ThunderShirt For Cats, Grey, Large ( > 13 lbs)

Quick backstory: -My orange cat is Sammy, he's two now, had him for about a year and a half, always happy and playful but developing fear of noises and things like that. -He was so overly playful I decided he needed a friend and after a couple months looking around I got a hyper little 6 month old kitty who is nice to everyone, cats and dogs included. -Sammy did not like her, however, and it took some time getting used to but they play together and are great friends. -Now, problem is Sammy was so stressed from this new cat that he lost a ton of weight(I was scared for him and made sure to get all sorts of blood tests and things like that, he's fine physically). And on top of the weight loss he was also extremely anxious and scared of everything. Literal scaredy-cat. -I did lots of things to try to chill him out but the pheromones did pretty much nothing(except for a spray one I use in his crate when he gets brought to the vet, which works well, but only in the crate). -I always saw dogs wearing the anxiety vests and they looked like they worked pretty well. At this point I'm already thousands of dollars deep in medical testing and pheromones and I constantly have to be careful not to scare Sammy and stress him out further, let's try a vest. -It WORKED the first wear but it works even better after a few more times. The instructions were pretty much to feed your kitty a few treats on the folded up vest so they associate it positively with food, then lay it on their back without strapping it on and let them walk around till it falls off(I did this twice)-all along Sammy seemed very unphased. I fed him about 5 treats up till now-any time he came into contact with the vest- and I then strapped him in. It was easy but I have well trained cats who (honestly) have never scratched me out of anger- sometimes accidentally during play but still rare. So this might not be super easy for everyone. Once I got him in it he did not do the flop that everyone talks about. He's psycho for the laser pointer so I had that out to distract him. Other cat locked in room so that he didn't stress out any. We played about 10-15 minutes and he was only confused two or three times(backing up like something was on him) and I just distracted him with play. Took the vest off after playing, no struggling, seemed very relaxed. Later that night we did the same thing. I left it on an extra ten minutes while he and my other cat played. I removed it again. -We are at the point now where he just wears it most of the day. I have to say it's amazing. It's like I hit the off button on his anxiety. He was so spazzy that if I walked too quickly towards him when he was lying down, he would bolt away in pure fear until he realized he wasn't about to be murdered. Flight reaction 24/7. I should mention he's all indoor so he's never had a threat to his life to have this kind of fear. NOW seriously I could drive my car through the house and he'd be like "that's neat." (Not that he's apathetic or depressed lol, just that it's taking a lot more of a scary stimulus to make him jolt up or be afraid). So, random pros and cons at the end here CONS: -Sammy kind of gets Hat-Hair when he wears it for a couple hours. --- Solution: I give him a quick brushing when I take it off and he fixes it himself when I'm done. -it MIGHT get hot in the summer. He is pure indoor but I live in California and sometimes the heat strikes. I feel like I should note that the material is shockingly breathable. I would compare it to a thick under armor shirt, that kind of sporty material. I really like the material, this is a very high quality vest, BUT it will probably be coming off if temps go above 80F inside. -Slight risk of it getting stuck on something and slight choking risk because it has the neck strap(Velcro that most cats would be strong enough to kick off if they got adrenaline). I haven't seen any risk truly but i am aware it is there, so I will simply take it off of him if I am leaving the house. PROS: -It worked and WELL. -Material is high quality, looks like it will last a few years. -It looks pretty adjustable if you have a fat cat. Sammy is skinny and I bring it pretty tight on him(two fingers still fit under every edge and he does not act uncomfortable). ---side note: Sammy is about 8 pounds but he should be about 10-11 when he gets fattened back up. See pictures for how it fit him. -Sammy still has FULL mobility. Runs, jumps high, plays, poops, you name it. Took him a few times to learn how to jump up high while wearing it but no big deal. Final picture is him sleeping next to me literally the entire time I was writing this review(about an hour lol) Anyways, it worked for me. I will probably update this in a few months when Sammy hopefully fattens back out :) thanks for reading. PS since it's not that easy to tell if a review on Amazon is real any more(including most of the thundershirt reviews lol) I purchased this vest cash and believe it's worth the 40$. It was NOT given to me free to review, and I do NOT work for thundershirt.

