Feliway
for Cats
I've got mixed feelings about
Feliway for cats. If you aren't familiar with Feliway, it's
usually sprayed or can be dispensed similar to the room fresheners
that you plug into an outlet. The pheromone-like substances in the
liquid is supposed to chill out your cat and solve spraying
problems.
Cats are susceptible to stress,
that's pretty much a proven factor. Stress from illness, moving to
a new house, going to the vet, introducing new cats, or any
radical change in environment can be a problem. Most cats react
with behavior problems like being overly aggressive, spaying,
attacking, or change in temperament.
The synthetic pheromone in
Feliway is designed to sooth an anxious cat and have a calming
effect. The Feliway is odorless and non toxic to humans. If you
have an area where your cat likes to spray, it's suggested you
spray directly on the area.
If it's a general anxiety
situation or there is no specific area of concern you can buy the
plug in unit that emits a small amount periodically. One dispenser
is recommended for about 600 sq feet of space.
My issue with Feliway is that
first, it's not always effective, and two, it can mask a more
serious health problem in your cat. I've spoke with people who
have had great success and about as many that said it had no
effect what so ever on cat problems.
If you have a cat that is upset,
it could be a health problem and no pheromone, synthetic or
otherwise, is going to cure your cat's health issues. If your cat
is healthy but reacting to their environment or change, then it
may be helpful.
Spaying can be a sign of urinal
track, bladder infections, or kidney issues. So a blood test can
usually determine if it is a health issue. Once you rule that out,
Feliway might help chill out your cat if it is stress. I'm not
sure that you can cure a territorial problem with Feliway but I
have had some tell me that it did work when introducing a new cat.
I've found that many cats react
very differently to stress. Some are very susceptible to any
change, others couldn't care less. We often rescue cats and have a
chance to see many grow up from kittens and you can tell at a very
young age if the cat is going to be skittish and stress easily.
Considering you can try a spray
bottle or diffuser for around $13 and $20, it's probably worth a
try if you think it is stress that is causing your cat's behavior
problems.
If possible, try and remove or
over come the stress point if possible. Many times if you pay a
little more attention to your cat and reinforce your relationship
that can help too. If you are bringing in a new cat, well, I just
usually let them sort out the leadership role. As long as nobody
gets wounded (most will just hiss and make noise - not actually
fight).
There are exceptions, some feral
cats will never calm down around other cats totally. In those
cases I either keep them in different areas or try and exert my
role as leader to keep the them from fighting. The only problem is
when I'm not around things can go sideways quickly, so that's not
a permanent solution.
So although I do think Feliway is
worth a shot in true stress situations, there's no guarantee it
will work. It depends entirely on the cats that are involved and
the problem. I would try the dispenser, it seems to be more
effective. You can learn more about it here:
Comfort Zone With Feliway For Cats & Kittens Plug In
Give it at least 3-5 days to see
if there's an improvement in behavior. Always make sure you rule out health problems first as changes in behavior can be a
sign of illness too.
Related Articles:
Our Website Resident Cats
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