Jackson answers your questions via video. His company, Spirit Essences – which makes his line of holistic remedies for animals – gets this one all the time…
“How to do apply the Spirit Essence remedy?”
Jackson demonstrates on a dog in this video. (obviously)
You use the same method with cats, though. And we’ll have a video with a cat soon!
We regret that Jackson does not answer questions posted in the comments. This is due to his demanding schedule and the high volume of requests he receives. But most importantly, since he has not met your cat, it would be contrary to his approach for him to give specific personalized advice for your specific situation. That being said, general questions and issues are addressed throughout this blog, in his book CAT DADDY and of course, the show My Cat From Hell.
Well I wish it was that easy! We have 8 cats that we’re trying to treat and 3 -4 times daily gets to be a BIG job. Also, my cats see me coming with the bottle and off they go! These guys really do love me but I’m the treater of the family and it they must see the look in my eye or something, I’m probably stressed out on approach. I’ve gone to treating 4 bowls of water 3-4 times/day hoping that they will get what they need. Unfortunately, our main “pisser” prefers water iced and fresh so he’s not getting much. Will keep trying though to keep peace in the family!
I have the same problem with my cat, as soon as she hears me tap the bottle off she goes. I can’t imagine trying to treat 8 cats!
I have used Spirit Essences on and off for years – first in the shelter I volunteered at, then with my fosters and now with my own (6) cats. I try to put it on the cats’ ear flaps at least. They love to have their ears rubbed (a whole ‘nother way to calm them) so they put up with a little wet too. And when I tap the bottom of the bottle, I hit it against my leg so they don’t hear the telltale sounds. When I really want full coverage, I put it in the water and spray it in the air in the rooms where they hang out. I really, really feel like this works.
I will often put it on my hands and rub the kitties down. It helps a great deal with my fearful foster kittens to do it this way..
Jackson, 9/1/12
I am sixty seven years old. I work forty hours a week. I have multiple sclerosis. My two cats, Katie and Ellie
loved each other for ten years. Now they hate each other. I don’t have the energy to deal with this.
Please Help Me,
Mary Talisman
Kitty problems. My cat is one and out of no where has major issues with peeing. She is 100% litter box trained but now pees obsessively in the box (we now have 2) over and over, sometimes not peeing at all and at times it can get so bad she pees on the outside of the box. we keep the boxes super clean. SUPER. We had her checked out and NO physical issues at all. The vet prescribed an anti-anxiety but no major changes. HELP. Thanks! I appreciate any help or thoughts anyone has.
@Nikki — If it were me, I would get a second opinion from another vet. The only cats I’ve seen peeing obsessively had health issues. Possibilities are diabetes or FUS that I’m aware of and there are probably more. If she is whimpering or making any sound at all while attempting to pee could be a sign too. Good Luck!
@Mary — One or both of your cats could have some health issues, pain or otherwise. If they aren’t feeling well, they can be pretty grumpy. Cats are funny about pathways so if one or the other is being tormented in the house trying to get somewhere, the spats begin. You might try providing some elevation for the cats like Jackson suggests and you also might try some play sequences. Maybe there is an intruder outside that is causing the grief? I hope you find out what is the cause.
@ Nikki, Once it took three vet visits to diagnose a urinary tract infection on one of my cats, it was bad enough to disturb him but not bad enough to show up on the tests right away. Once, a cat of mine started peeing out of the box and eventually I discovered that she was afraid of the occasional noise of water pipes in the wall next the the box. I moved the box to a different spot and all was well. Point is keep trying to find the problem and solution, and sometimes multiple vet visits or second opinions are necessary.
Jackson fist I want to say I love your show and you are great at what you do! Do you carry a remedy for urinary tract infections (for kitty’s of course), and what is your product made of? In one year Crystal has had her now second infection (not all in one yr), and Vellvet I am in the process of rulling out one but I believe it is one, both appear to be from stress. Long story with my life this year, my poor kitty’s, she has a vet appt. after my surgery which is just an day surgery, ,?obsv. & is getting an herbal/more natural in the water till I bring her to her appt. and she got water mixed with Crystal’s last recent med bottles and got a bit of medicine which was only several months old. And her pee spotting on the floor and tub etc has lessened along with the amt of going in the box, her behavior actually might be better too, that is a long story, it has to do with an attemp of a break in and she got out.
