This is a cat-calming-combo. There are three commercially available products which, in combination, may help to calm your cat. I don’t think that they should be used long-term. However, there are circumstances when a domestic cat might become stressed and during this time it might be acceptable to use these products in combination as a way to manage the moment.
Chronic stress should be tackled in a different way. The underlying cause needs to be addressed if at all possible. It is always best, and I think this goes without saying really, to avoid any form of “medication” even if it is over-the-counter, if the problem can be resolved in a more “natural” way.
The combination of three commercially available products that I am thinking of which can be used to calm your cat are: Zylkene1, Feliway and Royal Canin Calm.
I will admit right away that I have not used the first and last of this threesome. I used Feliway for a while when I had my cat inside before building an outside enclosure for him. I don’t know whether it helped him or not. Zylkene gets quite a good rating on the Internet. It is a non-drowsy formula using alpha-casozepine. I don’t know what that is or how it works. Apparently it is a natural ingredient found in cow’s milk. It helps to balance the stress reactions of dogs and cats safely. There is no tranquilizing or sedating effect.
Royal Canin Calm helps to control the side-effects of anxiousness on your cat’s skin and digestive system, so they say.
Feliway spray is very well-known and is a pheromone. It’s quite expensive but the general consensus is that it helps to calm cats. My neighbor uses it because she has quite a large number of cats in her home and it helps to ensure that they cooperate with each other!
I would be interested in hearing from anybody who has used or intends to use this combination of calming products. They should not substitute addressing the underlying causes of stress in your cat. And I stress that I do not believe that they should be used in the long-term. Also, seeking the advice of your veterinarian should not be ruled out either.
You know, we, the cat owners, create the environment in which cats can become stressed. We own the problem if it exists. We should not use products to cover up a problem that we have created.
That said, sometimes stress can be caused by illness and not directly caused by the cat’s owner. However, the most common causes of stress in cats are environmental such as in multi-cat households where cats don’t get on properly or being left alone all day because the owner works long hours. It is these sorts of things which are in the hands of the owner to rectify.
1. Full name: Vetoquinol Zylkene Behavior Support Capsules Small Dog & Cat Supplement, 75 mg.
