# How long can you keep a cat on Zylkene for



## PetloverJo (Nov 4, 2011)

I have got Henry on Zylkene to try to calm him before his shave at the vets next week. He is on 2 x 75mg tablets which is the recommended dose for a cat over 5kg.

I was just wondering how long I can keep him on them?


----------



## Torin. (May 18, 2014)

You can use it for as long as, since it's a supplement and not a drug. The main thing is that you slowly taper it off over a few days, rather than suddenly just stopping.

eta - although having said that, I'm not sure how long it takes to kick in in the first place.


----------



## Ragdollsfriend (Feb 13, 2014)

My Leo was on Zylkene once for a week. I read somewhere you should start Zylkene at least 4 days before "an event" e.g. a long trip. Well I didn't know that at the time so we got him the tables a few days after the event (a new cat moved in with us) and then we stopped it altogether one morning. It didn't seem to bother him that we stopped rather than reduced the dose gradually. But we used this supplement for a week only so perhaps best to phase it out once a cat has been on it much longer?


----------



## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

Charlie-girl's been on it for the better part of a year now, to help her get on with Lori...  And we're getting there, slowly! 

Oh, and a moneysaving tip for you, buy the big 450mg capsules and split the dose rather than keep buying the 75mg ones - it's a LOT cheaper and Zylkene isn't dose critical (and you can't overdose either) so it doesn't matter if it varies a bit day to day


----------



## MinkyMadam (Apr 12, 2014)

PetloverJo said:


> I have got Henry on Zylkene to try to calm him before his shave at the vets next week. He is on 2 x 75mg tablets which is the recommended dose for a cat over 5kg.
> 
> I was just wondering how long I can keep him on them?


Thank you for starting this thread! I was wondering exactly the same thing. I've just started Mindy on Zylkene a few days ago for 3 reasons - 1. She's been a bit stressed by new kitten Biba even though she doesn't see her that often. 2. She's been a bit poorly the last couple of weeks - various symptoms including conjunctivitis - and I think stress is a factor. 3. We need to administer eye drops due to the conjunctivitis and her natural tendency is to freak out. It's only been a few days but I am noticing a positive difference. Am not sure though how long to keep it going. Presumably till she's back to normal fitness and more settled with Biba but not sure how long that will take. 
So thanks again for asking. X


----------



## Kathyvet (Aug 24, 2014)

You need to start them a few days before the "stressful event" and animals can stay on them indefinitely as far as I am aware as they are a nutracutical. I hadn't read anything re tapering the dose at the end. 

I would be really interested from owners as to whether they think it helps? Any experience in comparison to feliway?


Kathy BVMS MRCVS


----------



## delca1 (Oct 29, 2011)

Maya has been on Zylkene for ages. Started when Jaz died a couple of years ago, and since then she gets urine infections when something happens, can't always predict things though! Originally she was on cystaid.
As far as my vet is concerned she can be on it for life but I do cut the dose down when life is straight forward for her.
As for feliway, to be honest I'm not sure it did anything, I have stopped using it now.


----------



## sharonchilds (Jul 7, 2011)

Kathyvet said:


> You need to start them a few days before the "stressful event" and animals can stay on them indefinitely as far as I am aware as they are a nutracutical. I hadn't read anything re tapering the dose at the end.
> 
> I would be really interested from owners as to whether they think it helps? Any experience in comparison to feliway?
> 
> Kathy BVMS MRCVS


Feliway works great with my bed peeing Joey, i know when its starting to run out cos he pees on the bed. Once replaced he is very good.
I also have to turn it off some times as it gets hot and he will peee then as well, i deffo think its a great help, better than the Zylkene..hope that helps


----------



## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

delca1 said:


> Maya has been on Zylkene for ages. Started when Jaz died a couple of years ago, and since then she gets urine infections when something happens, can't always predict things though! Originally she was on cystaid.
> As far as my vet is concerned she can be on it for life but I do cut the dose down when life is straight forward for her.
> As for feliway, to be honest I'm not sure it did anything, I have stopped using it now.


