For cats, new experiences and relationships can be distressing. You know how sensitive your cat may be to change if you’ve ever moved house, gone to the vet, or introduced your cat to a new family member (furry or not).
Cats’ inherent instincts are deeply ingrained in them; they are territorial and want to be alone. These innate inclinations have been disrupted by modern existence.
It’s no surprise that many people suffer from anxiety or stress in today’s world, balancing work, family, pets, and hobbies. But what about our felines? Do they get stressed out, and might Feliway pheromones help? We’ve looked at what we know about this well-known cure.
Feliway has been offered in pet stores, veterinarian offices, and online sellers. You may be aware that it has something to do with cat behavior, but you may not be aware of much else. Feliway is essentially a formulated cat pheromone product, which may surprise you.
So, how can you keep your cat quiet and avoid unnecessary stress? Feliway.
What Is Feliway?
Feliway is a product that calms and reassures cats and kittens and reduces stress behaviors, including urine spraying, scratching, fighting, and hiding.
It’s available as a spray bottle or a plug-in diffuser.
Feliway for cats mimics the natural pheromones emitted by a mother cat to soothe her kittens, and it’s the same material that cats scratch your leg or furniture.
When they use this chemical to identify their area, they indicate it is safe. Feliway is a synthetic version of this that signals to your cat that they are in a secure area when they smell it.
Pheromones are scent compounds created by glands throughout your cat’s body that send messages to themselves and other cats. These compounds are ‘understood’ by all cats.
Pheromones play a crucial role in cat communication with other cats and themselves. They can be used as warnings to indicate areas where they have been stressed or afraid, territory markings, or identify encounters with other cats. They can also represent security and ‘happy places.’ And they’re interested in socializing and getting to know other pets, humans, and their surroundings. Mother cats also make these to aid in the bonding of their kittens.
Feliway uses pheromones linked with safety and comfort to send soothing messages to your cat. As a result, they can lower anxiety and stress-related behaviors. Feliway is not a medicine because pheromones are a natural aspect of cat communication. As a result, it has no adverse side effects and cannot be overdosed.
Is Feliway safe for cats?
Feliway is a synthetic counterpart of a natural pheromone secreted by cats and is usually considered harmless. Despite being a manufactured molecule, it has the same molecular structure as natural feline facial pheromones. Feliway products are synthetic versions of natural pheromones generated by cats, deemed harmless.
Synthetic pheromones are applied to your cat’s environment, such as her favorite rooms and areas. Your cat should not eat or lick them because it could harm their health.
Feliway sprays are intended for use in specific places, such as where the cat is marking. If your cat is nearby, do not spray; wait for the spray to dry before allowing your cat in.
The paraffin-based mineral oils used in Feliway diffuser refills are designed to be spread through the air to entire rooms or locations.
Is Feliway poisonous to humans?
Pheromones are species-specific, and thus they do not affect humans or other domestic pets. However, if ingested inadvertently, it could be hazardous. Some persons allergic to paraffin may experience headaches or allergic responses when using a Feliway diffuser.
Though Feliway itself does not affect humans, its shape and application may. If not handled appropriately, Feliway products in the form of plug-in diffusers might cause problems. Alcohol-containing Feliway sprays are not safe to inhale directly by humans, and you should be safe as long as you are cautious and follow the instructions.
Read Also – Feliway Optimum Vs Classic Vs Multicat Vs Friends
What could be causing my cat’s stress?
The cat is a creature of habit who prefers a consistent environment and routine. As a result, they are prone to stress at home and on the go.
Anxiety in cats can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Holiday celebrations of any type, including fireworks
- There’s a new pet in the house.
- In the neighborhood, there’s a new cat or dog.
- In the home, you can decorate or do some DIY.
- Any unique individuals in the house or a new infant
- Veterinary visits while traveling
- Staying at a cattery
This isn’t even a complete list! Anxiety affects particular cats more than others. However, anticipating what might irritate your cat can help minimize interruption to their habits and comforts.
Signs of stress in cats
Cats can be pretty subtle about their dissatisfaction – or they can be very vocal about it!
Spraying urine in problematic areas, scratching at furniture, stairs, and walls, grooming themselves to the point of bald patches, fighting with other pets in the house, or becoming cranky with their owners are all stress indicators.
More subtle indicators of anxiety in your cat include going off their food a little (or, conversely, eating more! ), hiding more and engaging with their owners less, and being less active than usual.
