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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / July 2004Thoughts on Feliway?
I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences with it, both good and bad. This is the situation right now...Heather is a five year old DLH with anxiety issues and misdirected aggression. Her partner died earlier this year. We adopted Robin as a companion for Heather. Robin is about three years old. The problem isn't that the cats are fighting. I was very worried that Heather would have a complete meltdown over another cat being in her space and try to eat the newcomer. She's been very good about it in terms of respecting Robin and not trying to murder her in her sleep or anything. We took a very long time to introduce them and it seems to have paid off in that respect. The problem is simply that the cats don't love each other. They rarely interact and when they do it's no more than a sniff of the nose. They don't groom each other or play together or do any of the things I really wish they would. It is especially important to me that they groom each other because I feel that's very important for cats and it was a major aspect in the relationship between Heather and her old partner. So I'm thinking of trying Feliway to see it helps them get closer. It is expensive, though, so I'd like to hear some opinions! It's been about five months since they were introduced and they don't seem to be progressing beyond this point. I'm even considering Flower Remedies...which I've always frankly considered nonsense. Is there any hope at all for these two kids to start treating each other like friends? Sethran (back from the echo...with a very healthy Heather!) In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav", Jul 2004: > So I'm thinking of trying Feliway to see it helps them get > closer. It is expensive, though, so I'd like to hear some [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > frankly considered nonsense. Is there any hope at all for these > two kids to start treating each other like friends? Happy to hear about Heather. My thoughts on Feliway are that I've never noticed a difference until it runs out. Then I notice "catitude" from Shamrock. I keep one upstairs, and one downstairs (diffusers). I've kept them plugged in for the last 2 years or so. As for RR, I got some to try to calm Shadow down because he used to get so upset if one of the other cats even looked at him and it never helped. In his case, I think he was uptight because he wasn't well and they probably have an unspoken language that the ill ones get picked on. A woman I know who fosters many many cats swears by RR though.  SignatureCheryl > I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway > to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > that's very important for cats and it was a major aspect in the > relationship between Heather and her old partner. Your cat situation is somewhat similar to my parents' cats. They have two boys, Worf, 11 years old, and Gilbert, 15. Worf was the resident cat when Gilbert joined the house 9 years ago. Gilbert is a very timid cat and Worf liked to pick on him. Worf could go for a good stretch sometimes not picking on Gilbert, but then other times it was constant torment. I finally talked my mom into trying Feliway, and at first she didn't think it worked. Once it ran out, she realized it was working. Worf went right back to tormenting Gilbert. Now the two will sit in close proximity, but they've never groomed each other or slept cuddled up. > So I'm thinking of trying Feliway to see it helps them get closer. It > is expensive, though, so I'd like to hear some opinions! It's been [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > any hope at all for these two kids to start treating each other like > friends? In all honesty, they may never get to that groom each other, cuddling stage. Some cats do it, some don't. Was Heather with her former friend since kittenhood? Maybe try some of the smell-alike things like putting a drop of vanilla on each cat (I think it's supposed to be above the nose and the base of the tail?), or rubbing one cat with a towel and then the other might help. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net Check out www.snittens.com It definitely makes a subtle difference in the dynamics of my cats. What you notice is when it runs out! It might also help Heathers anxiety. >It definitely makes a subtle difference in the dynamics of my cats. What you >notice is when it runs out! It might also help Heathers anxiety. Have you noticed if it has any effect on humans? MLB > Have you noticed if it has any effect on humans? MLB Yes, when the diffuser was placed in a wall socket close to our bed, it aggravated my husband's allergies. But I'm sure it was the ethanol base for the product, not the pheromone itself. I would guess that being a chemical copy of a specific feline pheromone, Feliway itself is not really detectable by human beings. >> Have you noticed if it has any effect on humans? MLB >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >a specific feline pheromone, Feliway itself is not really detectable by human >beings. Thanks for that information. As I do have allergies, I have wondered about it. >>> Have you noticed if it has any effect on humans? MLB >>> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >Thanks for that information. As I do have allergies, I have wondered >about it. You're welcome. Just to clarify, once the diffuser was placed on the other side of the bedroom, it didn't bother my husband's allergies any more. So it doesn't mean you can't use it, just that it's not a good idea to place it right next to where you sleep. We have one upstairs in the master bedroom and one downstairs in the dining room right next to the living room. These are places where the cats spend the most time. > The problem is simply that the cats > don't love each other. They rarely [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > relationship between Heather and her old > partner. Seth, I know your heart is in the right place, but you are being completely unfair and unrealistic in your expectations. You can't *make* or *expect* cats to be friends, groom each other, play together, etc. They either click or they don't and there is no way to predict what kind of bond they might develop, or if one will develop at all. You also can't expect the relationship between Heather and the new cat to mimic the relationship she had with the previous cat. Considering Heather's history you should be satisfied and happy that the cats live peacefully together and accept the fact that this may be as good as it gets. Megan Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray I've had good luck with Feliway. The differences aren't day and night but nice subtle differences. We are a two cat family and the younger baby , Stella was meowing a lot at night and Delilah was tearing around like a manwoman. Just after we got the Feliway, Stella went into her first heat and I honestly think that without the Feliway, it would have been much worse. When was at the pet hospital getting spayed, Delilah was slightly agitated but again, not as much as if the Feliway wasn't in. When she came home later that day (this past Thursday) she was dopey and we were worried her hyper personality would overcome the after effects of the aesthetic. Again, I