Using Feliway?

[ValerieMorghulis]

DCat has been suffering from stress cystitis, probably brought on by the arrival of a couple of new cats in the area that come into the garden. We can’t stop them - and she roams anyway - so she’s going to have to get used to them.

She’s had a course of antibiotics when the cystitis caused blood in her wee, and seems much better; she couldn’t take the anti-inflammatory though as it made her sick. She is still doing small wees inside - in the corners of rooms and behind furniture etc - whereas before she was just doing it outside all the time.

I’ve now got her on cystease in the hope of soothing her bladder a bit but wondered about the feliway plug in. Does it actually smell? Is it worth it in the middle of summer when we have doors and windows open all the time? I’m reluctant to have the house smell like a cheap candle but right now it’s in danger of smelling of cat wee!

We’re doing our best to keep her calm but obviously have no control over what she encounters outside and she would be miserable being kept in. Any advice very welcome!

Feliway doesn’t smell of anything to humans do don’t worry about that. It would be worth a try, in a room that the cat hangs out in (a bedroom?)
Do you have litter trays down for her?

I found Feliway worked wonders for my cystitis prone cats.

I had a routine as soon as the weeing started - extra litter trays out, Feliway plugins in, Metacam for a few days (appreciate this didn't work for your cat) and it would fix it every time.

Change to a urinary cat food helps loads as well.

It doesn't smell. I think it would be worth it - presumably your windows aren't open full width 24/7 so it can still circulate around a bit.

Apparently propensity to crystals is genetic, I had 2 sisters with it so got a lot of experience but so far so good with their successors.

No, it doesn't smell. You won't know it's there.

There's a version called Feliway Friends that's supposed to stop friction between cats in the same house - I'm not sure if that might help yours feel calmer about the intruders, but it might be worth a try in addition to normal Feliway.

Thank you, that’s really helpful! I should have said, she and her housemate have always lived together but do squabble occasionally so that won’t be helping. I’ll look out for the Friends version then.

Both cats were litter trained early on but when they started going outside they stopped using them. We’ve left one out for emergencies but I think we need to put more down and particularly where she sleeps.

DCat is a bit of a wild girl so it’s a shame to see her being nervous and sorry for herself (although right now I can see her stalking a pigeon in the garden…)

If there's a particular spot she's using most often in the house, it wouldn't hurt to pop a litter tray down in that spot. If she starts using it, you can gradually move its position to somewhere suitable to you, once she's in the habit of going there. I agree with generally putting out more trays - the 'rule' is supposed to be one per cat plus one although I can see why you wouldn't have needed that when both were toileting outside.

Bear in mind there is no guarantee your cat will be a Feliway responder.

I've always been OK with Feliway but found Feliway Friends a waste of time - but there must be cats out there it works for!

Mine seem to respond to both types although that said, I have never had the Friends plugged in on its own. When I was introducing a new cat I had standard Feliway in 'his' room and Friends in neutral territory.

I agree it would be a good idea to put down a litter tray in one of her favoured locations.

I have used Feliway many times over the years including for inappropriate urination, always with hope in my heart. But it has never made the slightest difference.

(I can't smell the plug-in but I can smell the spray for a few minutes after using it.)

Humans can’t smell it. It worked wonders for our cat when she got stressed out by a new cat next door.

It doesn’t smell to humans. DCat was stressed by the arrival of two NDN cats and feliway has helped him.

I'm also a fan of Zylkene for stressed cats. Certainly works with mine, and a friend said his cat reduced her overgrooming vastly using it.

The combo of Pet Remedy Plug in and Beaphor calming treats has been the most effective in our house