Hiya, kitty lovers. Where ever you may be.

Just have a question for you.

Have any of you kitty loving folks tried or are presently using Feliway for your kitties? It's a synthetic pheromone that mimics those that cats use for marking territory. It's secreted by glands in the side of their faces. Ever notice kitty walking by a corner and rub the side of their face on it? That's them marking their territory and 'safe zone'.

Lori's little Princess Bella kitten has had some litter box using issues. We are trying to retrain her now by keeping her sequestered in the sun room with a litter box handy so that she hopefully learns that the litter box is the ONLY place to pee. She usually uses it, but had some episodes where she simply chose to take her business elsewhere.

Anyway.....
One of the things that the vet recommended was Feliway. It is kinda like a plug in air freshener that slowly vaporizes this synthetic pheromone.
Lori has 3 of them going, and it is some pretty amazing stuff. You cannot smell it, but the kitties can.
The impact on little Bella has not been dramatic, but it does seem to be helping.
The impact on Ty Ty (Tiberious), one of her 2yo Maine Coon guys, has been incredible. He was always a bit skittish and shy. Since Feliway, he is simply a brand new kitty!! I mean, he'll actually roll over and let me pet him! He would never do that before. He was just too untrusting and scared all of the time, for no real reason. His brother Leo (Leonardo the Lion King) was never like that, and they were raised side by side.
And Starbaby (Starbucks, her 7yo rescue kitty) just makes me laugh sometimes now, as he rolls around on the floor with what you just know is this big kitty grin on his face.

I bought a diffuser for my kitties a few weeks ago and plugged it in the bedroom where they spend most of their days luxuriating on the nice warm waterbed. Such lucky kitties. And the result has not been as dramatic, as they have always been rather happy cats. But I do sense that they are more relaxed and cuddly. More kitty kisses with their noses, and they seem to want to be closer to me when I go to bed at night. Purrball, my standoffish one, now spends more time up on the bed with the other two rather than hiding down under the waterbed by herself.

Kitty drugs....LOL. Anybody else tried this?

Meow.

EDIT....
BTW, Feliway can be found on Amazon..
The diffuser kit with one bottle of juice is about $26.00. The refill bottles, which last about 30 days, can be had for about $10 or $11 in a six-pack.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Years and years ago, we bought a bottle of Feliway spray. It didn't seem to help much, but maybe I just wasn't diligent enough with it.

Baby doesn't pee out of the box, but he will not hesitate to poop out of it if I don't scoop out his previous business.

He has never been affectionate with me (this winter has changed that some, but only to a degree) and is often nasty. Maybe I'll try the plug-in and see if he gets nicer.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I used a Felliway spray when I switched my kitties over from a regular litter box to a CatGenie. It was supposed to make them feel that the territory was familiar to them, or something like that.

Whether it worked or not I do not really know, but they DID take to the CatGenie very willingly.

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Years and years ago, we bought a bottle of Feliway spray. It didn't seem to help much, but maybe I just wasn't diligent enough with it.

Baby doesn't pee out of the box, but he will not hesitate to poop out of it if I don't scoop out his previous business.

He has never been affectionate with me (this winter has changed that some, but only to a degree) and is often nasty. Maybe I'll try the plug-in and see if he gets nicer.

It could not hurt to try it. I am rather amazed at it's impact, and you may not see such success. It does take a few weeks or more, but I know kitties and what I have seen is wonderful.

If I were a rich man, I would buy about a dozen of them and donate them to my local kitty shelter. I am sure that they would help the kitties there, as there can be no more stressful situation for kitty than to be locked up in a little cage waiting for somebody to find them and take them to their forever home.

And, on that note..........
I am waiting for spring eagerly. I could be making a journey to the shelter to find another friend. I am still slowly getting over my dear Squirrel's departure. I have not decided for sure yet, but I think it would do my heart good to save another kitty soul.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

I DO so hope that my kitty monitoring abilities are going somewhat astray today.
I sense things.....I have kitty vibes coming to me all the time.

And, today, Tigger II is not being herself.
Just something about the way she is behaving. Her demeanor. Her usual attitude.
Something is just not right with her.

Gawd, I hope that it is just indigestion...LOL. Her's, not mine.

But I have been here before, and I have a bad feeling right now.
I pray it shall pass for both Tigger and myself.

I don't think I am emotionally recovered enough yet from Squirrel's loss to deal with another blow to my world.
Maybe it is nothing, and I am getting my signals crossed.
I hope so.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

I DO so hope that my kitty monitoring abilities are going somewhat astray today.
I sense things.....I have kitty vibes coming to me all the time.

And, today, Tigger II is not being herself.
Just something about the way she is behaving. Her demeanor. Her usual attitude.
Something is just not right with her.

Gawd, I hope that it is just indigestion...LOL. Her's, not mine.

But I have been here before, and I have a bad feeling right now.
I pray it shall pass for both Tigger and myself.

I don't think I am emotionally recovered enough yet from Squirrel's loss to deal with another blow to my world.
Maybe it is nothing, and I am getting my signals crossed.
I hope so.

