Question for Cat People

[seniorcats]

Have any of you cat people used the Feliway diffuser? http://www.catfaeries.com/feliway.htmlhttp://www.catfaeries.com/feliwayfaq.html


* ending or lessening fighting
* reducing cat's anxiety, stress, fear, anger
* speeding up introducing a new cat to the home
* soothing to ill or geriatric cats calming multi cat households

I don't need it for the urine spraying issues or litter box issues but rather for the calming effects and introducing a new kitty. I am slowly introducing Sherman, the kitty rescued by Haley, to my household. This is a very slow process. For one thing, he has only been neutered 3 weeks and it takes months ofr male kitty hormones to calm down.

He spends most of his time in a 15 foot square 'quaratine' room with a screen door. This way he can still interact with us. I bring him out to meet the herd (16 other cats) for 2 hours at a time. Twice he has jumped on either Charlotte or Harry while they were at the food bowls. I think food is an issue because he was a stray.

I figure it will take months of patient work to integrate him with my cats. I am wondering if Feliway may help make the introductions easier. Each unit cost $30 and covers 500 square feet. We would need 8 units to cover the whole house although we may be able to squeeze by with 6. Since 8 units would be expensive, I would really like to hear people's experience with this product.

Thanks!

 

[Bunnicula]

I've tried it in our household - Nora has lived with us a bit over a year and she is extremely aggressive towards the other cats. We've also had some spraying issues. I don't feel like the Feliway has resolved either - well, it's definitely not helped with Nora. We did not use them over the entire house because we did not give her access to all the house as she'd attack the others. So perhaps that is part of our lack of success.

Also, if you read their literature, the Feliway folks say that you may need to use it consistently for at least 60 days before seeing any results.

I had a diffuser in the room where our nervous Nellie spends her day, too, but it never did anything to calm her. I do have a can of the spray to try in the carrier the next time that she has to go to the vet (she always messes herself and yowls the entire way - ends up panting). I've not had the chance to try that yet.

I find that Feliway is expensive and, for our household (10 cats), has produced no visible results. Maybe, though, if you have more diffusers and give it 60 days or more (I'm so impatient!) you might be successful.

If you try it I would love to know how things go for you.

Keeping our fingers and paws crossed that Sherman fits into your family quickly and easily.

-Mary Ellen

 

[maherwoman]

Have I give you the Cat Site before? If not, it's www.thecatsite.com and had a lot of good people to ask about this.

All the threads I've read about Feliway, the good mentions outweigh the bad in number. So, it's worth checking. You could at least check and read some of those posts on that forum.

Not that RO isn't wonderful, but there are just more kitty people on TCS.

 

[seniorcats]

Thanks to both of you! I do need to visit the cat site so thanks for the link again. I will probably give the Feliway infuser a try- one in Sherman's room and maybe 3 on the first floor. Limiting the space they can meet and greet also sounds good. That way I can keep my old lady cats, the bingo girls, with a 'safe room'.My house call vet is often able to sell me things just a little above his cost soI will call him tomorrow. I've gotten Advantage, Interferon and Procrit from hi this way.

We have another 'free loader' hanging around our deck. He/she showed up right before Sherman came and eats dry food we put out. My DH just made the comment this 'free loader' will probably be in the house before winter.

 

[sarahsop]

seniorcats wrote:

Thanks to both of you! I do need to visit the cat site so thanks for the link again. I will probably give the Feliway infuser a try- one in Sherman's room and maybe 3 on the first floor. Limiting the space they can meet and greet also sounds good. That way I can keep my old lady cats, the bingo girls, with a 'safe room'.My house call vet is often able to sell me things just a little above his cost soI will call him tomorrow. I've gotten Advantage, Interferon and Procrit from hi this way.

We have another 'free loader' hanging around our deck. He/she showed up right before Sherman came and eats dry food we put out. My DH just made the comment this 'free loader' will probably be in the house before winter.

te hee like this....maybe you could call him "Freeloader!"

well whats one more hey........



sarah x

 

[CheyAutRanch]

So what number is Freeloader?

I think I mentioned the momma and six kittens we took in to foster? Well, NONE are leaving! HAHA! We're up to 19 now! I sure hope I don't find anymore, the inn is full! LOL

Jessi

 

[seniorcats]

CheyAutRanch wrote:

So what number is Freeloader?

I think I mentioned the momma and six kittens we took in to foster? Well, NONE are leaving! HAHA! We're up to 19 now! I sure hope I don't find anymore, the inn is full! LOL

Jessi

ha ha Jessi! We would be even. Freeloader would be #19 if he sticks around. He or she is currently hanging out in the barn. My closest neighbor used to volunteer at the same shelter where I volunteer. I think she is up to 10. We gotta' get her a few more.

 

[CheyAutRanch]

Haha! Good, I'll let hubby know about you, he'll feel a little less... cathousey? Lol!

