Feliway - Long term use?

[lucentstreak]

Hi there,

I'm writing just to generally ask about Feliway and if anyone has used it for long term.

I started on Feliway with Hugo because we had a semi rough start where he would bite and scratch my hands for the first 2 weeks that he was with me. After that, I decided to give Feliway a try and have kept it going for the last 3 months. While I would say that it worked to calm him down, I'm just wondering if when and how long should one use Feliway for and if a cat or kitten will become psychologically dependent on it.

 

[betsygee]

I keep a Feliway diffuser in my cat room all the time.  

One of our "newbies" (we've had him a year now) is just a stressed sort of cat--he's deaf, he has IBD, he has had aggression issues in the past.  I think it helps keep his environment feel safer and calmer for him.  I'm not an expert on Feliway, but I wouldn't think there's any dependence.

I do from time to time unplug it, air out the room, and then re-plug in a fresh one.

 

[stephenq]

I think its totally up to you.  You could try weaning it from him and see how he reacts?

 

[barbgee]

I've been wondering about Feliway and how to manage the windows now that Spring is here.  I have Kitty upstairs, with run of the two bedrooms, and have a diffuser in each one.  Now that it's getting nice outside, I want to open the windows, but it occurs to me that all the Feliway will blow out of the room.  I really wish they had a solid version, or something with more local action other than the spray or the diffusers.  I'm going through a refill about every 3 weeks, and these aren't huge rooms with high ceilings, but I do have a forced air furnace, so I'm sure that's contributing to the rapid use.  We're on about our 3rd month with Feliway in use, and it took at least a week to begin to see some changes in her behavior, but she is much calmer now. 

I honestly believe the last time one of the diffusers ran out and I didn't notice for a day, that I noted an increase in Kitty's nervous grooming habit, that the Feliway seems to have reduced greatly.  I want to be sure she feels secure here and doesn't need the Feliway anymore.  I will have to look for the Composure treats.

 

[susank521]

I used Feliway for more than a year when introducing an aggressive and territorial female into the living area of an aggressive and territorial male where he lived happily with his meek, sweet female companion.  That was in the fall of 2009. The long-term use of Feliway didn't alter either of their personalities, they both still posture as aggressive and territorial, but I don't believe the introduction would have ever been successful without the Feliway.

I think I was the one that became psychologically dependent on it!

 

[susank521]

 I will have to look for the Composure treats.

I've never tried those, but I saw where drsfostersmith had them on sale.

 

[shadowsrescue]

 

 I will have to look for the Composure treats.

I've never tried those, but I saw where drsfostersmith had them on sale.

I have been using feliway continuously for almost a year now while introducing a very territorial male and another male cat who did not want him there!  It is amazing the results.  I know within a day or two when one of the diffusers is empty.  I have an open concept house so need 2 on my bottom floor and 2 upstairs. 

I have also used feliway in conjunction with Composure.  I started with the treats but after a month or so, the cat no longer wanted to to eat the treats.  I then switched to Composure liquid Max.  It was more expensive, but lasted a long time.  It was easy to mix into the wet food and worked quickly and seemed to last longer.  I have been using it daily in the territorial male since last November.  I am just now trying to wean him off gradually!!

 

[barbgee]

Little updates;

Kitty is doing well, and the Feliway is still in use.  I'm thinking it may be time to start weaning her from it, but we're still working on one of her "problems", which is walking down the stairs, from the 2nd floor where she lives to the first floor where I prefer to be!  (backstory; semi-feral TNR cat; broke leg, required amputation. Now living indoors with me.)

She is still avoiding them, I have taken to putting her food on the step, and am now at the 4th step down, right before the stairs turn.  I may have found her "challenge line", as Jackson Galaxy calls it.  She will take a kibble from my hand, but will walk back UP the 3 stairs and eat it on the landing.  Weird.  I need to work on picking her up and holding her for a minute, so maybe I could hold her snug and take her downstairs myself.  She is

I bought the Composure chews and she wouldn't even touch them.  Well, she licked one a few times and left it on the floor all weekend...  I wrapped one in a few PillPockets, and then she ate it!  Can't say it "composed" her much, however....

She's such a sweetie, very brave and can be quite affectionate, but I just can't get her down stairs right now...