Inger Hanscom
Help. We have adopted a small female who was dumped in our yard. While she was outside she allowed us to stroke her, scratch her ears, etc. I managed to get her into a carrier to the vet and discovered she had been spayed! I had her chipped, vaccinated and checked for leukemia. Now she stays under my bed most of the day only coming out to eat and I have discovered that she isn’t using the litter boxes (we have other cats) but taking her business to the screened porch. She is gradually, gradually, socializing with the others (they mostly ignore her) but now what do I do???? She’s been in the house for about three weeks now.
Helen,
You might try putting a litter box in your bedroom for a while. She may feel intimidated around the other cats and not secure in the rooms where the other litter boxes are. Cats are particular about tight places and often have what we call “pathway issues”. Too close is just that, too close and cats won’t pass each other. I think that once she gets used to using the litter box in your bedroom and hopefully starts socializing with the others you will be on your way. It takes much more time to socialize cats than dogs so patience is of the essence. Try to spend a little time with her in your room also to get her feeling like she is part of the family. Good Luck!
Hillary (17 yr old cat) and I (68 cat lover) and we are both really sturggling after our other two furry family members crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It has been months now but I cry all the time and Hillary has become a bedroom cat and keeps me up most of the night. I wonder if she may be suffering from something like ptsd because in a very short time her family went out the door and never came back again. I want to get another cat but I don’t know if that is the right thing to do. Hillary is finally coming to the living room but looks around , sees no one there and goes back to bed. Hillary and I also got a terrible infestion of bugs from the garden. Bugs are gone but I still have problems; irritated throat, headach and sores on skin. My HMO doesn’t think there is anything wrong with me ( except maybe I’m crazy) and I received no treatment except what I put togrther from the drug store. I can only immagine that Hillary is having residule problems too. but I can’t find any more bugs and I have cleaned the house with holostic powder and then spray and Hillary regularly gets her flea lotion. Next week she is going to the vet; maybe I’ll have the vet check me too. I have used 3 different essences from our local store made by petscences.com and now I just started graceful aging and chakra balance. I tried them in her food and that just wasted food so I am now rubbing her down with them and that seems to be better.
Any suggestions from anyone would be appreciated. I don’t know how much more these 2 old ladies can handle.
Dana,
Hopefully the vet will be able to shed some light on this issue. Since Hillary is cat friendly, adding a newbie to the mix could bring her back out into the world. Deciding on the age of the newbie may be a challenge. We recently took in two adult cats (adding to our 6!). The newbies were mostly calm about the whold introduction phase, but our resident cats didn’t like it much at all and we continue to have some issues. About two years ago we rescued a kitten and our resident cats were mostly suprised by this newbie and all the energy he brought to the house but they accepted him fairly quickly. You might also try Feliway diffusers and/or spray which you can find at online pet stores (we buy from Entirely Pets), which is pheromone like what the cats leave behind when they rub their face on furniture or you. We have been using this for quite a while now and it seems to keep (mostly) peace in the family! Good Luck.
what holistic remedies for a urinary tract infection. I have been giving lots of gravy juicy food so to get plenty of liquids. Went away. Now back .A new cat has been hanging around. Always upsets little cubbie when anything is disrupted.
I do not understand by what you mean with gravy juicy food to treat Urinary Tract Infections, That is one thing my Crystal gets frequently due to her size and me having to clean her back half. If you could clarify that and help me more in what I need to do I would greatly appreciate that. I also shave her back half as well. It is terrible, she gets urine as well all over there and poppies just stuck all around the area. I just cannot seem to get her to lose weight. And she cannot have anything that might be of high in phosphorus prob. magnesium too, her Kidneys are sensitive. She is half Siamese, you can tell with those eyes!! her teeth too, I need to brush, she is a medical work up, but I love her. I know it is the breed! I think she might be half Maine Coon too, with the markings that she has, she’s not small, but not big enough for that belly, about 20 pounds now, double pawed, extra double paws. I would greatly appreciate any help that you could give me so much!
Inger Hanscom
I have a 1yr old male that I found at 3 months (Sept 2011). Then I found a 3yr old female (Oct 2012). He wants to play, she wants to hiss. Should I get Peacemaker or Bully? They both think they own me but since he has free roam (he was here first) and she has her own room with a screen in front, I have to visit her which starts the scratching and crying. I had them both neutered. They sniff noses with the screen in between, but if I remove it, the paws raise. I really would like them to get along.
Email the company, they will recommend what you need. That’s what I did and ended up with the right meds. Good Luck!