My cat Lewis is a big boy; we just went to the vet recently, and he measured in at 16 lbs. We just adopted a kitten, and Lewis was not happy about it. He is already a menace to our other cat, and the only thing that has worked historically is Prozac, which I was not excited about restarting due to side effects and the daily maintenance (Lewis hates pill pockets). Being so large, he definitely has a size advantage on the kitten, and I really wanted the kitten to feel safe in our apartment without having to separate them. When I was younger, our family dogs were scared of fireworks, and they wore Thundershirts to tremendous effect. The way Lewis was behaving made me curious about potential solutions to aggression and anxiety, and I came across people talking about how the Thundershirt helped calm their cat, and decided to give it a try. Lewis LOVES his Thundershirt. He protested me putting it on him the first few times, but the effect was IMMEDIATE. He went from stalking the other cats to cuddled up on the couch within minutes. He's never been particularly affectionate beyond rubbing up on your legs, but in his Thundershirt he will climb up in your lap and purr -- something I've NEVER encountered in the six years we've been together. His movement is slightly restricted, and especially at first there were some growing pains as I had to learn how tightly to bind the elastic-y straps that secure with velcro, but today he walks (very deliberately and slowly) with dignified and normal form. He doesn't complain when you put it on him anymore, so long as you don't pull too tightly on the straps. His demeanor is instantly calmer when he's wearing the Thundershirt, and he is far less interested in picking fights. We haven't tried a car ride yet, with which Lewis has always struggled with anxiety, but I have high hopes. The shirt itself is high quality, and my biggest gripe is that it holds on to the loose cat hair, which I don't think can be helped. It might also be to the benefit of the garment, holding onto his smell? It feels very sturdy, and I fully expect that it will survive at least 6 months, hopefully a year of near-daily use. I have not washed it in the washing machine yet, and haven't needed to-- he's got plenty of room to use the bathroom unimpeded, and it can be easily spot-cleaned of dust, etc with a damp rag. TLDR: I would definitely recommend the Thundershirt to anyone who's cat struggles with anxiety or aggression or some combination thereof. Lewis loves his! To the manufacturer: now that I know he likes it, I would definitely pay a $10 or so premium to get assorted fabric patterns and colors. Just saying! :)

I got this for my 3-year-old rescue cat Mitzi who has general anxiety and aggression issues towards our other cats. I've only gotten as far as fitting it on her over a period of a few days in a calm environment, and while it *seems* to work as advertised -- she's doing the famous freeze & flop -- the sizing seems really off, as I see a couple of other reviewers have noted. I ordered the Medium because Mitzi is 11.2 lbs with a chest size of 13.5 in, well within Medium range of 9-13 lbs and 13-17 inch chest, and yet I can barely get the short and long flaps to stay fastened even at their loosest, and the top flap is short of reaching the long flap by about 2 inches. She's OK until she tries to move around and then she seems genuinely physically constricted by the ThunderShirt and yesterday she nearly fell off the bed because she was so unsteady. She's also less than thrilled about the sound of the extremely stiff Velcro repeatedly being ripped open during adjustments, which initially happened because I thought I must be putting it on her wrong and kept trying to get it right, and now I'm pretty positive this is the wrong size for her. The videos online make it look so quick and simple; it's been an ordeal for me and my cat. Today she finally lost patience with the adjustment process and tried to bite me! Again, once I got it on (sort of) properly, it seemed to have the desired mellowing effect, but I'm pretty much convinced it's too small after seeing photos and videos of how it should fit. I still have really high hopes for this product because I've seen the wonders it's done for shelter cats, so think I'm going to try a Large for Mitzi and I may keep the Medium for one of our smaller, younger cats. One star deducted for the sizing issues.

My cat has anxiety issues so I bought this for him to wear full time. It works very well for his anxiety, but it was made incredibly cheaply and is not holding up to the test of time, which is a shame for it's price tag. My cat has been wearing it a few weeks and it aready has a hole in it. The patch with the company logo wasn't even stitched on properly, the machine used to make the circle was not aligned to the patch, very disappointing workmanship. I understand the purpose is to use only for thunderstorms, so I didn't expect it to last forever, but certainly longer than a few weeks. Update: as others have stated, this is not for every cat. Cats are finicky and you 1-star-dealing cat owners should know that. I have 4 cats. I bought this shirt for another cat in the house. It was received with much higher quality and better design than the first one. Unfortunately, that cat is a Houdini and can get out of it easily, it also seems to give her more anxiety than it's worth, so I'm sticking with the calming collars for her and they seem to be working more effectively. It's been several months with the first cat using it, and although there are still holes in it and the velcro has worn out in many places (this version was cheaply made), it still helps him greatly. I'm sure I'll need another one soon, though. Too bad those two cats aren't the same size, like many others here, I'm out $40 for trying it on a cat that doesn't benefit from. Wish these were less expensive.

