FELIWAY® Optimum 30 Day Cat Calming Plug In Pheromone Diffuser Starter Kit, 48ml - Helps Reduce Common Signs of Stress in Cats & Kittens, Enhanced Calming

Was recommended this product by a volunteer when adopting a feral kitten. I knew I’d have my work cut out for me and figured every little bit helped. So I got this ahead of time so it would be set when she came home.Fast forward a month. This little gem of a kitten is bopping around the home with my resident cat, pleased they were fast friends. And then out of the blue they began having some hissing squabbles turned physical fights over the course of a few days in the play area. This hadn’t happened since they first met. What the heck??Then I realized the plug was empty. I put in the refill and by the afternoon and thereafter that behavior hasn’t surfaced again.I share this story because for this house, this product didn’t work miracles when I plugged it in. It still took a lot of patience and slow integration to bring these kitties together and for the kitten to feel confident in her new space. But it IS objectively a product that is noticed in its absence. The behavior was there when this plug was out, non-fighting kitties when in use 🙌 this is worth it.A couple things I wish I knew to begin with when deciding whether to jump on train feliway:1.) the range of each plug extends up to 700 ft. I ended up ordering a second one and put them on opposite ends of the house. If your cat(s) have an isolated ‘hot button’ room or situation where they regularly have issues (like the master bedroom, at meal time in kitchen ie) you would likely be fine plugging the one in right in that area. If your kitties/cat has an overarching behavior/pattern you’re trying to manage, keep a close eye on that range to see how many you may actually need.2.) After also trying Feliway’s ‘Happy Cats’ Multicat refill, this Optimum formula performed better here (optimum- 1-2x play fighting turned real fighting, whereas with the Happy Cats it still happened a hand full of times in a month.)3.) these plugs don’t last forever and will begin not putting product in the air. Instructions say these need to be replaced every 6 months. This is one of the few things I have on auto-ship to remind me to change the unit bc I will undoubtedly forget when I changed it last.4.) I’ve had no issues with the plugs up to 6 months of use. They are super consistent at running out between 29-31 days.

I was a little skeptical, but the FELIWAY Optimum plug-in really made a difference. My cat seemed less anxious and more relaxed within a few days of plugging it in. It’s especially helpful during stressful situations like visitors, loud noises, or changes in routine. There’s no strong smell, and the diffuser is easy to use. It’s not a magic fix, but it takes the edge off and helps create a calmer environment. I’ll be keeping it around for sure.

Look, I'm not the type to leave a positive review on something that I can't prove is working, but in this case, it's a likely enough candidate to give credit where credit is (possibly) due.Our beloved eldest is perhaps the most anxious cat in existence. Before he came to live with us, he spent his youngest years being terrorized by an older, aggressive cat who would often ambush him in the litter box. He developed a lifelong fear of using it to pee (weirdly not for #2), and would try to pee literally anywhere else, be it on rugs, clothes that had fallen out of laundry baskets, hardwood, tile, cement, you name it. Any surface other than his actual box.Here's a truncated list of things we have tried to calm his anxiety/keep up with his peeing:- Different types of litters- Different styles of litter boxes- Different locations for the litter box- Litter attractants- Diet changes- Deterrent in his favorite floor spots- Enzymatic cleaners to try to remove any lingering scent- Extensive veterinary testing- Consults with behaviorists- Rewarding him when he uses the litter box (recommended by behaviorist)- Retraining in a large kennel with a litter box (recommended by behaviorist)- Calming collars- Other Feliway products- Prozac (prescribed by the vet)- Gabapentin (prescribed by the vet)Nothing worked, other than an elaborate and not entirely foolproof routine of taking him to the box personally and guarding him while he was in there. We had to do this multiple times a day, and he would still sometimes try to sneak off to do his business elsewhere.So, when we moved to a one-bedroom apartment with a lot of carpet, we were prepared to immediately lose our security deposit to his anxious peeing. We were convinced the move alone would leave him emotionally shaken to his core. We armed ourselves with some of the most highly-recommended enzyme cleaners (Rocco & Roxie), and were looking into expensive waterproof covers to put on approximately 600 sq ft worth of carpet, and then cover those with washable rugs. We were ready for battle.I called our vet to ask for a light sedative for both him and his younger brother, to make the moving day less stressful, and the tech suggested that we also get these specific Feliway diffusers. Although we hadn't had any luck with Feliway in the past, we were throwing absolutely everything we could at this, so we figured the worst they could was not work.Cut to moving day. We put both our groggy cats into the new bathroom with their litter box while the movers stomp around bringing in boxes and furniture. The second they're gone, we plug in the diffusers, let them run for an hour, and then cautiously let the cats out. Both of them are low to the ground, skittering from one room to the next in utter confusion. Eventually Anxious Cat finds a window to plop his butt in and doesn't move until dinner, but we spend the entire time watching him while we unpack, ready to jump up if he seems like he's scoping out new pee spots.By the end of the day, he hasn't used the litter box yet, and we're starting to wonder if maybe we should close him up with it in the bathroom for the night. At least there's no carpet in there. And then we realize ... we've lost sight of him. We bolt up and start canvasing the apartment, only to hear the digging of little paws in litter. Slowly, we creep to the bathroom door and peer in just in time to see him hop out of the box, giving us both a look of mild confusion as he sprints off to the window.But we weren't sure what he did. If he pooped, well, that's nothing out of the ordinary, and there was some in the box, so it could've been him or his brother. We decide to lock them in the bathroom for the night, but eventually succumbed to their piteous sobbing and let them out. Come morning, there's still no pee, but Anxious Cat is a champion at holding it until he finds the perfect spot to unleash. But finally, come afternoon, we actually manage to catch him in the act of peeing IN THE LITTER BOX. It's a monumentous occasion, and we shower him in catnip, treats and lots of play. He's delighted, and no longer slinking around with his belly to the floor. He's acting like a normal cat, cautious of his new space, but enjoying the comfort of his familiar beds and toys.It's now been two weeks, and he has done all of his business in the box, and NOWHERE ELSE in the apartment. We haven't even taken the plastic off of all of our enzyme cleaners! His anxiety is way down in general, and so is ours. We can let him out of our sight for hours at a time without worrying that soon we'll smell cat pee. This has been life-changing for him, and for us. I've never seen my little old man happier than he is now. And maybe it was just the change of scenery, the smaller space, not being able to smell the neighborhood cats who used to hang around our old house. Or maybe it's these Feliway diffusers. I honestly have no idea. But, I'm going to keep believing in their possibly magical power and keep buying the refills if that's what it takes to keep him happy, and keep our security deposit.So, why four stars instead of five, if this is (maybe) such a miracle product that has so improved the quality of life of both our cat and his human parents? Because it had ZERO effect on our younger cat. Usually, he's incredibly easygoing and adapts well to change. We weren't worried about him at all when planning the move, we figured he'd be as chill as he always is. Instead, he's been terrified and although he has no issues with using the litter box, he's spent most of these last two weeks hiding, jumping at every sound and refusing to play like he usually does. It's extremely unlike him, and it's pretty clear that the Feliway is doing nothing to help him. Which makes me think this product is very hit or miss, if it's doing anything at all.But rather than risk eternal damnation, I choose to believe in the power of Feliway, at least when it comes to our Anxious Cat (pictured above, with the carpet he has yet to ruin).