# Furwise > Furwise is a free iOS app for cat owners that brings together cat-care guides, daily tracking, and reminders in one place. Download it and you have what you need to look after your cat well, from finding trustworthy answers to keeping up with everyday care, so you and your cat can have good days together. It is not veterinary medical advice and does not replace a veterinarian. Available on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6762436469 Furwise pairs clear, sourced answers to everyday cat questions (behavior, symptoms, when to see the vet) with easy logging (feeding, water, weight, litter, medications) and reminders for vaccines and checkups. Keeping records helps you notice patterns or changes you may want to raise with your vet, like water intake creeping up. It works for one cat or a whole household, and family can share a timeline through an invite code. Diagnosis stays with the vet. ## Who Makes Furwise Furwise is built by Chi-Yu Wu, who brings together two backgrounds that rarely meet in one product: - Software engineer (10+ years), so the app is practical, clear, and reliable to use. - Animal-hospital assistant, working at an animal hospital caring for hospitalized cats and seeing first-hand how veterinarians assess symptoms, use records, and follow up. That experience shapes what Furwise tracks and the questions it helps you answer. - Cat owner, living with his own cat, so the app is built around real daily care, not theory. Why the guidance can be trusted: it combines that hands-on animal-hospital experience with careful research from authoritative veterinary sources (professional guidelines, universities, and veterinary journals). Chi-Yu is not a veterinarian, and Furwise does not diagnose, treat, or replace veterinary care. Its job is to help you keep good records, understand common care questions, and recognize when a vet visit is worth it. Diagnosis always stays with the vet. ## Core Features - **Cat-Care Guides**: Sourced answers to common cat questions (behavior, symptoms, when to see the vet), built into the app - **Weight Tracking**: Monitor your cat's weight over time with visual charts and receive alerts for concerning changes - **Vaccine Management**: Track vaccination history and get automatic reminders for upcoming shots - **Medication Reminders**: Never miss flea prevention, deworming, or prescription medications with timely reminders - **Family Sharing**: Invite family members via code to share pet care responsibilities and access health records - **Multi-Cat Support** (Furwise Pro): Manage multiple cats with individual profiles and health records - **Photo Analysis**: Check your cat's mood and stool health from photos, referencing veterinary-standard scales (Bristol Stool Scale, Feline Grimace Scale) ## Product Information - **Platform**: iOS 15.0 or later - **Price**: Free to download (optional in-app subscription) - **Plans**: The free tier covers one cat, daily care logging, the care guides, and a basic monthly analysis quota. Furwise Pro (in-app subscription) adds multi-cat support (up to 25 cats), deeper insights, and higher analysis limits. - **Languages**: English, Traditional Chinese (繁體中文), Japanese (日本語) - **Launch Date**: April 2026 - **Category**: Health & Fitness / Pet Care ## Use Cases Furwise is ideal for: - Cat owners who want to track their pet's health proactively - Families with shared pet care responsibilities - Multi-cat households needing organized health records - Pet parents who want reminders for vaccines and medications - Anyone curious about their cat's mood and wellbeing ## Blog Articles Furwise publishes educational guides on cat health and behavior: ### Health Guides - **Cat Obesity Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-obesity-guide/) - Learn to assess your cat's body condition using the 9-point BCS scale. Covers obesity health risks, why cats gain weight, and safe weight management strategies. - **Cat Urinary Health Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-urinary-health/) - Guide to FLUTD: the male-cat blockage emergency framed in hours not days (response window before hyperkalemia), FIC reframed as a threat-responsive disorder (Pandora syndrome) per 2025 iCatCare consensus, struvite vs calcium oxalate stones, bacterial UTI by age (rare in young cats, more common in seniors with CKD/diabetes/hyperthyroidism), current pain control (gabapentin/buprenorphine; prazosin no longer routine after Hanson 2021 and Conway 2022), home urine sample collection, MEMO playbook with pre-visit gabapentin, PU surgery realities (it bypasses obstruction but doesn't cure FIC), realistic US cost expectations, and myth debunking (cranberry, ACV, D-mannose, "wait and see"). - **Cat Vaccination Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-vaccination-guide/) - What vaccines a cat actually needs