Many cats are high strung and not happy with changes in their households. When I moved 1200 miles and brought three cats along with me, I used Feliway cat calming spray to help my furry companions adjust to their new home. They settled in much more easily than I thought, and I credit the spray as a big help.

Facial Pheromones for Cats

Products that contain Feliway work by mimicking the pleasant pheromones naturally produced by cats.

If you're a feline parent, you've no doubt witnessed your kitties rubbing their faces against objects, and probably against you, too. The facial pheromones create a a safe and comforting atmosphere for cats. Even though I just used this product to help my cats adjust to the move, it's also helpful for behaviors like scratching the furniture and urinating outside of the litter box.

That was almost ten years ago. I now have four different cats and recently introduced a dog into the household. Three of the cats are older and set in their ways. The youngest one has never been around dogs, so overall we were going into uncharted territory, Thankfully, Comfort Zone (a newer version of Feliway) eased the chaotic transition.

Beware of Dog

Actually, I think introducing Bolt, the dog, would have gone more smoothly if I didn't make a big mistake early on. He's a small chiweenie, with short, stubby legs from the dachshund side, and I didn't think he could jump too high. Thus I bought a pen rather than a crate and put him in it when I went to the store shortly after his adoption.

Bolt turned out to be a jackrabbit in dog form. When I got home, I found he'd escaped and spent the whole time I was gone chasing the cats around the house. Any chance of a peaceful introduction was now gone, since two of the four cats were terrified to even come out of hiding. The other two took things in stride, but Farquaad and SheiKra concealed themselves the the upstairs closet for two days.

Creating Comfort

Thankfully, this all coincided with an opportunity to test Comfort Zone plug-in diffusers with Feliway. The diffusers work the same was as a plug-in air freshener, but they're odorless to the human nose.

I received a product sample and used it as part of my plan to convince the two chicken-cats that the downstairs was still safe. I also got Bolt a crate and set up a network of baby gates so the cats could easily get back upstairs without the dog following them.

The cats were still very reluctant to come down the stairs before I used the Comfort Zone plug-ins, even when I tempted them with food. Then I plugged in the product in an outlet near the staircase and noticed a sudden change in attitude. They were still cautious, but they came down to eat more readily, and Farquaad even ventured off the stairs and did some exploring on the first floor while I distracted Bolt with treats.

SheiKra did some exploring, too, but that poor cat has the worst timing and always seems to come down when Bolt is in a playful mood and chases him back upstairs. As the days passed, Farquaad got brave enough to spend some time in the front sitting room, even though he was still on high alert.

Evidence of Effectiveness

We quickly worked our way through two bottles of Comfort Zone. Each bottle is supposed to last for four weeks, but it generally ran out around week three.

I unplugged the unit, meaning to attach the third (the product screws right onto the warmer). Then I forgot all about it and noticed that cats were suddenly more leery of coming down. Obviously they missed the more hospitable atmosphere created by the pheromone smell.

I'm on the third bottle now, and the two scaredy cats are back to their braver stance. It's still going to take a while to get them completely comfortable on the first floor because Bolt's prey drive is very strong. He's fine with my other two cats because they don't run when he tries to chase them. I know he'll eventually learn not to go after SheiKra and Farquaad, and in the meantime I'm going to keep the Comfort Zone diffuser well stocked with liquid.

If you prefer a spray, you can still buy that version, too. Comfort Zone products with Feliway are available online and also at many major pet retailers.



There's a dog version of this product, too. I haven't tried it on Bolt, as I generally put him in his Thundershirt to help with his separation anxiety, and I broke him of whining overnight in his crate with the Sonic Egg.

The dog pheromones are supposed to help with stress-related behaviors like chewing, barking, and hyperactivity. Judging by the effectiveness of Comfort Zone for cats, it's well worth a try.