Feliway

Feliway is a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone and is proven to reassure and comfort cats, helping them to cope with changes in their environment or other stressful situations.

The effects of Feliway has been shown in more than 13 studies published in scientific journals or presented at veterinary conferences all over the world. Clinical trials show reduction in urine spraying in up to 91% of households and 96% reduction in stress-related vertical scratching.

When a cat feel safe and comfortable in its environment, it rubs its head against the furniture, walls, bottom of curtains etc, leaving a substance call the facial pheromone. This pheromone (Feliway) is specific to cats and conveys a message of security and reassurance. In the presence of this pheromone cats are seen to show less signs of stress.

Feliway can be used to help prevent or stop stress-related inappropriate behaviours including indoor spraying or vertical scratching, help prevent tension or reduce conflict between cats and restore harmony with your household, help prevent or reduce stress-related behavioural or medical problems (i.e.: Loss of appetite or reduced desire to interact and play, general nervous behaviour, urinary problems), help your cat cope in stressful situations - Multi-cat households, changes to the environment (i.e. a stay in a cattery, new home or another disruption in the cat’s territory such as visitors, builders, Christmas etc.)

What causes stress in pets? Many common situations are stressful for our pets such as moving house, new members of the household e.g. new pet or baby, multicat households, sudden noise e.g. fireworks, thunder, kennel or cattery visit, grooming, another cat moving into the territory.

Feliway for cats is a preparation that mimics the naturally occurring feline facial pheromone. This pheromone helps a cat feel secure and familiar in the cat's local environment. Cats use their pheromone to mark persons, places, and objects by rubbing their face on surfaces. Feliway will comfort and reassure cats when placed in stressful and challenging situations. It will also reduce and/or help prevent the stress that cats experience when there are changes in their home.

Getting to know the individual personality and behaviour of one's cat will help the owner determine whether the cat is having health problems or experiencing a stressful situation. However, knowing the general behaviour of cats will be helpful in understanding your kitty better. The general cat behaviours are the following: (a) since cats are territorial, their relationship with their territory is stronger than their relationship with their owners or other companion animals in the home. (b) Cats are not pack animals like canines. They do not like to share their space with their household family, regardless of whether they are cats, other pets, or humans. Cats need their privacy and are very independent.

A predominant behaviour trait of cats when feeling stress is marking. Cats mark out their territory in order to help them feel more secure when stressed. Urine marking is common behaviour to almost all cats whether altered or not. On the other hand, with scratch marking, it only when a cat scratches on a vertical surface that the cat demonstrates a behaviour that helps them relax. Finally, the feline facial pheromone that emanates from the cat when the cat comes up to a person, other animal, or things helps to comfort the cat.

When the cat is stressed use Feliway to comfort your cat so it can cope with the stressful environment. Feliway is available as a spray or as an electric diffuser. Whether to use the Feliway spray or the room diffuser depends on the stressful situation of your cat and the behaviour being exhibited. The Feliway spray should be used when transporting the cat, when the cat is in a boarding facility, and when the cat is vertical scratching. The Feliway diffuser should be used during fireworks, relocating to a new home, a disruption in the family such as arrival of a new baby or doggie, and when the cat is urine marking. Having the aid of Feliway for cats whether as a spray or as an electric diffuser will work wonders for your cat. The cat from hell will transform back to the sweet, adorable kitty for their owner to enjoy and love again.