in 2026: core (FVRCP, rabies, kitten FeLV) vs non-core, kitten and adult schedules per WSAVA 2024 (16-week minimum with 20-week extension in high-risk environments, 6-month booster, titer testing as alternative), the protocol for adopting an adult with unknown vaccine history (two FVRCP doses 2-4 weeks apart), US cost expectations, injection-site sarcoma (FISS) with the 3-2-1 monitoring rule and the leg-injection convention, both 1-year and 3-year PureVax non-adjuvanted rabies options, the 30 to 60 minute anaphylaxis window with same-day emergency signs (facial swelling, breathing difficulty), senior-cat considerations, and the current FIV vaccine availability status (withdrawn in North America 2015-2017, still available in Japan/Australia/New Zealand). - **Cat Sneezing Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-sneezing/) - Why cats sneeze and when it matters: cat flu / upper respiratory infection (feline herpesvirus FHV-1, calicivirus FCV, and secondary bacterial infection), other causes (inhaled irritants, foreign bodies, dental disease, nasal polyps and tumors), what nasal and eye discharge color means, the appetite-loss emergency and hepatic lipidosis risk, home care (steam, keeping the cat eating, hydration), why L-lysine is no longer a recommended treatment, and prevention with the FVRCP vaccine. - **Cat Eye Discharge Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-eye-discharge/) - How to read feline eye discharge and know when it needs a vet: what the discharge appearance means (clear watery overflow, thick yellow or green discharge, reddish-brown tear staining), the one-eye vs both-eyes diagnostic clue, causes (conjunctivitis from feline herpesvirus FHV-1, Chlamydia felis and Mycoplasma, corneal injuries and ulcers, blocked nasolacrimal/tear duct, dry eye, foreign bodies, flat-faced breed conformation and entropion), the same-day-vet emergency signs (squinting, cloudiness, pawing, light avoidance pointing to a corneal ulcer, glaucoma or uveitis), safe home eye-cleaning technique, why human and steroid eye drops are dangerous on an undiagnosed eye, and why chlamydial conjunctivitis needs systemic oral antibiotics rather than topical drops alone. - **Cat Parasites Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-parasites/) - A complete guide to internal and external parasites in cats and how often to deworm: the worms (roundworms via the mother's milk, flea-borne tapeworms, hookworms, mosquito-borne heartworm with no approved feline adulticide, lungworm) and single-celled parasites (Giardia, coccidia, Toxoplasma), external parasites (fleas, ear mites, ticks), why indoor cats still need protection, the kitten deworming schedule (every 2 weeks to ~8 weeks then monthly to 6 months) and risk-based adult frequency, the permethrin emergency (dog flea products are toxic to cats), how parasites are diagnosed and treated, and the zoonotic risks to the family with daily litter-tray hygiene. - **Cat Hydration Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-hydration-guide/) - Why cats have a naturally low thirst drive, how to spot dehydration, and 8 vet-approved ways to increase your cat's water intake: how much water a cat needs per day (roughly 40-60 ml/kg including food moisture) and how to measure actual intake, dehydration checks (skin tent test, gum check, other signs), and the methods themselves (more wet food, a water fountain, multiple water stations using the n+1 rule, choosing a wide shallow bowl in stainless steel or ceramic, smart bowl placement away from food and litter, keeping water fresh, trying different temperatures, and adding flavor with gravy from the cat's own food or a pet-specific broth). Also covers the warning signs that mean a vet visit, since a sudden change in drinking can be an early sign of kidney disease, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism. - **Cat Stool Health Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-stool-health/) - Reading cat poop via the Bristol scale: shape (1-7) and color (brown, black tarry, red, yellow, white-grey, mucus); soft stool lasting 2-3+ weeks pointing to food sensitivity, parasites (Giardia), chronic gut inflammation, or intestinal lymphoma; the 7-10 day diet transition rule; what to watch by life stage (kittens dehydrate fast, adults watch for change, seniors tend toward constipation); the string/thread protruding from the rear warning (never pull, vet same day); how to collect a stool sample for the vet (fresh, refrigerated not frozen); and the safety-critical distinction between straining to poop and male-cat urinary blockage, which can be fatal in 24-48 hours. - **Cat Constipation Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-constipation/) - How to tell cat constipation from a urinary emergency, what helps at home, and when to see a vet: what counts as constipation (hard, dry, infrequent stool and straining), the critical safety warning that straining in the litter box can be a life-threatening urethral obstruction especially in male cats, the signs to watch, the roughly two-day vet threshold and the symptoms that override it, safe home care (water intake, litter box access, the limits of fiber) and dangerous home remedies to avoid (phosphate enemas, oral mineral oil, milk), the causes (dehydration, chronic kidney disease, arthritis pain, pelvic narrowing, megacolon), the constipation-obstipation-megacolon spectrum, and how a vet diagnoses and treats it with lactulose, PEG 3350, cisapride and subtotal colectomy. - **Cat Appetite Loss Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-appetite-loss/) - Why a cat that stops eating needs attention fast and what to do: how to tell ordinary pickiness from a real problem, the roughly 24-hour vet threshold for an adult cat and the red flags that override it, the danger of hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) which can develop within days of a cat eating little or nothing especially in overweight cats, safe home care (warming food, strong smells, hand-feeding) and why force-feeding and waiting it out are both dangerous, the wide range of causes (dental pain, nausea and GI disease, kidney disease and other systemic illness, a blocked nose, stress), and how a vet diagnoses and treats it with anti-nausea medication, appetite stimulants, fluids and feeding tubes. - **Cat Vomiting Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-vomiting-guide/) - Visual guide to cat vomiting: use the vomit appearance chart to assess urgency, learn common causes from hairballs to systemic disease, and know when to seek veterinary care. - **Cat Pain Detection Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-pain-detection/) - How to recognize pain in cats across acute and chronic contexts. Covers the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) for acute pain (facial features, scoring 0-2, threshold of 4+ for vet visit) including when it doesn't apply (sleeping/sedated/e-collar cats, brachycephalic and sparse-whiskered breeds). Adds a major chronic-pain section on feline osteoarthritis in seniors (60-90% prevalence in cats over 12, why bilateral arthritis usually doesn't produce limping, the FMPI questionnaire for owner tracking). Prominent safety warning that acetaminophen (Tylenol, Calpol), ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are dangerous or fatal to cats. Explains vet-prescribed options: buprenorphine, robenacoxib (Onsior), gabapentin, meloxicam (Metacam) with caveats, and the monoclonal antibody frunevetmab (Solensia, Zenoraq in Japan). 8-question FAQ covers human-painkiller safety, arthritis signs, vet medication options, why cats with bilateral arthritis don't limp, why cats purr when sick, FGS limitations, and crying-from-pain myths. Grounded in Evangelista et al. 2019 (FGS validation), Steagall et al. 2022 (ISFM acute pain guidelines), Slingerland et al. 2011 and Hardie et al. 2002 (OA prevalence), Benito et al. 2013 (FMPI), and Court 2001 (acetaminophen toxicosis). - **Cat Dental Health Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-dental-health/) - Complete guide to cat dental disease: periodontal disease, tooth resorption, stomatitis, signs of dental pain, professional cleaning under anesthesia, and home dental care including VOHC accepted products. - **Cat Chin Acne Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-chin-acne/) - What those black spots on your cat's chin are, mild vs infected stages, home treatment, when to see a vet, and why switching from plastic bowls helps. - **Cat Hairball Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-hairball-guide/) - Why frequent hairballs aren't normal, research-backed prevention methods (dietary fiber, brushing), risk factors by breed and age, when hairball vomiting signals GI disease, and signs of hairball obstruction. - **Cat Ear Care Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-ear-care/) - Why most cats don't need ear cleaning, how to identify healthy ears, common problems (ear mites, infections, polyps, hematomas), warning signs requiring a vet, safe cleaning technique, and myth-busting on Scottish Fold ear risk and dark wax diagnosis. - **Toxic Foods & Plants for Cats** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-toxic-foods/) - Common household dangers for cats: lilies (acute kidney failure from pollen, petals, or vase water), Allium foods (onion, garlic, chives), chocolate and caffeine, essential oils (tea tree especially), acetaminophen toxicity, permethrin in dog flea products, antifreeze, rodenticides, and metaldehyde snail bait. Covers symptoms, delayed-onset warnings, why home-induced vomiting is unsafe for cats, and what to do if poisoning is suspected. - **Cat