You are the most excellent judge of your cat: what is typical for one cat may be alarming for another. Consult a veterinarian if you have concerns about your cat’s health or behavior.
When should I use Feliway?
Feliway is a versatile product that can be utilized in various situations. For ongoing stressors in the home, like building work, it can be used consistently throughout your entire home via a diffuser. Using a spray or diffuser can also be helpful for specific events such as a vet visit or festive occasions like fireworks nights.
Feliway Friends is a range of pheromones that help cats connect constructively with one another and can be used as a diffuser in a home with feline tenants who are at odds.
Feliscratch is a product that contains pheromones that are utilized in territory marking and is supposed to keep your cat from scratching in places he doesn’t want to cross, such as furniture. Instead, please send them to a scratching post, a more natural solution for this highly natural behavior.
Read Also – Feliway Optimum Review
Is Feliway harmful to cats?
Feliway is generally considered safe since it is a synthetic version of a natural pheromone secreted by cats. Even though it is a synthetic substance, its chemical structure is precisely the same as natural feline facial pheromones.
While synthetic feline facial pheromones are generally considered safe, every cat is different, so you should constantly monitor them for adverse reactions. In some cases, feline facial pheromones won’t affect a cat. Other cats might see the pheromone as a challenge to their territory, leading them to spray or mark the source of the scent.
FELIWAY isn’t a sedative and doesn’t have any systemic effects. This drug has no known adverse effects or cautions, and there isn’t any danger involved. The cat will not scratch or spray the region where the cat’s face pheromone is detected.
Does Feliway have side effects?
Feliway has a very tiny chance of making a cat sick. Increased grooming and a greater interest in food are the only significant behavioral changes.
Overfeeding and excessive grooming may occur when a cat is exposed to feline face pheromones. Overeating has a variety of health consequences, ranging from digestive issues to obesity-related diseases. None of these issues should cause concern if you properly portion your cat’s meals.
The increased grooming in cats exposed to feline face pheromones may also cause issues. A cat grooms and licks itself more frequently and is significantly more prone to hairball problems. Brushing and bathing your cat can help alleviate this problem by removing loose hairs before they become eaten by your cat.
Although the adverse effects of cat pheromone collars are essentially the same as those of aerosol pheromones, a few minor difficulties may arise when using a collar.
A cat chewing up the collar and ingesting the fragments is something to be aware of. Some cats may find the pheromones so appealing that they may nibble on a collar.
Read Also – Are Essential Oils Safe For Cats?
Do vets recommend Feliway for cats?
Numerous clinical trials published in respectable scientific publications or presented at international conferences have demonstrated the efficacy of FELIWAY.
After using FELIWAY, recommended by veterinarians, millions of cat owners across the world have observed a significant difference in their cats: they are more comfortable, quit peeing, scratching, or hiding, spend more time with them, live in harmony with other cats, and adapt better with changes in their household.
Can Feliway make cats more aggressive?
The pheromone in Feliway establishes familiarity and security in the cat’s environment; Feliway can help reduce stress and aggression in multicat households.
But in some cases, Feliway can cause increased aggression and spray in particular cats, including spraying directly on the diffuser. When it’s gone, everything goes back to normal.
Cat pheromones: what are they?
Pheromones are species-specific molecules produced by the smell glands found on a cat’s face, chin, lower ears, forehead, cheeks, and mouth. Scent glands can also be found in their paw pads, around their nipples in female cats, and in their urine. Because of the action of pheromones, she has a favorite scratching post or a best friend from the neighborhood.
The following are some of the ways cats transfer or exchange their pheromone message:
- They scratch their heads on various items around the house.
- Head-to-head contact with you or other cats
- They rub and roll their bodies against items or surfaces.
- Objects are scratched and clawed at.
- Their urine is used to mark specific regions.
- The first three can be considered cute, while the final two are potentially harmful activities you should avoid.
Diffusers, sprays, wipes, and collars are just some of the pheromone items available, and they are non-addictive and can be used at home.
When do we use Feliway?
Feliway is a versatile product that can be utilized in various situations. For ongoing stressors in the home, like building work, it can be used consistently throughout your entire home via a diffuser. Using a spray or diffuser can also be helpful for specific events such as a vet visit or festive occasions like fireworks nights.
Feliway Friends is a range of pheromones that help cats connect constructively with one another and can be used as a diffuser in a home with feline tenants who are at odds.