When I bought this a week ago, I was honestly really skeptical about whether it would work or not, or whether or not it would even fit my super big and fat cat, but I was proved wrong in the most pleasantly surprising way possible. This sounds so click-baity but this has genuinely been such a game changer and it’s been relieving some stress. — To preface — My cat, Pepper, is about 10 years old, and he’s the only cat in my house, but he used to live with more people and other cats. Now he suffers from anxiety, specifically separation anxiety, and it got so much worse when I moved into a new home with him a year ago. He howls relentlessly and routinely every day and it gets really stressful. He also paces around and bites the air. Seriously. I’ve tried basically everything. He has his own room all to himself with many toys, and I’ve tried setting playtimes for him every day, got more cat beds, healthier food, a bigger litter box, pheromones (which actually worked for a while, but it was egregiously expensive), etc., but nothing worked as immediately or as effectively as this has. — Behavior in the ThunderShirt — When I put it on him for the very first time, he was immediately purring, and he started to move languidly, almost as if he had been suddenly sedated. He was closing his eyes a lot and slow blinking. He has never once howled while wearing the ThunderShirt, and he’s very willing to have it put on him. He stands perfectly still until I’m finished— except for when he tries to (lovingly) ram his head into my legs. The ThunderShirt does make Pepper’s movements a little awkward, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. He still has a decent amount of mobility in it, compared to when I’ve put a regular harness on him in the past. He’s not able to curl up tightly in his ThunderShirt, but he’s still able to use the litter box, jump up on the couch, fit through his cat door; and in the video, he’s drinking water like normally, but you can see how he’s a little slow and clunky. — Cons — The material of the ThunderShirt unfortunately collects a build up of fur pretty quickly, but aside from that, it feels high quality, and the Velcro is strong and allows for plenty of versatility. One of the most surprising parts to me was that it actually fit Pepper comfortably. It’s snug without being strangling. The ThunderShirt is a “use as needed” kind of remedy, but I’m trying to establish routines with my cat. I put the ThunderShirt on him twice a day for an hour or two at a time, usually during times when I can’t be in the room with him. I think this will ultimately lead to the most success and the least amount of anxiety. Every cat will have different needs, so this shouldn’t be taken as an exact point of reference, but I do believe having structure would help in situations regarding feline anxiety. On another note, I honestly don’t feel safe about leaving him in his ThunderShirt unsupervised in case Pepper gets overwhelmed by it or stuck somewhere. He’s gotten his arms stuck in the neck strap before when he was trying to roll over onto his back. This has only happened once so far. Overall, I definitely recommend this product. If you’re also skeptical like I was please, please try it!!

Super easy to use and works well. Helps in a lot of situations and the fit is easy to adjust. It can hinder some movement, so we don’t ever leave him unattended in it but it’s a great idea and I definitely recommend it for anyone who has been on the fence.

This shirt has saved my sleep schedule and my whole household!!!! 6 months ago I adopted a fat (16+lbs), 10 year old cat and he is a cat who really wants to make sure that everyone knows how he feels (hungry. always.) This has led to me getting about 4 hours of sleep between his tirades at midnight and 4am, and it was genuinely ruining my life. I didn't think this thing would work, my cat gets stuck in reverse when he has a harness on and he would run at the site of one being pulled out on him, we have had the shirt less than a week and last night he HELPED ME PUT HIS PAJAMAS ON!!!! Since getting this product we have had no 4am fits and I wake up to my own alarm with him either at my side or happily looking out of the window, complete 180 to his behavior since adoption. I can not express how much this product has done for us, it is such a simple thing and I had no faith at all when I bought this. There is a lot of space, so its easy to adjust to size, and he doesn't have much issue with mobility when wearing it. As stated earlier, he is fat and round and very much doesn't fit any cat harnesses I get him, but this will be no issue for any big kitty I promise. Material is like a nice soft t-shirt, not too thick and doesn't feel like it will rip at the seams. I personally think $40 is worth it to get a full nights rest every night, so I will be recommending this to all my sleepless cat parents

I recently purchased the Thundershirt for Cats with high hopes of finding a solution for my feline friend's fear of rainstorms. As a former feral cat, she despises the sound of rain and seeks shelter in the basement until the storm subsides. The Thundershirt seemed like the perfect answer to help alleviate her anxiety, but our experience with it had its ups and downs. Let's start with the positives. The concept of the Thundershirt is fantastic. The idea of providing gentle, constant pressure to help calm cats during stressful situations is commendable. The construction of the shirt is solid, with soft, comfortable material that seems to be well-suited for feline wear. It's easy to put on, and the adjustable straps ensure a snug fit. However, my cat's aversion to having her belly touched proved to be a significant drawback. The Thundershirt's design necessitates contact with the cat's belly, which she strongly disliked. Despite my best efforts to introduce the shirt gradually and make her feel comfortable, she simply couldn't tolerate the feeling of the fabric on her belly. It caused her distress and made her more agitated during storms, defeating the purpose of the product. If your cat is comfortable with belly touches and enjoys being hugged or swaddled, the Thundershirt may work wonders for you. It provides a gentle, reassuring pressure that can potentially soothe anxious cats and make them feel secure. In fact, my cat found an unconventional use for the Thundershirt: she loved wearing it like a cape! It seemed to give her a sense of empowerment, and she strutted around the house proudly. So, if your cat enjoys wearing clothes, this might be an unexpected hit! In conclusion, the Thundershirt for Cats has its merits, but it's crucial to consider your cat's individual preferences. If your furry friend doesn't mind having their belly touched and enjoys the sensation, I highly recommend giving this product a try. However, for cats who are belly-shy like mine, the Thundershirt may not be the ideal solution. While it didn't work as intended for us, it provided some entertaining moments when my cat wore it like a fashionable cape.

