put in place. For cats and dogs the depressive behaviour can manifest itself in things like continuously licking themselves, phobias and anxiety about being separated from their owner. It can be the best thing for some animals to go on anti-depressants but I would empathise with people who feel uncomfortable about it. Yet Ive seen remarkable results in dogs and cats who have had anti-depressants prescribed. The cat is the nations favourite pet as statistics reveal one in seven of us now own a moggie. Pet behaviourist Robin Coles, from Worcester, says ignoring their emotional health can ruin their relationship with their owner. He said: Cats most commonly refuse to use their litter trays or they chew clothes when stressed. The condition normally occurs in animals that are under the age of three. If it persists, it can be bad for their health. The pets may become aggressive or unmanageable and the owners cant cope with them and dont know what to do about it. These behavioural problems are part of a number of reasons why animals are being put in shelters or even being put down. Prozac (fluoxetine) can be useful as a short-term measure to help but should not be a long-term solution. relation-ship with their owner. An RSPCA spokeswoman said: I am not surprised at these findings. Too many people buy a dog or cat without thinking through how they will look after it. We are absolutely packed to capacity with cats throughout the country and we are looking for suitable homes for them. It is a huge mistake to think that cats do not need much looking after. People do not realise how much attention they need - as much as dogs. | 