I hope so too.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I DO so hope that my kitty monitoring abilities are going somewhat astray today.
I sense things.....I have kitty vibes coming to me all the time.

And, today, Tigger II is not being herself.
Just something about the way she is behaving. Her demeanor. Her usual attitude.
Something is just not right with her.

Gawd, I hope that it is just indigestion...LOL. Her's, not mine.

But I have been here before, and I have a bad feeling right now.
I pray it shall pass for both Tigger and myself.

I don't think I am emotionally recovered enough yet from Squirrel's loss to deal with another blow to my world.
Maybe it is nothing, and I am getting my signals crossed.
I hope so.

I hope so too.

Tigger is hiding now.................
This is not a good thing.

She is being reclusive, which is what cats do............

I am not going to give up on her.
I am wrong. I am wrong. I must be wrong.
I have to be wrong.

I cannot lose another kitty soul at this time.
I just can't, friends, I just can't.
I shall lose it all.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

How sweet. Tigger just clawed half my hand off...LOL.
Nice kitty.

Meow.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

How sweet. Tigger just clawed half my hand off...LOL.
Nice kitty.

Meow.

Good to hear.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

How sweet. Tigger just clawed half my hand off...LOL.
Nice kitty.

Meow.

Good to hear.

Yes.
I just checked on her now and she is still accepting and appreciating her pettings.
So far, so good.

I pray that I just misread her and my concerns were misguided.
Not usual for the kittyman, but I have hope that's all it was.


EDIT...
And she just came out to visit with me here on the couch and is proceeding to nuzzle and kitty kiss the mouse out of my hand.
But, she still does not seem to be quite her normal self.

It's going to be hard to leave her and go to work tomorrow (assuming the car even starts at minus whatever below zero).

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

This is getting odd.
My little Bandit kitty just came out to visit as well.
She VERY seldom does so. Next thing, I'll have Purrball out here too............

The furnace has run a couple of times in the past day or so, due to the severe cold.
But, I have 2 CO alarms running, and have checked them both...no problems there.

I have a 60yo oil burning furnace. Well maintained, but still old. So, I am not stupid about such things. I replace the nozzle every couple of years, and vac out the heat exchangers, replaced the main exhaust pipe a few years ago, and used smoke sticks to check for leaks a while back. None present.

Do my cats know something I do not? Like, Dad, it's too cold outside, don't go out there? Stay home with us?
Cats are soooooooooooo intelligent, far beyond what some give them credit for.
They could be warning me.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

My Tigger II has this morning curled herself up into the littlest kitty ball possible on the bed, as kitties often do.
So, I think she is still OK.

I don't wish to disturb her right now.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

STOP.

Bold halt.

I'm seneetive.............
And F you.
That is me way and I wish to keep it so.

I am a twitchy bitch, I know that.
It suits me.
Most of the time, it suits you as well.
I have been told more often than not that my personality livens up the boards and gives a more real life nature to what does down there.

I don't expressly try to be mean. I really do NOT. I just express what I think and know at such a moment in time that I express them. I don't ever wish my thoughts be taken that way, and it pains me to even think my words could be considered hurtful.

I think only the words of JFK would be proper to offer now.
His were of the few that should have mattered.
And would have, if he were not cut short.
Sad day, so long ago in Texas.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Ooooooooooohhh...
Tigger II is perky and bushy tailed today.

Meowing at me and everything else as well!

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Oh :(

Someone is missing again.

Here's a pic of my "Flash" last night.

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I grew up one of four children in a home where education was highly valued. My parents never paid us for good grades. Good grades were expected and the four of us seldom failed to deliver the goods. My parents did make one exception though when it came to report cards. If any one of us brought home straight A's, my mom made ravioli for dinner for the whole family.

Well, Eva went to the groomers for a bath today. Our groomer gives "report cards" covering things like coat condition, skin condition, evidence of lumps or sores, evidence of parasites and overall general behavior. Eva got the highest marks possible in each category and under general behavior the groomer wrote "was a perfect angel".

Color me a proud kitty-mama! Somebody's getting ravioli!!!!!

I grew up one of four children in a home where education was highly valued. My parents never paid us for good grades. Good grades were expected and the four of us seldom failed to deliver the goods. My parents did make one exception though when it came to report cards. If any one of us brought home straight A's, my mom made ravioli for dinner for the whole family.

Well, Eva went to the groomers for a bath today. Our groomer gives "report cards" covering things like coat condition, skin condition, evidence of lumps or sores, evidence of parasites and overall general behavior. Eva got the highest marks possible in each category and under general behavior the groomer wrote "was a perfect angel".

Color me a proud kitty-mama! Somebody's getting ravioli!!!!!

Good kitty, Eva!!!
Hope kitty likes ravioli.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Some amazing kitty tails from CNN.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

12 million cats in Britain, a cat festival in Belgium......
A cat detective shares some kitty lore with us.
Charming.

Joanna Lumley, Catwoman.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

2 heartwarming links there Mark :) Not easy drawing cats that are awake - usually ends in a battle for the pencil I find :)