Snake V Cat

Hi! I hope someone can give me some advice on my cat and maybe reassure me that these things happen.

So my cat is a rescue (3 yrs old), has always been weird and skittish, like the typical skittish cat she would hide, like to swat and be a punk. She was also a biter, if she got over stimulated she would bite. Didn’t like change. But she’s been a silly sweet girl too. When we got her she was fine with other cats, we lived with 2 other cats. Even lived with a huge dog who was mostly crated, but she didn’t mind her existence. But she was alone most of her life.

She would go through a weird phase where she would be itching a lot. Especially her feet, butt, base of tail area. She was over grooming so we thought she was bored and we got another cat. Right before we got another cat, she was doing that weird over grooming thing. Her tail had become super thin, her fur on her butt as well.

She was Revolution +, as prescribed by her vet. She is an indoor cat, and to that point, was the only animal in the house.

Well we got another cat and everything changed. At the very same time, we also got a snake.

She didn’t do very well with the new cat at first, but we did everything right. Waited, introduced them, separate bowls, rooms, everything. But at this time, she was starting to kinda get used to her, with the occasional hissing or swats, but occasionally would play with her.

Anyways her itching was still there, not as horrible, but still overgrooming forsure. But at some point the snake escaped and was out for a few hours, maybe half a day and then we found him, he was safe!

We do not know if Cleo (my cat) saw the snake. We don’t know exactly what happened. But around that time, she started to behave soooo strangely. Would be super scared, really cautious about walking. Didn’t like things on the floor, she would look around every corner. Was SO jumpy too!!! The other cat (Lady Bug) couldn’t come near her without her hissing and swatting them IMMEDIATELY would start over grooming herself as in disgust. She would FLY and hit the wall if she was scared and would rarely go into the room the snake is in.

Anyways, her behavior concerned me and I did take her to the vet. She said maybe she would give her a steroid, which I haven’t given to her yet. She is currently on Gabapentin & Prozac as well as other calming supplements. The gabapentin was working well to calm her down so I didn’t try the steroid. She has been on Prozac for maybe a month.

While the gabapentin works wonders on her, I’m just afraid that it’s not a long term solution. I know maybe I should give the Prozac more time, I just am sad that she has to been dependent on drugs to be fine :( (I can say that bc I too have to take antidepressants haha)

I don’t think that Lady Bug is the issue here. When on gabapentin she will play with her, chase her, groom her. She isn’t cuddly with her, both for the most part tolerates her. I just think because lady bug is a kitten (7mo) , her energy can be a lot at times.

But when she is off of it, which can be a lot of the times since we have to mix it into her food for her to eat it, she will not swallow the pill whole, she reverts back to her old self. Skittish, hissy, scared. She is mean to Lady Bug. Overgrooms, and makes these awful noises like she’s angry and whiney.

We recently took her back to our hometown and she usually does awful. But this time she was happier-ish. Would still be hissy sometimes if off the meds but didn’t seem as scared.

Anyways, I know this was so jumbled and all over the place, but I’m dying for some advice. I feel like I’m the only one who has gone through this because IDK a snake really???

What more can I do!?