Feline Behavior:

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Travel
If your cat hates being put in her carrier and going for a ride (what cat doesn't!), spray Feliway in the corners of the carrier ½ hour before placing the cat inside.

When going to the veterinarian, bring the bottle of Feliway along and give the exam table a quick spritz before taking kitty out of the carrier.

For boarding or hospitalization, leave a bottle of Feliway with the instructions to the staff to spray the corners of the cage once or twice a day.

Many veterinary clinics already do that for cats that are hospitalized or boarding but if your clinic/boarding facility doesn't, ask them to.

When I worked in a veterinary hospital, I noticed that the hospitalized cats seemed to acclimate to their surroundings much more quickly after I had used Feliway. They didn't tend to hunker down and hide as much.

Fear or Dislike of Strangers
Does your cat hide when company comes? Or does he stand his ground and growl when the neighbor visits?

Here's an exercise to help address those problems. First, have an interactive toy (fishing pole type) handy. Ask a friend to visit and have her spray her shoes or pant cuffs with Feliway. Invite the friend in and have her sit quietly on the couch. If your cat tends to run and hide, casually go to him and conduct a low-intensity interactive play session. Don't drag him out from under the bed or try too hard to entice. The message you want to convey is that all is ok in his world. Then, go back to your guest. If your cat comes out, he may walk over to the guest and sniff the Feliway.

If you do this exercise a few times a week, your kitty may become less afraid and learn that guests aren't threatening.

If your cat takes an aggressive stance when company comes, have the guest (with the Feliway-sprayed shoes) casually come in and sit down. She should totally ignore the cat. This gives your kitty a sense of control and time to do his "scent investigation". You can also use your interactive toy to create a positive distraction.

If your cat dislikes your new spouse, have him/her spray his shoes or socks with Feliway during the "getting to know" you phase. Your spouse should also be the one to engage your cat in daily interactive play session with a fishing pole toy to help crate a positive association.

Other Household Disruptions
I keep a bottle of Feliway on-hand to use on the furniture after parties or whenever someone has been in my home that might cause my kitties to feel stressed. I have a big holiday party each year and my cats are kept in the bedroom during the noisy event. After the last guest leaves, I spray Feliway around before letting the cats out of the bedroom.
Spray any new piece of furniture you bring into the home to help make it more familiar to your cat.

Keep The Lines Of Communication Open
Your cat is a master of communication. Between his vocalizations; body language; and use of scent, she's telling you what she needs and she feels.

Create a secure environment through the use of Feliway and behavior modification so you and your kitty may avoid future communication breakdowns.

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