Pheromone sprays and diffusers are an amazing tool for shelter cats. One of the most commonly used products is Feliway, a synthetic version of the feline face pheromone that is calming. Another tactic some use to get cats to be more comfortable and relaxed is catnip. As many know, catnip often can cause a hyperactive response in cats: rolling around, face rubbing, drooling, vocalizations, followed by calm. When in an aerosolized form it can often be more relaxing (at least according to one of the vets at my shelter). Zenifel is a product that combines the two. While feliway is wonderful and I have noticed a difference when using it, I have noticed much quicker results in calming and gaining trust within the fearful cats at my shelter. Sometimes the change is almost immediate, relaxing their body posture, allowing attention, their pupils relax. In my experience with feliway, it takes much longer for there to be an effect on the cat, if at all. It has become my go-to product when working on BMOD, especially with mild to severe FAS cases. If you are interested you can find it on chewy or amazon for the same price as feliway. They also make gel room diffusers which are great if you don't have many outlets and last a few months.
#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment------------------------------
Laurel Wilton
Feline Welfare Supervisor
Nebraska Humane Society
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