Feeding Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-feeding-guide/) - A practical guide to feeding cats: reading AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements (feeding trial vs formulation), calculating daily calories from RER (30 × BW + 70) with life-stage multipliers (1.2× for neutered adults), meal frequency by age (Cornell recommendations), wet vs dry vs combined feeding for urinary and kidney health, the 7-10 day transition protocol for switching food, the WSAVA 10% treat rule, and puzzle feeder enrichment (Dantas et al. 2016). Debunks dry-food-cleans-teeth (VOHC certification required), grain-free hype (FDA 2019-2022 DCM investigation), and the dangers of homemade raw diets without DACVN formulation. - **Senior Cat Care Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/senior-cat-care/) - Complete guide to caring for cats 10+: the 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines (mature 7-10, senior 10+, with the geriatric category retired), distinguishing normal aging from warning signs, the underdiagnosed pain/osteoarthritis problem (subtle pattern changes vs limping, frunevetmab/Solensia monoclonal antibody, NSAIDs and gabapentin), the senior conditions to screen for (CKD, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, hypertension, dental disease, cancer), the every-6-month vet schedule with full diagnostic panel (CBC, chemistry, T4, urinalysis, blood pressure), home tracking that catches problems between visits (body and muscle condition scoring beyond weight, water intake, appetite, litter box, mobility), home environment adjustments (low-entry litter boxes, resources per floor, ramps, non-slip surfaces, warmth, nightlights, monthly nail checks), individualized nutrition (high-quality protein for muscle preservation, energy density for cats losing weight, why protein restriction is diagnosis-specific not age-based), and quality-of-life conversations (JOURNEYS scale, hospice consultations). - **Cat Nail Care Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-nail-care/) - How to trim a cat's claws and why cats need to scratch: which cats actually need trimming (indoor, less active, kittens, seniors) and why inspection beats a fixed schedule, step-by-step trimming with cat clippers, finding the quick and the dark-claw caveat, what to do if you cut the quick (styptic powder, pressure, when to call a vet), overgrown and ingrown nails and the dewclaw in senior cats, why scratching is normal claw-maintenance and marking behavior rather than misbehavior, choosing and placing a scratching post (height for a full stretch, stability, sisal, location), why declawing is amputation of the toe bone that the AVMA discourages and the AAFP opposes, and nail caps as a non-surgical option. - **Cat Shedding and Matting** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-shedding/) - How to tell normal shedding from a warning sign and how to keep a cat's coat healthy: the hair growth cycle and why cats shed a little year-round, single vs double coats and why the undercoat sheds most, daylight-driven seasonal shedding and why indoor cats shed evenly all year, normal shedding (even coat, no bald spots) vs alopecia (bald patches, thinning, sores, plus systemic signs like weight loss or increased thirst), causes of true hair loss (flea-allergy itch, mites, ringworm, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and psychogenic overgrooming as a diagnosis of exclusion where most suspected cases turn out to have a medical cause), brushing technique and frequency by coat type, mats and safe dematting (finger-and-comb method, never use scissors, vet or groomer shave for severe mats), and the connection between shedding and hairballs. Cites International Cat Care, Texas A&M VMBS, VCA, the Cornell Feline Health Center, and Waisglass et al. 2006 on psychogenic alopecia. - **Spaying and Neutering Cats** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-spay-neuter/) - A complete guide to cat spay/neuter: why it is worth doing (near-elimination of mammary tumour risk when females are spayed young, prevention of pyometra and uterine/ovarian disease, ending heat cycles; in males prevention of testicular disease and reduction of roaming, fighting, and urine spraying), the "Fix by Five" recommendation to spay or neuter before five months of age and the ~1 kg minimum weight for early-age surgery, what surgery day involves (pre-op screening, fasting instructions, general anaesthesia, ~15-20 minute spay, smaller scrotal incision for castration, microchipping under anaesthesia), at-home recovery and aftercare (Elizabethan collar or recovery suit, twice-daily incision checks, activity restriction of ~10-14 days for females, dust-free litter, why human painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are toxic, stitch removal), the honest risks and complications of