Ingraham student Sam Davis, Head of Feline Behaviour at Holly Hedge, shared the case of Tom, an older cat who had suffered from Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) for over two years. When Tom arrived at the sanctuary he appeared outwardly friendly, yet his medical records revealed the extent of his ongoing health challenges. Tom had been struggling with severe urinary symptoms, including painful and difficult urination, blood in his urine, and inappropriate urination. Once settled in he become increasingly aggressive towards both animals and people. Despite being placed on a veterinary diet and receiving antibiotic treatments, his condition showed no signs of improvement.

In an effort to support Tom through self-medication, Sam offered several appropriate essential oils, his response was immediate and profound. Sam recalls, “Tom rushed towards the bottle of valerian and began sniffing intensely, immersing himself in the aroma, I think he would have climbed inside if it were possible! Tom inhaled its aroma deeply for what felt like a long time, so much so that his nose started to drip. Afterwards, Tom became deeply relaxed, rolling calmly and playfully on the floor, as though enjoying a ‘catnip party,’ but without the typical frenzied movements.”

When Sam returned the following day, Tom did something entirely new: he climbed onto her lap and settled there contentedly. As she stroked him, she noticed the unmistakable scent of valerian still emanating from his coat. Tom had inhaled so much valerian that it was excreting through his skin. It took three days for the scent to dissipate entirely. When valerian was offered again, he showed no interest, clearly indicating that his need had been met. Most notably, Tom’s urinary symptoms resolved completely. The cystitis, blood in the urine, and behavioural reactivity did not return at any point during his time at the rescue.

Tom’s once tense and reactive demeanour gave way to a relaxed and contented cat, and his coat also became noticeably softer and shinier, which drew positive remarks from the staff. He was taken off the veterinary diet and transitioned to regular cat food without any complications.

This shift in both health and behaviour proved pivotal. Free from pain and no longer reactive, Tom was finally able to show his true nature, which directly contributed to him being successfully re-homed. Since leaving the sanctuary, he has continued to thrive, with no recurrence of FLUTD. His case offers a compelling illustration of how valerian, when freely selected, may support both emotional regulation and physical recovery in cats suffering from stress-related urinary disease.