Feliway Plug-ins

Some of you may remember my other thread about how we adopted 2 male(neutured) cats last Sunday and one cat has been a real bully to the other (who refuses to fight back). The vet suggested we buy "Feliway plug-ins". I noticed it's a little pricey, however, we don't mind if it would solve our problem. I'd like to know your opinions about this, does it really work or is it a waste of money. Also, a few other ???'s:

- Is there a preference with using the spray as opposed to the plug-in. If you use the spray, how long does it last?

- How long does it take to work? Suppose I buy a plug-in, how long should I let it warm up before bringing the cats into the room?

- Should I use it in every room the cats have access to? Would the cats be fine in the "Feliway" room but back to their "fighting" ways if they move into another "Feliway" free room?

- Assuming it works, will I have to use it forever?

As always - thanks for the help.

When I first started using Feliway, I put a diffuser in the rooms my kitties spent the most time in, so I had 4. I'm now down to 2. It works for my cat, but I've known some here who've tried it and not had success or have had limited success.

Initially, I didn't notice a difference immediately, but rather a gradual change in behavior over a couple of weeks. I think if you expect a night and day type response to it, you may have unrealistic expectations.

I don't think anyone will be able to tell you if it'll be a forever thing since it varies depending on each situation. I try to have at least one plugged in at all times at my house, but sometimes I forget to change it and my cat's behavior reminds me.

When using the plug in diffuser, you don't have to wait to bring the kitties in. You can just plug it in. I've never used the spray so I can't advise you on that.

HTH!

Stephanie

Here's a link to Feliway FAQs from Cat Faeries: http://www.catfaeries.com/feliwayfaq.html. It should answer at least most of your questions. There's an additional link within the text about what product to use for given situations, which is also helpful. And of course there is the FAQ section at the Feliway website:http://www.feliway.co.uk/

I've never used the spray because I've heard the diffusers are better. Of course they're also more expensive. But at least you just plug them in and forget about them for a month. The spray has to be reapplied every few days.

Feliway seems to have a good success rate, but unfortunately there are no guarantees. And sometimes you need to allow a month or two (or three) before you can detect any benefits. Which is bad because like you said, they are pricey. Personally I've found that eBay regularly has some decent deals, relatively speaking. Especially if you buy in quantity.

I want to add that the unit itself needs to be replaced every year. My first one was well over a year old when I had to replace it. I emailed the company, and that's when I found out they need to be replaced yearly.

I had one going while Raven was ill. But the last one I had went bad before it was even used for a year. It got hot (much hotter than they normally are) and smelled very electrical. If I hadn't been home we could have had a fire. I won't buy the wall units anymore.

I'm not saying don't use them, just be careful if you do. After the last incident I switched to using Rescue Remedy in the cats' water.

Thanks for all the replies. After checking out the price and reading a lot of mixed reviews (from the site & others), I've decided not to try this right now. If I really thought it would work, then it would be money well spent, however, my little "fraidy" cat seems so disturbed that I doubt this would do any good.

Something else you might check out is Bach's Rescue Remedy. I also used that with my cat for a time and it helped.

Stephanie

If you have kids you cant use the spray either!! It has ethenol in it! The plug ins you can put out of childrens reach and not let the kids anywhere near them but the others, you cant! When I did my homework on this subject I also decided not to do it! I have 3 kids and cant risk anything with them. I did find a helpfull anti anxiety med that is over the counter from the vet, but Ive only had to use it like 3 times! Just when he gets really down in the dumps and starts howling do I use it... He still misses his friend sometimes!

Does anyone know if the Feliway product can have a reverse effect on the cats? We have only one cat; which has been going pee in two corners of the same room. I purchased the plug-in, and it only made the problem WORSE. He now urinates in both spots EVERYDAY, has started going in new spots within the same room, and to top it off....has pooped 3x there as well! Pooping was never an issue before. The litter box is changed 2x daily. We took him to the vet about a month ago, and no problems were found. We love the cat, but we are at our wits end! Any suggestions? We rescued him from the shelter, and it would break our heart to have to get rid of him.

Does anyone know if the Feliway product can have a reverse effect on the cats? We have only one cat; which has been going pee in two corners of the same room. I purchased the plug-in, and it only made the problem WORSE. He now urinates in both spots EVERYDAY, has started going in new spots within the same room, and to top it off....has pooped 3x there as well! Pooping was never an issue before. The litter box is changed 2x daily. We took him to the vet about a month ago, and no problems were found. We love the cat, but we are at our wits end! Any suggestions? We rescued him from the shelter, and it would break our heart to have to get rid of him.

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Yes. On another board I read, someone's cat actually will spray the unit. Needless to say she doesn't use them anymore.

What kind of litter are you using? Can you try Cat Attract litter for your boxes? Or at minimum an unscented clumping litter for sure. Also, are you cleaning the soiled spots with Nature's Miracle or a similar Enzyme cleaner? If you use just regular cleaners, the cat can still find the spot.

Since the pooping is a new issue, I would get a recheck on his health. There could be something going on to make "going" painful.

I used to have a cat who was very fussy about his litterpan. If it was not scooped 2-3 times a day and the litter fully changed every 3 weeks or so, he would poo in front of the box. At about 2-3 weeks most litters get a "stale" used smell and it's definitely time for a full change at that point.