think the Feliway calmed her until she was ready to resume her usual activities (although the roman blinds are all still taped to the windows so she can't scale them) I'll buy a replacement for sure. The cats have never been a problem and always get along (they were adopted together) but it's nice to keep things a little more even-keeled if something does come up. Signaturerach > I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway > to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Sethran (back from the echo...with a very healthy Heather!) > I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway > to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Sethran (back from the echo...with a very healthy Heather!) As others have already said Feliway works in a subtle way. I also don't notice what it is doing until it runs out. It is definitely helping my three (17 yr old, 3 yr old and 1 yr old) get along and tolerate the litters of kittens we've been fostering this summer. Your cats may never have the relationship you're looking for. That doesn't mean that they won't eventually provide comfort to one another. My Tigger has outlived 3 companions so far. She had a different relationship with each of them ranging from mutual grooming/playing to seemingly just coexisting. She has mourned each of them when they passed so I can only assume that the relationship was more than it appeared on the surface in some cases. W I got some Feliway spray for the carrier to try and calm Tiger when going to the vet. It ddn't help a bit.i ---MIKE--- twinmountain@webtv.net wrote: >I got some Feliway spray for the carrier to try and calm Tiger when >going to the vet. It ddn't help a bit.i I think that's the point many of those posting have been trying to make. Feliway can help in certain situations and in subtle ways, but it won't work miracles. We took in an adult stray cat last summer and while I think the Feliway diffuser has helped somewhat, she and one of our other cats still fight sometimes. Perhaps not as much, that's all. If a cat is in a highly stressful situation, like going to the vet, the cat is still going to be stressed even with Feliway. > I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway > to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Sethran (back from the echo...with a very healthy Heather!) I would echo some of the things others have said about the relationship between the cats-those vary all across the board. My two cats are pretty much like roommates and interact only occasionally. I had good results using Feliway when I first got both of them. I had a moderate problem with Kona bullying Sabastian at first. I started using Feliway after this had gone on for a week or ten days and all of the sudden Sabastian stopped being cowed. Of course, that change in behavior kind of flummoxed Kona initially. Now, each one will occasionally swat at the other, but nothing serious. Ironically, of the two the one who seems to enjoy a "sneak attack" more is Sabastian and Kona often reacts to one of these by just scooting away a few feet and resuming whatever he was doing. But with respect to the Feliway effect, I would have wondered whether the change in behavior was the Feliway or something that wouold have happened anyway, but the change was pretty sudden and dramatic on Sabastian's part-it started the day after I put it in. In contrast to other people's experiences, though, I found that I didn't need it after a few months of using it. My suspicion is that cats find its smell somehow generically "familiar" or "comforting" (maybe like people walking into someone's kitchen and smelling cinnamon buns baking) and that if they are otherwise in a stressful situation it makes them feel more reassured. In my case, I think that after a few months they acclimated to each other and their situation to the extent that there was no longer any underlying stress. > > I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway > > to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > months they acclimated to each other and their situation to the extent > that there was no longer any underlying stress. I agree. I had stopped using Feliway until I got a litter of kittens that needed bottle feeding. That was enough to set my guys off so I plugged it back in. I expect to stop using it after kitten season is over as my guys pretty much have reached an agreement with one another. W >I'm having a problem with two cats and I'm considering using Feliway >to try and help them get along. I like to hear about any experiences >with it, both good and bad. I can't say I really buy into the Feliway diffuser. We have had one upstairs and one downstairs for about a year, and had tried them for a period before this too. I don't think I notice a difference with how well the cats get along. Initially all they did was fight and I thought it might help settle things down a bit, but I dont' think it did. They still are not cuddle together cats either, but they will now sometimes chase each other playing, and the male washes the female's head pretty much. What I noticed may have made a difference is the Prozac. Last weekend, for the first time ever, I saw Jewel was licking Seamus's foot for about 45 seconds while he washed her head. Usually she would let him wash her for a while, then start to growl and hiss and they would end up in a big fight. Now they have rarely fought in the last month. So I do not think that the Feliway is worth the money for us, and it is expensive. One thing to note is that two days ago I kept smelling something like oil in my house. I thought it was a smell from outside somewhere. Finally I checked it out closer and found the smell to be coming from the diffuser. It was not really any warmer than usual I don't think, and the bottle was changed about a week or two ago. Concerned me enough that I pulled out both units and will not likely put them back in. We will see how they do for the next month without them. Teri I have four cats that mostly get along, but recently the youngest (Liv Tiger, age 5) has been attacking the oldest (Kiggy, age 15). We took Live to the vet since she has become increasingly afraid and aggressive. She is healthy but the vet wanted to try medication to help with her anxiety. She's on Buspar (5 mg), which seems to be helping with her anxiety. She seems more confident and less skittish. We've kept Kiggy and Liv separate for a few weeks and are now introducing them again at mealtimes. I've been using the Feliway spray, which does seem to help and have a diffuser on order. They definitely smell the pheromones. The directions say not to spray the cats due to the ethanol content, but would it be safe to spray their collars, let it dry and then put them back on? I tried it the other night and it seemed to have an immediate calming effect. There was more mutual head washing between the ones who get along and the others seemed blissed out and calm. Syl > I have four cats that mostly get along, but recently the youngest (Liv > Tiger, age 5) has been attacking the oldest (Kiggy, age 15). We took [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Syl If you let it dry, the ethanol would not be a factor, I don't think, but doesn't seem like it should be done. Once you get the diffuser, I bet you will see a better effect. Seems to be better than the spray. |
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