Experience with Flower Essences?

gingersmom

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Does anyone here have experience using flower essences in their cat's water?

I'm asking, because I spoke to my vet this morning about how quickly Ferris metabolized the Acepromazine (see thread: Grooming Day for Ferris) and asked if going up to 10 mg would be the next step.

The vet says absolutely no, that would be too high a dose for him, and my only options are this:

A.) I trick him into the carrier again (easier said than done) and take him to the vet, where they put him under to groom him. THis is NOT the preferred way to go, as doing this every 6-8 weeks will completely destroy any relationship I hope to build with Ferris. Not to mention that putting him under anesthesia every other month is a really bad idea, for ANY animal.

or,

B.) I use flower essences in his water to help alleviate his anxieties and calm him down enough to allow me to groom him, either using just the flower essences in his water, or using the essesnces with the 5 mg dose of Ace combined.

I'm a bit skeptical about the essences, but I'm willing to give it a try. Anything to avoid furthering Ferris' distrust of me.

I am concerned, however, as the vet's office stated that the essences won't work right if they are put in the drinking fountain water, and that I will have to use a regular water bowl.

That just isn't going to be possible in my home, unless I'm willing to have water all over the floor on a daily basis from the bowl getting knocked over. (You should see the amount of dry food I have to clean up off the floor every day from the roughhousing that goes on while I'm not home - I'm just not willing to add water to the mix.)

I use the Drinkwell, and I can always take out the filter, but the vet's office for some reason says that the essence drops won't work if the water is circulating. HUH???

Please I beg those of you who have experience using essences to share your experience with me. I need to do the right thing for Ferris, and if I don't get his claws trimmed soon, the carpets in my apartment will all be destroyed just from him running over them, as he snags everything now, his claws are SO long.

I just don't want to be forced to vet him for grooming, or he and I will never be able to make friends.
 

sharky

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Which essesences are the Vet talking about... I often use Bach s and it comes in spray , cream and drops so it is easier to addminater
 
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gingersmom

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Originally Posted by sharky

Which essesences are the Vet talking about... I often use Bach s and it comes in spray , cream and drops so it is easier to addminater
They mentioned drops, and are researching what kind they think I should give him, so I'm not sure what kind it would be yet, but they did say drops into the water.

What benefits have you seen from using them? What were the reasons you started using them?
 

sharky

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I started due to Kandie and Zoey not hitting it off... Kandie is a bit ornry... I now use it for Zoey and Gigi prior to vets or car rides ... I use the spray on the bedding and the cream on there noses ... Mine dont do "tainted" water
 
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gingersmom

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Is there anyone else out there that has used the flower essences?

And if so, what was the effect on the kitties? Sharky has used them, but didn't state what the effects/benefits/results of use were.

Please chime in if you have experienced positive results! Or even none at all!
 

sharky

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OPPS... one day I will learn to read...lol..

It relaxes Kandie and Gigi nicely but Zoey would need the whole body ... I will also be useing ace in conjuction with for Zoeys first accupucture... It worked on my Mom yesterday... me not so much
 

epona

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I have used them on birds - but with a bird you put 1 or 2 drops on the back of their neck where they can't preen it off, sort of like applying frontline! I can't think of any reason why you could not do this with a cat, I can't think that any of the ingredients would cause skin irritation (after all it is fine to ingest them).
 

carolpetunia

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A friend of mine was given what she called a "floral oil" -- sounds like the same thing as a "flower essence" -- for her cat, and her vet said to massage it gently into the tips of his ears. I have no personal experience of it, but that's what my friend was told...
 

sylorna

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well, no personal experiences yet BUT
The local petstore has a line of essences. Can't think of the name off hand, but they carry one for anxiety, one for loud noises, and one for travel anxiety. I was skeptical, but the lady who works there said that she tried the loud noises one on her cat and it worked like a charm (scared of thunderstorms). I've picked up the travel one for Dynah's and Chesters long car ride when we move.

I know that the bach rescue remedy works for ME, and I've heard of other people having quite the luck with it. Personally, instead of tainting the water, I'd be more prone to opening their mouths and putting a couple drops in, much like I would do to myself. It tates yucky, but at least you know it's in there.

I read somewhere that rubbing the tips of any animals ears can calm them down, it's a pressure point. You might want to try that too. Also, some soft classical music seems to calm my animals down quite regularly.

Much luck! Keep us updated
 
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gingersmom

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Originally Posted by Sylorna

Personally, instead of tainting the water, I'd be more prone to opening their mouths and putting a couple drops in, much like I would do to myself. It tates yucky, but at least you know it's in there.

I read somewhere that rubbing the tips of any animals ears can calm them down, it's a pressure point. You might want to try that too. Also, some soft classical music seems to calm my animals down quite regularly.
Thing is, I can't hold Ferris to put anything in his mouth, and I usually can't get close enough to him to touch him for any reason. He won't let me pet him except once in a great while, when he's feeling particularly magnanimous, so I'd have no choice but to put it in the water.

It is less about anxiety in general, and more that he's very feral around me and doesn't trust me one bit. If he was a house-born domestic, we wouldn't even have these issues.

The vet is supposed to call me back today about it, so we'll see, and I'll definitely keep you all updated.
 

anakat

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I,ve used Bachs Rescue Remedy, I first used it for Daisy when her life long companion had to be PTS and she got very depressed, and it seemed to help. Now I use it for a few days prior to vets visits. it does seem to calm them down . I put it in the water.
 