Jessi

 

[seniorcats]

Give your hubby a huge hug and tell him what a great guy he is for rescuing the kittens and cats.

 

[CheyAutRanch]

He sure is, and I tell him that all the time

Today I was looking on Craigslist for bunny cages for a friend, and I happened to look at an ad for a BEAUTIFUL GSD (LOOOVE GSD's). Showed it to hubby, and told him I'm in love with the dog. He asked what that meant. I think, had I said I really wanted it, he would have said ok! hehe But no more dogs for us... even though I just helped my best friend (12 y/o malamute mix) cross the bridge just 2 weeks ago, we still have 7 dogs, most are LARGE, and I have no plans to have anywhere near that number once these guys cross... 4 is a much easier number to manage!

Jessi

 

[CheyAutRanch]

Oh yeah, it was funny. The ad stated that they people have the GDS's dam, sold all of the litter but this guy (he's 9 months now) b/c they planned on keeping him but now decided 2 dogs are too many... hubby said "they had the puppies and then sold them? How could they get rid of them???" Me: "that's what people do when they breed animals..." him: "That's not right! I couldn't do that!That's why we have all these kittens!" LOL!!!! He's too sweet

Jessi

 

[seniorcats]

CheyAutRanch wrote:

He sure is, and I tell him that all the time

Today I was looking on Craigslist for bunny cages for a friend, and I happened to look at an ad for a BEAUTIFUL GSD (LOOOVE GSD's). Showed it to hubby, and told him I'm in love with the dog. He asked what that meant. I think, had I said I really wanted it, he would have said ok! hehe But no more dogs for us... even though I just helped my best friend (12 y/o malamute mix) cross the bridge just 2 weeks ago, we still have 7 dogs, most are LARGE, and I have no plans to have anywhere near that number once these guys cross... 4 is a much easier number to manage!

Jessi

No more dogs, huh? I heard that before. We say it all the time about cats. My husband used to say 'we can't have 17 or 18 cats when we retire.' Yea, right. he got lucky and got an Early Retirement Incentive Plan from his employer 4 years ago so he reitred at age 50.

I can retire in 18 months and we will still have most of the cats. Maybe not Mugsy, Lacey and Mallory because they are 15 and 16 yrs now and showing their age. However, once I retire, we can work on dog rescue. We do some transporting for white German Shepherds. http://www.echodogs.org/ Take a look and show your husband (hee hee hee) There is sure to be a dog here you must have! Yes, I am an 'enabler'.

 

[CheyAutRanch]

LOL!!! Actually, though I really love shepherds and would like to own one someday, I think my next dog will be another mini aussie. And I found a breeder I like, kept showing pics of her previous litters to hubby today haha! Would love one, but, I sure don't need another dog... we have plenty! haha However, I might get to know the breeder, and let her know what I"d like FOR THE FUTURE and just see? I want a blue or red merle female that I can show in breed, so gotta go the breeder route vs rescue.

Speaking of mini aussies, I brought mine to work, he's sleeping behind me hehe Since the only people I see on weekends are the two girls I work with, the drivers, and the pharmacist who works the day shift, I decided I'd bring him... not technically supposed to have him here though! The people I see encouraged me to bring him in, so....

Last night I broght a bunny! My friend wanted one (yes, b/c of me!) so I found her a cute little guy and leant her a temporary cage (it's small, but ok until she gets one in a week or two, since the bun is a baby) so he got to come, and had some fun running around I heard (I was eating lunch in the breakroom when they let him out). I know my boss would not be pleased! oops! LOL

Jessi

 

[seniorcats]

I thought I would post a follow up on our trial usage of Feliway Diffusers. We put in 6 diffusers almost 3 weeks ago and they do seem to be helping. The first improvement we noticed was a lot less verticle scratching or scratching of the furniture. That's huge especially if we buy new furniture.

It does seem to be helping our nervous, semi-feral cats, Jerri Harriet and Neko. Both get along with other cats but are still very nervous of people. They are hiding less under the furniture, going aout the house more, etc. Neko has reason to distrust people. She was a vet rescue after being shot with a pellet gun so many times her head and neck split open a good 5 inches. It took 4 surgeries to repair the physical damage. I am really happy to see the improvements with the Feliway usage.

Shermanis definitely less aggressive and defencsive. Some of could be that he was neutered after he came here yet I think the Feliway is also helping.

They say the improvements become more noticable after 4 weeks of use so we will the diffusers in place for quite a while. Right now, I think they are worth the cost. Our vet did order them for us and gave us a 15% discount on them which was nice.

The Feliway diffusers may also help with those who want to keep cats and rabbits together. I think it would lessen the stress of introductions.

 

[naturestee]

Good to know!

I almost bought those once, until I realized the kittens only sprayed immediately after I used Febreeze in their room. :foreheadsmack: