Feliway experiences - what are yours?

[kathryn41]

I used the feliway room plug in and I also picked up the spray. It says that it will comfort cats in stressful situations - and lists how those manifest: urine marking, vertical scratching, loss of appetite, and reduced desire to play or interact.

Well, I expected they would 'calm' down but instead they became a lot more energetic and active! In retrospect, they have been playful but their level of play has reduced from when they are kittens - afterall the youngest are now 3 - so I didn't expect that they would regain a 'kitten' level of playing!

I think Feliway worked on my guys by making them feel happy enough to want to play - and play they have! They are wearing me out! So, it does seem to be decreasing the stress level all around and they do want to interact more - but they have always been quite interactive. Their energy level , however, is through the roof now:-). I am curious - have others had this type of reaction or a different reaction when they have used Feliway?

Kathryn

 

[pinkdaisy226]

I use Comfort Zone also and usually it helps Baylee be less spastic, less prone to biting. I've never really noticed her energy level going UP however... weird!

Right now I think I need to get another diffuser as the apartment is too big and she's acting nutty these days!

 

[clixpix]

I used it with my feral kittens. It did calm them. Not in an activity level way, but they seemed less stressed. I also brought it with me on vet visits, and sprayed the office. They got through their vet visits with flying colors. Was it the Feliway? Who knows, but I'm a believer.

 

[mom of franz]

The diffuser is great...calmed everyone down, made Franz less timid. The spray was a waste of $ in my opinion.

 

[dawnofsierra]

I agree that the diffuser is wonderful! When Sierra and I moved in here, I saw the difference it made in calming her a little while after I had plugged it in. I also once accidently allowed it to run out and noticed Sierra become more anxious and unsettled. She then became much calmer and more comfortable a short while after it was replaced.

 

[newigal]

I'd say the Feliway calmed your babies down to the point they relaxed...and started playing again! I think this is wonderful - for them!

You could get some toys that will wear them out - something they bat and chase around by themselves.

For my kitties, Feliway has calmed them down, and my little girl felt so much better that she stopped urinating outside the litter box.

Hope this helps,

 

[fsttrk]

Here is interesting info about the hormone that makes feliway work:



http://www.attractromance.com/pheromonenote26.html

 

[vi04]

Didnt work on my cat but she was too far gone for it. waste off money for me

 

[glowbugm]

I haven't noticed that it worked to stop peeing or fighting or stress, but i have noticed that in the rooms or areas where i use the diffuser, there is less territorial peeing, but maybe i just haven't found any yet! however, i bought two and they weren't enuf to cover my 1500 foot home, i needed two more maybe. i'll see what happens when it runs out.....well, i think it just worked on one of the kitties maybe. just not sure, but i didn't get the results i expected. it's pretty expensive, for that price for two diffusers every 4 weeks i think they should send over a pee cleanup guy

 

[newigal]

I have had to combine the Feliway with dosing my cat with either Rescue Remedy or Homeopathic Anxiety, or Calm.

Sometimes, it isn't any one thing; it's a combination of moving the litter box to a better location, a different type of litter box or litter, or all. And for my cat, two ways of relieving her anxiety are more helpful than just one or the other.

Nancy

www.cat-urine-odor-advisor.com

 

[darkeyedgirl]

I used the FeliWay plug and spray ONCE, til it ran out; it didn't have any effect, zilch zero nada, on my 'problem' cat. Jessie pees in certain places for no reason (outside the box of course) and I thought it'd help her. Also she is skitzy and paranoid so I thought the FeliWay would help her; NOT. It was just a waste of money, so now I just accept the fact she's weird and aloof and likes ta pee outside the box.

 

[momofmany]

I attended a cat behavior class put on by a vet and he talked about the success of Feliway. It works something less than 100% of the time and I want to say it was more in the 60-70% range (don't quote me on that). It's invaluable when a cat responds positively to it and a waste of money when it doesn't. The odds are in your favor that it will work.

My personal experience? I used it when I was converting an indoor/outdoor cat to indoors only. My alpha cat and he were at odds with each other and I used it in an attempt to calm everyone down. Stumpy (the alpha) walked up to it and sprayed it - it obviously threatened him more than helped him.

 

[acat]

It apparently it's a great help with most cats.

I've got one cat though that won't go anywhere near the plugin. He stays as far from it as he can, but he is an odd cat.

 

[stephenm]

I started using the plug-in and spray when two of my lot couldn't stay in the same room together, Blue would flee at the sight of Buffy and, of course, he would give chase - viscious circle ! We had great success. Blue calmed down enough to stop running away, which meant Buffy lost his chance to chase, and now they'll happily eat side by side from the same plate

 

[kittykaren]

I am so happy to hear that so many people had success with Feliway. I just purchased two plug-ins yesterday in hopes that it will solve my problem. I have 2 cats (brother and sister) 7 years old. My cats sounds similar to Blue and Buffy. Only their names are Misty and Tino. Misty is much smaller and more timid than Tino. However, Tino is a more nervous cat and aggressive toward Misty in that he just can't seem to see her doing anything without claiming her space. Wherever she may be sleeping, or whatever toy she might be playing with, or when she wants to use the litter box...he just feels he MUST chase her or take from her. And she runs from him or stops playing with a toy the minute she sees him walk into the room. At night, I get the pleasure of listening to Misty growl everytime Tino comes near her where she is sleeping. There really isn't any bloodshed or any horrible fights but I would like to be able to sit down and relax without playing referee and I would difinitely LOVE to sleep at night.

So I am hoping this Feliway will help. If it does, it's well worth the money. Does anyone know how long it might take to see any results in this instance?

Thanks.
Karen

 

[grapegal45]

Actually, I couldn't prove it works because I have nothing to compare it to. I have always used it in certain situations so don't know what it is like without. I spray it in the travel kennel when they go to the vet. I sprayed it around when I got new kitties. I would say it works though because these experiences have been quite positive. My boys are quite calm at the vet clinic and we have had very postive experiences with new 2 new cat additions. I'm not real experienced but I would say Feliway is a good thing, it should at least be tried.

 

[kathryn41]

I noticed the Feliway working very quickly - within 30 minutes the cats were active and playing. They still get very rambunctious in their play but it isn't the whole time they are playing now -it is sort of in fits and starts - literally:-).

The BIG Fight happened 7 days ago tonight/tomorrow morning, and this was the first day I was able to have all 5 of the cats in the same area at the same time - although not for long. Each day I have been alternating cats and rooms allowing different ones out together. The biggest problem was with the three - Tristan, Lion and Bear. Yesterday, when I had Bear separated, Tristan slipped out of his room and ran nose and nose with Lion - they sniffed, then just walked by. So, I left them together for a bit and they started to play. Lion was really happy to see Tristan again - he gave his trilling invitation to 'wrestle' and they gently wrestled together - it was so funny to see how happy they both were. So, the problem child still remains to be Bear. He and Lion start to posture every now and then, and I separate them. Bear has also postured at the two females who weren't involved when they start to get too playful as well, so it is the excess energy that bothers him still.

I am also using Rescue Remedy, and two other DES Quintessential flower essences - Red Clover and Oregon Grape, along with CALM, a homeopathic remedy. Something is obviously working because they are definitely calming down and getting better. They are still separted at night, and I am still rotating different cats and cat combinations through different rooms and that seems to be helping. I am also being alpha cat and telling them exactly what I am doing at each stage and that I'm taking care of things so they don't have to. Hey, I am willing to try anything if it works. Yay, Feliway:-).

Kathryn

 

[newigal]

I also have great luck with the Calm Supplement. It's good to see someone else likes it as well!