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gingersmom

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So here's a stupid question: If the cat already doesn't trust me, is "calming him down" going to suddenly change how he feels about me so that I can then hold him and groom him properly?

This is where I get really skeptical about this essence thing. What I need is for him to be "out of it" so I can groom him without him trying to get away.

I have had Feliway running for months, and I don't know how adding flower essences to his water is going to make grooming him suddenly possible. Because grooming him properly is what it is all about, it isn't that he is having behavioral issues at all.

SIGH...I'm feeling frustrated about this. Can I let him go without a nail clipping for a whole year in the hopes that as he grows out of kittenhood he gets mellower and develops a trust for me so I can actually take care of him the right way?

He is 7 months old and FULL of kitten crazies, but not in a bad way - he's a very joyful, playful and sweet boy. He just really has ZERO trust in me, after all, since I've brought him home, he's been stuffed in a carrier - by me - and taken to the vet at least once every six weeks, and it's only been 3 1/2 months since he's been living with me.

I'm starting to wonder if I should just let it go - and then I see him get his claws stuck in the curtains like they did this morning, and he can't get untangled on his own. THAT was fun, getting him unstuck so they wouldn't all come tumbling down. And again, I'm the big meanie, as he doesn't see me as being helpful by unsticking him, rather, I'm big and scary and - gasp - I touched his PAW!!! How DARE I!!!


 

abymummy

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Use the rescue remedy spray...it's more effective then drops especially if you can't get close to his mouth. It works (for me at least) much better then feliway! My NFO is a cat's cat not a human cat and that's the only way I can even get close to him without him cringing away from me...
 

girlsetsfiyah

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I've also used Bach flower remedy for my mothers cat (13 years old with kidney disease). We've used the rescue remedy formula, put the liquid drops in her wet food, and used the cream on the tips of her ears and her paw pads. It made a huge difference with her, she's been happier and less "down" on life.
I would suggest putting the essances in wet food as opposed to the water. I hope that helps a bit!
 

stephanietx

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I started using Bach's Rescue Remedy when my older cat (10yo) started stressing over a new addition to the family. She is like a totally different cat! She's was depressed, anti-social, anti-playful, just plain not herself. Took her to the vet, had tests run, everything was fine. Dr. suggested kitty prozac, but I preferred something more natural. Within a week, I could tell a difference and over the past several months, she's really turned back into her normal happy go lucky cat self.

I give her the drops and I put it in her wet food. She never leaves any of that behind, so I'm sure she'll get her full dosage everyday. She refuses to let me touch her paws. It's a major hissing/screaming fight when we try to clip her nails, so we haul her to the vet and let them clip her nails. It's worth the money, IMO.

Stephanie
 
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gingersmom

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Well, I got the flower essences, specifically, we are using the following:

Rock Rose: This is useful for animals that are very scared and prone to panic attacks, for no known reason. They become totally rigid with fear and tend to be very highly strung and nervous.

Vervain: This is good for the very enthusiastic animal that is over bearing and highly strung. It helps calm hyperactivity and restlessness and suits the animal that wears people out by their excess energy.

Star of Bethlehem: For animals that have suffered any kind of trauma, emotional or physical, such as an accident or abuse. It will help them to recover from this shock, however long ago it took place.

So far we are two days into dosage, I'm putting it into Ferris' wet food in the evening and on his morning treats, a total of 5 drops per day.

No noticable effects as of yet.

Ferris has gotten more sociable and friendly with me since Christmas when he got the jungle gym to hide in, but I still can't touch his paws to clip his nails or try to put his collar back on him when he takes it off - he panics and runs.

He will let my roomie put his collar back on, but my roomie won't help me try clipping his nails. (My roomie won't help me clean the house or pay for the cats' care, so why would I expect that he'd be helpful with grooming?
Besides, he's afraid he'll get scratched - stupid human!)

Arggh. Anyway, I guess we'll see if this stuff has any noticable, beneficial effect! I'll keep you posted...
 
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gingersmom

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Well, here we are a few days later, and there DOES seem to be a difference!

Ferris has gotten almost downright cuddly over the last few days. He'll jump up onto my bed and headbutt and headbonk me until I pet him, then he'll snuggle his head into my hand as he purrs his heart out!


He is actively seeking me out and telling me what I should do with my life. (Namely, feed him treats.
) We had a back and forth meowing conversation the other day that lasted about 5 minutes. I have NO idea what I said, but he seemed to think it required a vehement response.


And...drumroll please...over Saturday and Sunday, I was able to clip a total of not one, not two, but THREE of his ridiculously sharp claws!


So, in the short term, unless it is purely my imagination, I would have to say that so far, these flower essesnces DO appear to have a positive effect!
I'm going to keep using them, as I am starting to put the Feliway diffusers away (been running them non-stop since August) and we'll see if Ferris continues to be the little loverboy I knew he had buried deep in his little semi-feral self!
 

AbbysMom

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Wow! That is EXCELLENT news! Where did you buy the flower essences?
 
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gingersmom

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Originally Posted by AbbysMom

Wow! That is EXCELLENT news! Where did you buy the flower essences?
I got them from my vet's office, as they are both a traditional and holistic practice, but I was the one that specified exactly what essences to use, knowing Ferris as well as I do. I researched them on the internet, then talked to the vet's office again, they mixed them for me, and I picked up the bottle for about $15.

They had at first recommended a mixture of three essences that I felt were inappropriate for him, based upon his background and behavior.
 

armani

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So what exactly does the essences do? Just work as a relaxer? will this help with baths as well? and where can I get this stuff?
 
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