Thundershirt Classic Cat Anxiety Jacket, Heather Gray, Medium (9 to 13 lbs), THU-009

I didn’t want this to work
I’ve been skeptical of thundershirts for years, especially for cats. But when I caught this one on sale, I decided to experiment — fully intending to return it if I did not see results. I expected nothing to happen and my 15-pound male kitty to hate it. I was not going to get my hopes up.
Well, I admit when I’m wrong. And this time, for my kitty, I have been wrong so far.
I experimented with the shirt for a few days. He didn’t like having it put on, and did not like moving around in it (he walked low, belly close to the ground) and seemed generally displeased.
But then he laid down next to me on the couch and flexed his paws, purring. He stayed that way for a while.
The next day, he still was unhappy getting it on and moving around in it, but eventually laid in his bed, and later mine, and was content and calm.
I should say now, I did not purchase this for regular use around the house, but rather for travel. I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype and I could avoid the light sedation I had had to use in the past for hours-long road trips or flights.
The true test came on a 6-hour drive and return trip. I put the shirt on him, which he still does not love, put him in his carrier and buckled it in for the drive. He was quiet, calm and relaxed the entire trip. Even when sedated, he sometimes meows or shuffles anxiously in his carrier. None of that this time. And when we arrived at our destination, he had none of the grogginess or disorientation that can come with sedation. He was perfectly alert and ate/drank/used his litter box normally.
It was much the same on the return trip. He relaxed on his side and was perfectly alert, or napped, the entire 6 hours. He’s used to traveling but has never done so well.
Maybe it’s a coincidence. Maybe not. This was just one road trip for us, but based on the results I saw, it was worth the price I paid (when I caught the shirt on sale).
I purchased the large cat size and it fit my guy with room to spare. It’s made of relatively soft, slightly stretchy material. I am a little concerned that the stitching will not hold up overtime. It’s not reinforced and the material is not very thick, so durability is a bit in question. It’s not the easiest to get on/off because of all the velcro, but once on, it is secure.
I was also concerned with it being so snug and becoming uncomfortable for him, but he displayed no signs of discomfort or distress beyond initially having it put on. I doubt that will ever change, though.
So take this all with a grain of salt — all cats are different and what works for one will not work for another. But this worked for us and I’m happy with my purchase. I would recommend other cat owners give it a try, so long as you check ahead of time and know whether or not you can return it if it does not work for you.
UPDATE: After two years of using this thunder shirt for my kitty, mostly for long road trips (think 5+ hours), I still highly recommend it for all the reasons I listed, it still works just as well as I described and it has held up over time. Again, every cat is different but I highly recommend this shirt. I’m even considering purchasing a backup.

Tolles Preis-Leistungsverhältnis und tolles Teil

My cat has a lot of anxiety but this little vest definitely helps! You can tell an instant difference in his body language! It helps calm him from loud noises and he’s able to wear it for hours at a time.

Was so excited for this but it came COVERED in cat hair and a strand of human hair, it was so clearly used before. So disgusted and disappointed as I bought this for my anxious cat’s Christmas present.