# Feliway diffuser



## Catlaydee83 (Nov 10, 2009)

Hi. I'm fairly new here and posted a thread a few weeks ago about my cat that isn&#8217;t eating very much and being sick a lot too. Unfortunately he hasnt got any better but thankfully not much worse either. 

We've tried everything the vet has suggested and he is on two types of medicine at the moment to no effect. His behaviour has changed too, he's normally a very sociable and prefers to be with somebody rather than on his own but lately he's been very unsociable and doesn&#8217;t want to be touched. 

The vet suggests an endoscopy at between £500 and £800 which at the moment I can't really afford and it might not even highlight the problem after we've forked out for it. We moved house about 6 weeks ago and introduced him and my other cat properly to two kittens that had been living separate at the other house in the living room. He won't let them near him and is very jumpy around them. He growls at them if they come anywhere near him. I can't work it out because my other cat is fine with them and he was fine with her when we first got her 2 years ago.

Im no vet but im starting to think that maybe it isnt a medical problem as such, as he seems very depressed and quite stressed out too. He's usually a bit feisty and very alert but he seems to be very slow and lazy, he normally doesnt like stuff being done to him we even have to get the vet to clip his claws but he's letting me touch his paws which is usually a major no no and he's even letting me give him medicine. He's been walking with his head down and not really responding to me calling him over or being stroked he also doesnt come to greet me at the door as he always did before.

I was wondering if anybody here has ever used the feliway diffuser and if it worked for them. Would anyone recommend it or if anyone has any other ideas as I&#8217;m very worried about him he's lost a lot of weight and it&#8217;s very hard to get him to eat and keep it down. It's just one more thing i want to try and although its a little expensive, its a lot cheaper than £500

sorry for such a long thread but the more info the better i figured. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you


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## WelshOneEmma (Apr 11, 2009)

I am by no means an expert, but I would think that part of his change in personality is due to both moving, and then being introduced to two new cats. We all know how territorial cats are! (I have three, and introduced the youngest a year ago, and she is only just being accepted by one of them). When we introduced Seren, Lucie (who is a very friendly cat) got very stressed and overgroomed. We tried felliway, but it didn't work for us. But that doesn't mean it won't work for you. We ended up using Zylkene, which is a powder that goes on the food to help calm them. That worked for us, but you have to use one a day, and they cost about £1 tablet.

Felliway is a hormonal product to calm the cats (i believe). If your cat is being sick and not eating, that would suggest to me that it's more than a hormonal and territorial issue. What antibiotics does the vet have him on at the moment? What is it for in particular?


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## Lulu's owner (May 1, 2009)

My old cat had a bad problem with scratching himself and the vet suggested a Feliway spray to calm him down but I'm afraid it was no use whatsoever, in fact the cat tended to avoid the areas we sprayed with it if anything.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I love the feliway plug in diffusers. Not the spray, the plug ins.

Just because your kitty adjusted to the one cat two years ago doesn't mean he will adjust to the kittens, but it sounds like there is a lot more going on with him. New kittens, and a move is more than enough to cause a cat stress and illness. Some cats take change very hard. Especially older cats.

could you give more information please?

How old is he? What are the medicines is he taking? What has your vet done as far as diagnostics? Has blood work been done?


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## Catlaydee83 (Nov 10, 2009)

hi thanks for replying. The vet gave him an antibiotic injection when we first took him which didnt really help, he's now on liquid parafin my mouth 4mls a day to try and breakdown any hairballs that might be causing the problem. He's also on tagamet syrup 1.4mls a day which is supposed to be an anti sickness syrup. He's also had a blood test which was all clear. He's four years old and half persian. He's always been sick probably twice a week normally but nothing like this. He has lost over a kilo in weight


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

i've used the feliway diffuser and it worked, I also use the feliway spray in the cat carriers and that works too.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Catlaydee83 said:


> hi thanks for replying. The vet gave him an antibiotic injection when we first took him which didnt really help, he's now on liquid parafin my mouth 4mls a day to try and breakdown any hairballs that might be causing the problem. He's also on tagamet syrup 1.4mls a day which is supposed to be an anti sickness syrup. He's also had a blood test which was all clear. He's four years old and half persian. He's always been sick probably twice a week normally but nothing like this. He has lost over a kilo in weight


Has he been tested for FeLV/FIV?

Is he pooping and peeing normally?

If your vet suspects a blockage I wonder why an xray and/or ultrasound has not been done?

My recommendation is that you get a second opinion from another vet, or ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary internal medicine specialist.

What's his name?


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## Catlaydee83 (Nov 10, 2009)

lorilu said:


> Has he been tested for FeLV/FIV?
> 
> Is he pooping and peeing normally?
> 
> ...


His name is chaos, Im not too sure why they havent suggested that as i imagine it would probably be cheaper than an endoscopy at anything over £500. He's going to the toilet normally as far as i can tell but its difficult with four cats to tell whos doing what. I will definataly ask my vet about an xray or ultrasound though and failing that, get a second opinion thanks for the advice


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

He does sound a bit like he could be stressed after all he has a huge upheaval in the last few weeks. You could try some Bachs Rescue Remedy in the drinking water and a couple of plug in Feliway diffusers. 

You may want to consider a consultation with an animal behaviourist. Depends on whether the vet considers his problem is more behavioural rather than medical - in which case it may be cheaper to have a consultation with a behaviourist but then you may be worrying as to whether there is still a physical cause to his behaviour ...very difficult choices.

Is he insured?


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## Catlaydee83 (Nov 10, 2009)

ChinaBlue said:


> He does sound a bit like he could be stressed after all he has a huge upheaval in the last few weeks. You could try some Bachs Rescue Remedy in the drinking water and a couple of plug in Feliway diffusers.
> 
> You may want to consider a consultation with an animal behaviourist. Depends on whether the vet considers his problem is more behavioural rather than medical - in which case it may be cheaper to have a consultation with a behaviourist but then you may be worrying as to whether there is still a physical cause to his behaviour ...very difficult choices.
> 
> Is he insured?


No as he has a very rare skin condition with a name far too long for me to remember where his paws and lip flare up every few months (going scabby and swolen) He is on steroid injections which he has every few months to keep it at bay. It worked out very expensive to insure him, as he would need regular vetinary care for the rest of his life.

He doesnt go out and has only ever been out a few times in our old house but never left the garden so im pretty sure its nothing funny he's eaten. I may try a behaviourist but as you said there still might be a physical problem. Even if it makes him a bit happier as i think it might be both problems perhaps he is physically ill and also very stressed


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