Feliscratch is a product that contains pheromones that are utilized in territory marking and is supposed to keep your cat from scratching in places he doesn’t want to cross, such as furniture.
A single drug like Feliway is unlikely to solve all behavioral problems, as they are usually complex. Additional therapies may be required depending on the severity of symptoms and the source of the anxiety.
Providing safe zones’ for your cat, ensuring their food and drink are in a neutral place, and giving plenty of litter trays in private areas are all possible environmental modifications. Your veterinarian may recommend more particular measures for your cat’s situation.
Does Feliway make Cats Sleepy?
Feline face pheromones have a slightly soothing effect on cats but are not sedatives. In the presence of Feliway, a cat will become more relaxed, but it will not knock them out.
Identify the root cause of the problem
Determining the source of your cat’s stress would be the most effective way to resolve this issue.
Cats may leave the box for various reasons, including a dislike of the litter, the box being too unclean, or simply being unable to go in because the sides are too high for their arthritic hips. Your veterinarian can discuss your litter box setup with you and assist you in troubleshooting any adjustments you might make.
Cats appreciate getting off the floor, and it’s why they constantly jump on counters and tables. As a result, giving vertical surfaces,’ such as cat trees, cat shelves, and other similar items, can help reduce counter jumping while also providing additional resources in the home.
If Feliway isn’t giving you the desired results, talk to your veterinarian about what you can add to the mix. Providing another litter box or relocating a cat scratcher to a more stable and accessible area might sometimes be enough to resolve a behavioral issue. Your veterinarian is available to assist you and your cat in achieving a stress-free lifestyle.
What types of Feliway products and how should they be used?
Feliway products come in various shapes and sizes, each with its own instructions.
Feliway Classic Diffuser is a good choice if your cat has to hide, scratching, spray, or have urine marking issues.
With the help of feline appeasing hormones, Feliway Friends/Multicat is the ideal type to reduce conflict in multicat households.
Feliway’s FeliScratch is suggested to prevent unwanted scratching.
The Feliway Classic Spray is ideal for usage before traveling, during vet visits, or relocating. It can also help cats cope with stressful situations such as thunderstorms, fireworks, or loud parties and holidays.
Can I use Feliway on a kitten that is still young?
Yes. Anyone of any age can use Feliway. Kittens can detect pheromones in their surroundings, and they respond accordingly.
How long should we use Feliway?
It depends on the type of Feliway you use and how much you use it. For the majority of instances, a month is the minimum required period. However, permanent use may be preferable in rare cases, such as multicat households or recurrent idiopathic cystitis.
Feliway contains which type of pheromone?
Feliway emits a pheromone, a replica of the familiarisation face pheromone that cats naturally emit by rubbing their cheek on an object or humans when they are at peace in their surroundings.
Will Feliway impact the humans and other animals in my house?
No, because pheromones are species-specific, Feliway Feline pheromone will only impact cats and not harm humans or other pets.
What kinds of behavioral issues would Feliway not assist with?
Feliway will have no effect if the unwanted behavior is unconnected to stress, such as competition or fights between cats due to the lack of simple access, such as the box for each cat or some environmental alterations.
It’s usually a good idea to consult a veterinarian first to rule out any medical conditions causing the undesired behavior.
How long will it take for the cat to respond? What is the duration of the effect?
Feliway Spray has been shown to have a near-instantaneous impact that lasts 4 to 5 hours. After this time has passed, reapply Feliway Spray as needed, depending on the situation.
Let the sprayed object dry for at least 15 minutes before bringing the cat to the area to allow the alcoholic solvent to evaporate.
Is Feliway safe to use in the car to help with motion sickness?
Feliway spray treats stress-related symptoms such as nausea and vomiting during traveling. Compared to cats exposed to a placebo spray, Feliway spray has been clinically proven to significantly improve stress-related behaviors such as vomiting, urine, defecation, meowing, agitation, and salivation.
It is recommended that the cat not eat for at least 6 hours before travel to avoid nausea and vomiting, but that water should not be limited before a trip.
Conclusion
Feliway products help cats cope with stress and anxiety while preventing tension and aggression. Each Feliway product has a unique purpose or can be used in combination to treat specific symptoms such as scratching and aggression in multiple cats in the home. While the level of effectiveness may vary, if the tension and symptoms linger after a month of use, you should seek medical counsel from your veterinarian.
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