Questions about Feliway

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jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 28 May 2007 02:40 GMT

So I finally bought some Feliway yesterday. There's a lot of hostility
around here, between Smudge and Licky mostly, and I thought that might
help. Plus, Licky is just restless and high-strung and I thought it
might relax him a bit.

I bought the diffuser and plugged it in. There was nothing to indicate
that it was doing anything - no light, no buzz, obviously, no smell
that I could perceive. So, I guess it's putting out molecules that cats
can pick up, but I have to accept that on faith. I touched it today
and it was warm, so presumably that means something. Does it mean it's
working? Who knows?

How long does it take before it has any effect on the cats? I'm not
seeing any huge change, and I'm not sure what I should be looking for.
On the box it says that it stops cats from "vertical scratching".
What?? I don't want to stop that - I bought them a tall scratching
post for just that purpose. Roxy stands up and scratches on that post
all the time, especially when she's excited. It's so cute - why would
I want to stop her from doing that? All I want to do is stop all the
squabbling between Licks & Smudge, and calm the scaredy boy down a bit.

Oh, this package was called the "Comfort Zone - with Feliway" diffuser.
Is that what other people here use?

Thanks,
Joyce

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MaryL - 28 May 2007 02:57 GMT

> So I finally bought some Feliway yesterday. There's a lot of hostility
> around here, between Smudge and Licky mostly, and I thought that might
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> Thanks,
> Joyce

Yes, "Comfort Zone - with Feliway" is the correct product. The instructions
that refer to vertical scratching can be confusing because Feliway is useful
for far more than that. It is used for behavior modification and can be
very useful in reducing stress. However, it is not a cure-all or an
"instant" product. Just as you described, there is no sound from it and
most people do not detect a scent. If you stand in just the right location
and watch it, you may be able to detect small amounts being released from
time time. The dispenser releases premeasured doses, but it is not
something that is obviously apparent (although you will see the liquid in
the bottle gradually getting lower). One bottle lasts a little more than a
month, and refills can be purchased for the dispenser. I would recommend
that you have at least two diffusers, placed close to areas frequently used
by your cats. Do *not* hide them behind furniture or out-of-the-way places.

Here is a report of a study by researchers at Ohio State University:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/11/001129074611.htm

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'<
Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e

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Karen - 28 May 2007 02:58 GMT

> So I finally bought some Feliway yesterday. There's a lot of hostility
> around here, between Smudge and Licky mostly, and I thought that might
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> Thanks,
> Joyce

It's pretty subtle. More like you will notice that they get MORE
squabbly when it runs out. (I really don't think it does a thing about
scratching. They really shouldn't advertise that.)

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Cantate - 28 May 2007 08:58 GMT

It didn't work for my cats at all. I wondered if the scent of
Japanese cats is different than the scent of American cats. Jona
(half Japanese bobtail and half ???) walked in after I had plugged it
in, stiffened, hissed, and then walked over to it and stuck her nose
against it, and froze, like a pointer. After about a minute she
wrinkled her lip and growled. The others gave it hostile looks but
didn't react so strongly, and they started marking all over the place
(that is what I bought it to stop!). After a week I gave up and
everyone gave a sigh of relief that I had gotten rid of the strange
miniature cat in the glass bottle!

Cantate

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jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 28 May 2007 21:42 GMT

> It didn't work for my cats at all. I wondered if the scent of
> Japanese cats is different than the scent of American cats. Jona
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> everyone gave a sigh of relief that I had gotten rid of the strange
> miniature cat in the glass bottle!

I heard of this happening to someone else on this newsgroup, not someone
from Japan. I remember the poster saying that their cat got freaked out
thinking there was a strange cat somewhere in the house, and got all
wary and tense, started looking around and growling, etc. Talk about
backfiring! I don't think that cat connected the odor with the odd little
object in the wall, though.

Mine seem fine, not upset by it. And it does seem like there's a little
less hostility, but it's too soon to tell whether that's the Feliway
working, or if it's just my hopeful thinking. Also, Smudge spends so
much time outside that I'm not seeing them together enough to tell!

Well, I've got a month to see if it works.

Joyce

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Sherry - 28 May 2007 22:22 GMT

On May 28, 3:42 pm, jXwXeXrXmXoX...@sonic.net wrote:

> > It didn't work for my cats at all. I wondered if the scent of
> > Japanese cats is different than the scent of American cats. Jona
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Joyce

I've never used it but thought I'd pass along some anecdotal evidence.
My daughter uses it regularly b/cause
her highstrung cats dislike Ernie, a rescue she got a year ago. There
was a lot of spitting/hissing going on,
one occasionally "marks", and Ernie, being the clueless little
teenager he is, antagonizes them a lot.
Anyway. She says the difference is very subtle. She didn't notice a
difference right away, and didn't really
think it was working all that well, until the diffuser went dry. THEN
she noticed the hissing/spitting was getting
really bad. She says she can always tell when she needs a new one
just by observing their behavior.

Sherry

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Marina - 29 May 2007 04:39 GMT

> I heard of this happening to someone else on this newsgroup, not someone
> from Japan. I remember the poster saying that their cat got freaked out
> thinking there was a strange cat somewhere in the house, and got all
> wary and tense, started looking around and growling, etc. Talk about
> backfiring! I don't think that cat connected the odor with the odd little
> object in the wall, though.

I think that was MMJ's Weeble.

Signature

Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

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Marina - 29 May 2007 04:38 GMT

> On the box it says that it stops cats from "vertical scratching".
> What?? I don't want to stop that - I bought them a tall scratching
> post for just that purpose. Roxy stands up and scratches on that post
> all the time, especially when she's excited. It's so cute - why would
> I want to stop her from doing that? All I want to do is stop all the
> squabbling between Licks & Smudge, and calm the scaredy boy down a bit.

That's strange. AIUI, it's the Feliway _spray_ that's supposed to stop
scratching (whether vertical or horizontal - depends on where you spray
it). You spray it on a surface that you don't want the cats scratching
(like a sofa).

I tried the Feliway diffuser back when Nikki was pulling out the fur on
her tummy. The effect was very subtle, but it did seem to calm her a
bit. Then she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and got medication for
that, and stopped pulling out her fur, so I can't be quite sure which
had more effect, the diffuser or the medicine.

Then I plugged in the diffuser again when Frank was PTS and Miranda was
very upset. It didn't really calm her down, in fact, she's still a
pretty high-strung cat at times. I don't have the diffuser plugged in
any more. I lent it to my sister, whose cat Ronja had suddenly taken to
making vicious attacks on her other cat Linus. Reminds me I need to ask
how that is going.

Signature

Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

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jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 29 May 2007 05:59 GMT

> I tried the Feliway diffuser back when Nikki was pulling out the fur on
> her tummy. The effect was very subtle, but it did seem to calm her a
> bit. Then she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and got medication for
> that, and stopped pulling out her fur, so I can't be quite sure which
> had more effect, the diffuser or the medicine.

> Then I plugged in the diffuser again when Frank was PTS and Miranda was
> very upset. It didn't really calm her down, in fact, she's still a
> pretty high-strung cat at times. I don't have the diffuser plugged in
> any more. I lent it to my sister, whose cat Ronja had suddenly taken to
> making vicious attacks on her other cat Linus. Reminds me I need to ask
> how that is going.

I'd be interested in hearing, myself. I had visions of Licky and Smudge
cuddling together. Dream on. :) Still, it would be really nice not to
wake up and find big tufts of Smudge's fur all over the floor!

Joyce

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