A minha gata ficou mais calma com este colete.

UPDATE: So the second order was a brand new item (no cat hair). A little about my cat: My cat gets anxious and is suspected to have Hyperesthesia (FHS). He isn’t the type of cat to be affectionate and doesn’t sit on my lap and would rather sit a few feet away and slow blink at me. Sometimes he asks for me to brush him but doesn’t want me to touch his back too much. If i try to put him on my lap he gets up and leaves. Or if I sit beside him he will leave. So I sit near him when he’s sleepy. Once in a while if he’s unwell he will sit in my lap and seek affection and that’s how I know something is wrong. I think he’s perpetually mad at me for clipping his nails, wiping his butt, brushing his teeth, wiping his eyes and general grooming. He’d rather just be a hippie and be natural. When I first put this jacket on him he froze but a few minutes later he came and sat right next to me. I was like 😱 and 🫠🥰🙃. He sat right beside me 🥹 🤩, so I did the obvious thing and froze in whatever position I was in too shocked and afraid to jinx it. I was smiling cheek to cheek. Then about a day later when he wasn’t wearing the jacket I noticed he was lying on the sofa which he NEVER does. I was like “wtf this jacket is magic!” I did a happy dance in my head and let him be - vowing that if he was to do it again I’d go sit beside him. He did it again the next day & I let him be and when he did it the following day and even fell asleep there I went and sat beside him. He opened his eyes and went back to sleep. I was overjoyed. 😄 🗽🙏🏼 Then another time while he was wearing the jacket I sat him on my lap. He seemed to be contemplating what to do then relaxed and lay down on my lap. Just to have that experience of my emotionally unavailable cat feeling safe enough to sit then relax and lie down on my lap was gold. I found him under a car when he was a kitten so I thinking it was the street life that put him in that default anxious state. I do believe this jacket helps him but he actually runs away when I bring it out. But 2-3 minutes later he just chills and relaxes. Thanks to this jacket it seems like his anxiety goes way down. Even after I remove the jacket, the effects last a few more hours. I’m happy it makes him feel safe. The fact that he sits on the sofa with us and comes on my bed again is a great sign. A few things to consider: 1) It works and I think some cats may take longer to adjust but just have them wear it for short periods (like 3-5 minutes at first twice a day) for a week with a treat right before you put it on and right after you take it off. 2) Ensure it’s snug but not restrictive especially the chest part. The jacket might seem restrictive and my cat found it awkward to lie down or sit comfortably at first but after 2-3 days he got adjusted to it and is sitting and laying down with no issue. See last pic of him curled up sleeping in it 3) Don’t leave your cat home alone wearing this. In terms of extended wear I’d suggest putting it on early in am then taking it off before you leave your house for work. When I’m home I leave it on him for a few hours then remove it for the rest of the day cus he’s usually sleeping daytime anyway. Then in the evening I put it on an hour or two before bedtime. Then take it off. 4) I haven’t had to clean cat hair off of it yet. So it stays clean. My cat is medium hair tabby. First Order: Item came with cat hair all over it. Product was used clearly. I contacted Amazon and they will send a replacement and look into it. As for the item itself I’ll update once I get the replacement.

Tolles Preis-Leistungsverhältnis und tolles Teil

Wir nutzen das Shirt nun rund 2 Monaten. Die Akzeptanz war schnell da & auch die beruhigende wirkung war sichtlich erkennbar Jabari ist ein unsicherer Kater der Beißt wenn Reize ihn überfordern. Seit dem Shirt (in kombination mit gezieltem Verhaltenstraining!) ist er sichtlich entspannter An das recht laute Klett mussten wir uns erst Gewöhnen.

je l'ai testé sur mon chat surexcité ça fonctionne super bien tant qu'il le porte ! et en effet il est sans dangers