Feliway
Formulation
Diffuser / Spray
Active ingredient
Synthetic Feline Pheromones
Category
Behaviour
Evidence Strength
Excellent
What is Feliway?
Feliway is the brand name for a range of products containing feline pheromones. Feliway comes as a diffuser or spray and is commonly used to relieve stress in cats. You will be able to get Feliway without a veterinary prescription.
How does Feliway work?
Feliway contains a synthetic version of naturally occurring feline pheromones. The release of pheromones from a diffuser mimics those that a happy cat would release from its own body.
Pheronomes are a little like smells. However, unlike smells, which can have positive or negative associations, pheromones act like a key in a lock, causing chemical release in your cat’s body.
Your cat will detect Feliway pheromones when it smells them. These pheromones cause the release of chemical messengers, making them calm and show fewer signs of stress. The specific pheromone in Feliway will depend on the product you have purchased.
What is Feliway used for in cats?
Feliway is used in cats to alleviate signs of stress and to prevent anxiety before a stressful event. Signs of stress in cats may include hiding, poor appetite, urine marking, scratching and increased sleeping.
Your vet may recommend Feliway if:
- Your cat is staying in a cattery
- You are away for a night
- You are moving home
- They are about to travel somewhere, including the vets.
- There are new people in the home
- There are new pets in the home
- Your cat is being bullied by a neighbouring cat
It is important to note that if you want to prevent stress in your pet, you should start using Feliway whilst your pet is calm. For example, if you are getting builders in, you should install a Feliway diffuser several days beforehand if possible.
What are the different Feliway products for?
The different types of Feliway contain different pheromones. Each product in the Feliway range is aimed at a different stressor for your cat:
- Classic – This reduces signs of stress, such as urine marking, scratching, and hiding.
- Friends – This reduces conflict between cats.
- Optimum – This reduces all the above.
- Help – This provides very short-term stress relief e.g. friends over for a party.
Is there evidence to support the use of Feliway?
There is a lot of very good quality and recent evidence to support the use of Feliway for cats. The use of Feliway is supported for signs of stress, such as scratching and hiding.
Feliway FAQs
Do vets recommend Feliway?
Most vets will recommend Feliway for your cats. Most cat-friendly clinics will use Feliway diffusers in their waiting and consult rooms to help make cats feel relaxed and more at home. If you have bought a Feliway diffuser, as opposed to a spray, it is recommended that you leave it switched on all the time to provide a steady release of pheromones.
Does Feliway work immediately?
Feliway doesn’t work immediately – it takes approximately 24 hours for the diffuser to spread throughout the home (although Feliway Help* is a spray, so it works faster than this!)
If your cat is severely stressed, it may take several days for Feliway to reach its maximum effect.
*Please note you shouldn’t expose your cat to the spray version of Feliway for 20 minutes after spraying, as the alcohol needs to evaporate (they may not like the scent)
What’s the difference between Feliway Classic, Feliway Multicat and Feliway Platinum?
The difference between Feliway Classic, Multicat and Platinum is the type of feline pheromone they all contain. Feliway Classic contains the feline facial pheromone. Feliway Multicat contains the feline appeasing pheromone. Feliway Platinum also contains the feline facial pheromone, as well as other calming substances.
Do some cats dislike Feliway?
Most cats will experience the positive calming effects of Feliway. However, there may be some cats that dislike Feliway. This could be due to severe stress, an underlying health condition or an allergy to one of the ingredients in Feliway. If your cat’s behaviour or health appears to worsen with Feliway, stop the product and talk to your vet.
How many Feliway diffusers do I need?
One Feliway diffuser is enough for a three-bedroom house (70m2). However, if your house is large or your cat accesses several floors, you might be better using more than one.
Where should I put my Feliway diffuser?
The Feliways diffuser needs to be put into a plug socket, ideally one with space above it and not behind a door or cabinet, as the pheromones need air movement to move around the house.
For best effect, put the Feliway diffuser in the room your cat spends the most time in.
More information about Feliway
Stressed cat? This might help…
If your cat needs Feliway, you might find our vet-written courses useful. Our courses contain non-biased, evidence-based information to help you understand your pet’s condition, and support to manage these conditions holistically.
Our urinary problems course is going live later this week. It contains a lot of information about preventing urinary problems in cats, including some stress management tips.
Please note that the information contained herein is provided for informational purposes only. Although it has been written by a vet, we cannot consider the individual nature of your pet’s problems so it does not constitute veterinary advice. If you have questions about your pet’s medication or their health you should contact a vet, who will be able to help.
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