Reactions to Feliway

Ladyrosee

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I found this through a google search. Old thread sorry. I'm not sure if I'm in denial or what but I had a feliway diffuser plugged in with my foster kittens 9 months ago, my kitten I decided to keep had a platelet count of 8,000, got put on 5mg prednisolone and on his way. I unplugged the diffuser. A week later his platelets tested normal and was given 6 months to stay on steroids. Its 6 months now and I decided to plug in the feliway to try to help my other cat who is cranky..its been plugged in about 4 days now and my kittens blood work came back the first time in every month platelets were tested and they're at 12,000. I unplugged it and threw it away. I am bringing him in in a few days to retest them.
 

Kflowers

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The platelet problem is disturbing. I would also remove the Feliway until I was certain it wasn't the cause. Science requires observation and repetition. It seems to be me that you've made a solid, or sufficiently solid start on that. Whether it is the Feliway itself or your kit's sensitivity to it, I would not have it in the house around him.

My kit lost the veneer of civilization when we tried the Feliway. She was never a feral but she made a good try at it. After reading this thread I'm wondering if she felt threatened by the pheromone scent. Since the pheromone scent is supposed to mock that of mother cats, isn't it possible that rather than remembering mom, a cat might mistake the scent for an invader in her turf?
 

Ladyrosee

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The platelet problem is disturbing. I would also remove the Feliway until I was certain it wasn't the cause. Science requires observation and repetition. It seems to be me that you've made a solid, or sufficiently solid start on that. Whether it is the Feliway itself or your kit's sensitivity to it, I would not have it in the house around him.

My kit lost the veneer of civilization when we tried the Feliway. She was never a feral but she made a good try at it. After reading this thread I'm wondering if she felt threatened by the pheromone scent. Since the pheromone scent is supposed to mock that of mother cats, isn't it possible that rather than remembering mom, a cat might mistake the scent for an invader in her turf?
Oh it's more than disturbing I am devastated that his fall in platelets after doing flawless on a low dose of pred the last 6 months happened. I truly hope this was a feliway allergy or something because it seems too much of a coincidence but my vet doesnt think that's the case...it could be possible though I believe.

Yes that is not good :( my older cat honestly loves it too and as a precaution I will never use it again in case its harming my kitten. My older cat gets so stressed when I'm gone for even a night he will vomit or like this last time, bleed from his privates and have an inflamed bladder

I have heard of that happening though. The feliway confusing a cat and making them go mad thinking another cat is in there.
 

ArtNJ

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Feliway has never been scientifically proven to do anything at all. Granted, only very small scientific studies have been done which aren't capable of conclusively proving no effect, so people can still believe what they want. Personally, I see various people saying it did something dramatic, other people saying it didn't do anything, and think that is exactly what you would expect to see if it does nothing -- power of placebo and all that. I wouldn't spend money on it.

It is obviously not impossible @Catxmama ran into some very rare allergy, but I think it would be prudent to do both; not use Felliway and assume that there might be an undiscovered medical issue as well.
 

Ladyrosee

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Feliway has never been scientifically proven to do anything at all. Granted, only very small scientific studies have been done which aren't capable of conclusively proving no effect, so people can still believe what they want. Personally, I see various people saying it did something dramatic, other people saying it didn't do anything, and think that is exactly what you would expect to see if it does nothing -- power of placebo and all that. I wouldn't spend money on it.

It is obviously not impossible @Catxmama ran into some very rare allergy, but I think it would be prudent to do both; not use Felliway and assume that there might be an undiscovered medical issue as well.
I honestly just dont see how it could be possible to be on a low dose of pred since he was 2 months old up until 8 months and go in monthly to check CBC to make sure platelets are fine, and have it unplugged this whole time up until like 5 days ago and now his platelets have almost all destroyed themselves. Hes been diagnosed with IMT but its all because they dont know the cause
 
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