The 8 Best Calming Aids for Cats of 2023

Best Overall

Feliway Optimum Enhanced Calming Plug-In Diffuser

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The Feliway Optimum Enhanced Calming diffuser can help calm your cat in stressful situations like moving, the introduction of a new baby or pet, and during disruptive events like thunderstorms and fireworks.

Chemical signals are important for cats, who mark their environments (such as by rubbing their faces everywhere) to indicate areas where they can feel secure. Feliway diffusers recreate these naturally-produced pheromones to reduce stress and anxiety. Feliway diffusers are regularly recommended by veterinarians, including Dr. Satchu and several veterinarians who care for Spruce Pets’ staff cats.

The diffuser works by heating a wick inside of a canister of liquid, dispersing the pheromone as the heat evaporates the formula. The only downside we found to this system is that the diffuser can get hot when left plugged in after all of the liquid in the canister has evaporated. This starter kit, which includes one diffuser and one refill, lasts for four weeks, but you can purchase additional refills separately.

Does Feliway Work?

While the relation between chemical signals in the environment and your cat’s stress levels is not well understood, some small studies have shown promising results. A primary pheromone found in Feliway diffusers significantly reduces urine spraying, which can be a strong indicator of stress. It’s worth disclosing that some studies have been funded by the Feliway’s manufacturer, Ceva Santé Animale. More research into the uses of synthetic pheromones is welcome, but for now there is good reason to believe that a Feliway Diffuser can be an effective stress reliever for many cats.

Feliway Optimum vs. Classic

If your cats are already acclimated to the Feliway Classic, and you’ve noticed results, then we recommend sticking with what works. But for anyone new to Feliway pheromone treatment, we would suggest Feliway Optimum. Feliway Classic was first released in 1996, and primarily contains a single pheromone, called feline facial pheromone F3. Research gains have been made since then, and in 2020 Ceva announced the Optimum formula, which uses newly discovered pheromones.

Ceva claims this pheromone complex “provides an enhanced message of social confidence and safety in the cat’s environment,” citing internal research finding that the Optimum formula helps “with more stress-related signs faster than existing pheromones.”

While there isn’t yet independent research into the specific pheromone formula found in the Feliway Optimum Enhanced Calm diffuser, we’re inclined toward the product that most reflects the gains in our understanding of cat chemical communication since Feliway was first introduced in the 90s.

Price at time of publish: $27

^{Ingredients: Feline facial pheromone | Delivery Method: Diffusion | Quantity: 1.6 fluid ounces}

Best Treats

VetriScience Composure Calming Treats for Cats

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Vetriscience offers chicken or trout treats that combine three active ingredients: colostrum, L-theanine, and thiamine (a B vitamin). L-theanine, which is derived from tea leaves, has been demonstrated to reduce cat behaviors associated with stress. This formula can calm your cat down in just 20-30 minutes.

The dosage, or amount of chews you give, depends on your cat’s weight but if you’re not getting the results you want, you can double the amount with no adverse effects. You can also break a treat into pieces if a smaller bite is more appealing to your cat or you want to offer them a smaller dose. We found that they’re easiest to feed them to your cat by adding them to their first meal of the day.

If you have a cat with an anxious personality, you can give these daily or you can administer them as needed during particularly stressful times.

Price at time of publish: $9

_{Ingredients: Colostrum calming complex biopeptide blend, L-theanine, thiamine (vitamin B1) | Delivery Method: Treats | Quantity: 30 chews per pack}

Best for Road Trips

NaturVet Quiet Moments Calming Aid Plus Melatonin

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Just like people, cats produce a chemical called melatonin that’s associated with the regulation of sleep-wake cycles. Safe for cats over the age of 12 weeks, NaturVet Quiet Moments Cat Soft Chews combines the sleep-inducing effects of melatonin with tryptophan, an amino acid the brain uses in the production of soothing serotonin. It too has been proven to increase sleepiness. These chews also include chamomile and ginger, which isn’t a calming aid, but has been used as an anti-nausea herbal supplement for thousands of years (scientific studies have found that ginger was effective for relieving mild nausea during human pregnancy). This all makes NaturVet Soft Chews especially useful for road trips.

Salmon flavored and made in the United States, NaturVet chews also include brewers yeast, flaxseed, tapioca starch, rosemary extract, and other ingredients that should appeal to your cat’s palate. It’s recommended that your cat take two chews approximately 30 minutes before a stressful event. Cats should not be given no more than four chews in a 12-hour period.

Price at time of publish: $10 (50-count) 

_{Ingredients: Thiamine, L-tryptophan, ginger and melatonin | Delivery Method: Chews, spray | Quantity: 50 soft chews bag, 60 soft chews tub}

Best Wipes

Feliway Animal Health Wipes, 12 Count

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Whether you’re driving down the road to your local vet’s office or taking your kitty on a long car ride, traveling can be stressful for cats. Just like baby wipes, these Feliway Travel Calming Wipes, which rely on pheromones as the active ingredient, are easy to throw into any bag or in your glove compartment. You don’t apply them to your cat directly, but you can wipe down any hard surface, like a cat carrier or the car or plane seat while you travel. When you do, a facial pheromone, similar to the one that cats give off when they rubs his cheek against the furniture (or you), is released to produce a calming effect.

Price at time of publish: $11

_{Delivery method: Wipes | Key ingredients: Pheromones (F3 Fraction of Feline Facial Pheromone Analogue)}

Best Spray

NaturVet Quiet Moments Cat Calming Room Spray

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NaturVet Quiet Moments Cat Calming Room Spray uses a similar method to a Feliway diffuser, allowing you to spray a formula containing simulated cat pheromone on a surface or over a wide area, producing a chemical signal that’s meant to tell your cat that everything is safe. This makes it especially useful for spraying the insides of areas your cats may not want to go, such as in a cat carrier for a veterinary visit.

This calming room spray also includes several herbal or essential oil ingredients frequently associated with relaxation, including valerian root and chamomile extracts. These smells are likely more for your benefit than your cat’s—while there’s some evidence that chamomile may have mild anti-anxiety properties, the herbal components in this spray are more soothing than medicinal.

Price at time of publish: $13

_{Ingredients: Simulated cat pheromone, valerian root extract, spikenard extract, chamomile extract, rosemary oil | Delivery Method: Area Spray | Sizes: 8-ounce bottle}

Best Drops

Richard's Organics Pet Calm

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Richard’s Organics Pet Calm combines four relaxation-inducing herbs—valerian, chamomile, passionflower, and skullcap extract—that may help alleviate stress, anxiety, excitability, and improve your cat’s sleep. Because it’s a liquid drop, administration can be a challenge, especially since there are no added flavors to entice your cat to consume it. We recommend dropping it onto your cat’s paw and letting him or her lick it off.

Price at time of publish: $15

_{Ingredients: Valerian, chamomile, passionflower, skullcap extract | Delivery Method: Liquid drops | Quantity: 2 ounce bottle}

Best for Multi-cat Households

ThunderEase Multicat Calming Pheromone Diffuser

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Another diffuser option, this kit from ThunderEase can help calm down all of the cats in a multi-cat household. This particular diffuser mimics the natural pheromones that are given off by a mother cat as she’s nursing, which helps reduce fighting among cats in the same household, decrease stress and anxiety, and boost resilience, helping your cat better adapt to any changes. Like the Feliway diffuser, this kit covers up to 700 square feet of space but requires refills. You can purchase the 30-day supply, or opt for 60 or 90 days of coverage.

Price at time of publish: $25

_{Delivery Method: Diffusion | Key Ingredients: Natural nursing pheromones}