That's awful.  I guess I don't remember your original post.  How mean
is she?  I wouldn't want to put her down either.  What about clomicalm?
There is a woman, Cheryl, on this newsgroup, who has her cat, who was
very aggressive to her other cats and also to her, on a drug called
clomicalm and it has helped tremendously.  Many vets are not familiar
with its usage in cats as it is generally prescribed for dogs but it is
working wonderfully.  Please ask your vet about it.  At this point,
what is there to lose if they are recommending euthanasia?  It took a
little tweaking to get the dosage right for her cat as he was very
groggy at first but now she has it balanced so that he isn't sleepy and
yet he is no longer aggressive.  Please try this on Willow.  How old is
she and why did she become mean?

Candace

What the vets told you is pure, unadulterated bullshit! I've seen
medication work miracles with extremely aggressive cats (including two
I've had in the past), and for them to state flat out that meds won't
work shows their complete and utter ignorance of protocols for treating
cat behavior problems. There are many medications that are useful for
eliminating aggression in cats, and if the first one doesn't work there
are plenty of options. Valium is ok, but there is a risk to the liver so
that is something to consider. Prozac, Clomipramine, and Amitriptyline
have all been used successfully to treat feline aggression.

I you don't believe me, call the veterinary school at Tuft's University
and ask for behavior clinic 508-839-5302. Leave a message and they
should be able to call you back within a day. When they do, ask them
about treating feline aggression with medication. This particular clinic
is world renowned and has a high rate of success in treating all kinds
of issues. I expect that they will be shocked to hear the garbage your
vet is trying to put over on you.

There is also a comprehensive article about treating aggression that in
part states "For some cases, the addition of psychotropic medication can
be helpful in resolving the aggression. The drugs that are presently
being used are not approved for use in cats and therefore are extra
label drug usage. Prior to use, all animals should have physical
examinations, laboratory screenings for liver and kidney function and in
some cases, electrocardiograms. Signed consent and release forms are
advisable. Owners should be informed of potential side effects and plan
to be home to monitor their pet for the first 1 - 2 days of
treatment. Several classes of drugs have been used to treat aggression
in cats. In the past, Benzodiazepines especially Valium® (1 - 2
mg. every 12 hours) had been shown to be useful in aggression, but care
needs to be taken to watch for potential hepatotoxic reactions [17].
Also, cats on benzodiazepines could disinhibit and the aggression
increase. Recently reports of hepatotoxic reactions have surfaced and
this drug should be used with extreme caution [18]. Amitriptyline HCL
(Elavil®) a tricyclic antidepressant has also been used in aggression
in cats. Amitriptyline is a serotonin re-uptake inhibitor and also
inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine. In addition it has
anti-histamine actions and can also interfere with thyroid medications.
The medication must be given daily to be effective and can take
2 - 4 weeks to facilitate a change in behavior. Common side effects
include tachycardia, urinary retention, sedation, G.I.T. upset,
mydriasis and a dry mouth. Because of potential increases in heart rate,
caution should be exercised in patients with cardiac disease and an EKG
prior to use may be prudent. Common dosage is 0.5 - 2.0 mg/kg PO q
12 - 24 hours [15]. Recently, some veterinary behaviorist have used
selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors such as Fluoxetine (Prozac®)
and Paroxetine (Paxil®) to treat aggression in cats. Medication is
generally used for 6 - 12 weeks and if the behaviors have changed
the animal is weaned off the medication by decreasing the dose 25 % a
week while watching for a return of any aggressive indicators such as
growling, hissing or chasing."

 
PLEASE, find another vet. AFAIC, their recommendation only means that
they are without conscience and capable of murder. If you take their
advice you put yourself in that category as well. :-(

Megan

                                   

What if there is really nothing wrong with Willow, other than being
mean.

Sure, there is a reason, but if the reason is not medical, then your
going to feel bad about this later.

Unless I have missed something, there is no real diagnosis right, it's
all speculation.

I'd have to have conclusive medical evidence before I moved forward in
this; bad behavior can be corrected. Even extreme bad behavior.

Some creatures just cannot be reached. My ex had a cat like this.. a
psycho cat. He might let you pet him today, but tomorrow he'd just bite
the living crap out of you. Gave the lady next door a deadly bacteria.
Almost killed her.
I know I'm getting into the frale a little late here, but if it's just
a case of antisocial behavior, The best thing you could do in my
opinion would be to let him roam free. And you still take care of him,
I mean. Does he still have his claws?

                             IBen

didnt you say you did not want Willow?

The cat is probably picking up on this.

I remember what you wrote.

Your not telling everything, tell it again, this time, tell the part
where you done something to the cat.