My Vet said the same she said it was fine to leave Liddy on Zylkene for as long as was needed. She was on it for months!


----------



## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Jesthar said:


> Charlie-girl's been on it for the better part of a year now, to help her get on with Lori...  And we're getting there, slowly!
> 
> Oh, and a moneysaving tip for you, buy the big 450mg capsules and split the dose rather than keep buying the 75mg ones - it's a LOT cheaper and Zylkene isn't dose critical (and you can't overdose either) so it doesn't matter if it varies a bit day to day


^^^^ ditto - Mia's been on it since last October

I had reduced her dose right down but had to increase it again recently as she was unwell (upset tum, cystitis) which the vet put down to stress so it's been increased a little again

She totally freaked last night  so will be going back to full dose for a while .....



Kathyvet said:


> Any experience in comparison to feliway?


I think like most things, it's trial and error and what works for one, won't have an effect on another

It def works wonders for Mia - and in conjunction with RC Calm, she is a LOT calmer than she was

Both cats (totally separated) have the RC Calm ad-lib and there are days when they don't touch it and other days when they eat loads so I wonder if they know it helps?

(It's similar to the Zyklene as has a calming ingredient in it)

Feliway - I did have plug-ins on when she came home BUT they ran out and I didn't notice any difference so haven't replaced them.

I do also use Pet Remedy plug-ins now & then and have had better results for them

I'm actually wondering now ...... I ran out of RC Calm earlier this week - there was only 2 days I didn't have it but wondering if that could've been the cause of Mia's 'incident' last night - she'd been eating loads of it the previous few days (which is why I'd run out before the new bag arrived)


----------



## delca1 (Oct 29, 2011)

Lilylass said:


> It def works wonders for Mia - and in conjunction with RC Calm, she is a LOT calmer than she was


I've not heard of RC Calm, is it a medicine from the vet or is it more of a natural treatment?


----------



## Soozi (Jun 28, 2013)

delca1 said:


> I've not heard of RC Calm, is it a medicine from the vet or is it more of a natural treatment?


It's a dry food I think! Can't get it here!


----------



## Jesthar (May 16, 2011)

Soozi said:


> It's a dry food I think! Can't get it here!


Yup, it's a dry food, and has the exact same active ingredient as Zylkene if memory serves. Dry probably isn't the best call for cats with stress problems that affect their toileting, though, as it is so dehydrating and may exacerbate urinary crystals as a result. Better to stick with Zylkene on wet


----------



## Kitchen Maid (Aug 1, 2014)

This thread has been very helpful for me because after an initial 3 week course of Zyklene, the vet then suggested that as Blackie is a stressy, nervy cat who's had 2 bouts of FIC, that he stay on it permanently. I felt a bit reluctant to do this so tapered it down to 1 x every other day and he's now off it altogether. I've been wondering over the past 2 weeks whether I've done the right thing.

However, I would definitely use it for 'events' like a cattery stay - in fact the vet suggested he should have 2 x day for that event (though she wasn't keen for him to go into a cattery if at all avoidable).

I'd also use it for car journeys - but have to say that when his basket was on the back seat, Zyklene and the Feliway spray seemed to have no effect at all. He cried for almost the whole 3 hour journey down to N Somerset. The solution for the car journey has been to have his basket on my lap ... quiet as a mouse and seemingly quite content.

As far as Feliway plug-ins are concerned - I'm not sure whether they work with Blackie or not. I've tried Pet Remedy as well, but can't be sure that works either ... though that smells stronger and I feel sleepy :laugh:


----------



## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

Jesthar said:


> Yup, it's a dry food, and has the exact same active ingredient as Zylkene if memory serves.


Sorry but they are different

Zyklene has little effect on Archie but RC Calm works wonders for him 

On phone ATM so can't do links - will try to pop back later and do some


----------