routine surgery, and the realistic behaviour and weight changes afterward (calmer not duller, lowered energy needs and increased appetite that make post-neuter weight gain common but preventable). Cites the Cornell Feline Health Center, the AAHA "Fix by Five" initiative, International Cat Care, and Fettman et al. 1997 on metabolic effects of neutering. ### Behavior Guides - **Cat Mood Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-mood-detection/) - How to read your cat's body language across tail, ears, whiskers, eyes, posture, and vocalizations (chirp/trill, meow, hiss/growl/yowl, purr). Covers scent communication (head bunting, allorubbing) and kneading, plus the mood signals that look identical to pain (flat ears, hunched posture, reduced grooming), with an 8-question FAQ on petting-induced biting, quivering tails, airplane ears, and belly-rub readiness. Grounded in AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines, the Feline Grimace Scale (Evangelista et al. 2019), Humphrey et al. 2020 on slow blink communication, and Galvan & Vonk 2021 on visual signal continua. - **Why Do Cats Like Butt Pats?** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-butt-pats/) - Why some cats love being patted on the bum and others hate it. Covers nerve endings at the tail base, the lordosis reflex, what research actually says, and how to do it safely. - **Signs of Stress in Cats** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-stress-signs/) - How to recognize feline stress (hiding, over-grooming, litter box changes, aggression, compulsive behaviors), common triggers, and how to fix the underlying environment using the AAFP/ISFM five pillars: safe space, separated resources, play and hunting opportunities, predictable human interaction, and respect for the cat's sense of smell. Covers psychogenic alopecia, feline idiopathic cystitis, multi-cat conflict, and when to see a vet. - **Multi-Cat Household Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/multi-cat-household/) - How to introduce a new cat using a step-by-step slow introduction protocol (separate rooms, scent swapping, visual barrier, supervised meetings), manage shared territory with proper resource placement (litter boxes, food stations, vertical space), and recognize silent inter-cat conflict (staring, blocking, avoidance patterns, time-sharing). Covers when multi-cat living isn't working and when to consult a veterinary behaviorist. - **Bringing Home an Adopted Cat** (https://furwise.app/blog/bringing-home-adopted-cat/) - Research-based guide to the first month with a newly adopted adult cat. Covers pre-arrival preparation (supplies, safe room setup, microchip registration), an expanded cat-proofing section unique to a newly adopted cat (linear foreign bodies / string ingestion, recliner crush injuries, dryer hazards, window-screen integrity, stovetop/ceiling fan risks, lily toxicity), the day of arrival, what to expect in the first week (hiding, reduced eating, proactive vs reactive coping styles), the CAT interaction protocol (Choice, Attention, Touch), an honest critique of the popular "3-3-3 rule" anchored in coping-style biology, and a major new section on what to do when a cat seems stuck at 3+ weeks — including vet-prescribed anxiety medication framed as a recognized clinical option, not a failure, with treatment specifics left to the vet. Opening the door, household introductions, first vet visit, and an 8-question FAQ covering hissing, weeks-long hiding, introducing to resident pets, and sleeping in bed. Grounded in AAFP/ISFM environmental needs guidelines (Ellis et al. 2013), Stella & Croney coping styles (2019), Haywood et al. 2021 Battersea CAT protocol, and the 2022 AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines (Rodan et al.). Warns on hepatic lipidosis risk past 24h fasting, male-cat urinary obstruction as a true emergency, and linear foreign body ingestion. - **Bringing Home a Kitten** (https://furwise.app/blog/bringing-home-kitten/) - Evidence-based guide to the first month with a new kitten (8-16 weeks). Covers when to take a kitten home (mother-raised vs orphan rules), supplies and kitten-proofing, the first day and night, the socialization sensitive period (a gradual window opening at 2-3 weeks and mostly closing by 14 weeks), feeding and growth, the AAHA/AAFP-aligned vaccination schedule, play and the wand-toy rule (with the laser pointer caveat), the one-vs-two-kittens question, and emergency signs (linear foreign body, lethargy, repeated vomiting). Cites the Ahola early-weaning study (Scientific Reports, 2017), the Casey & Bradshaw rescue socialization study (2008), the Hofmeister overnight-fasting study, the Kogan & Grigg laser-pointer study (2021), and the 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines. Includes the honest debunking of "single kitten syndrome" as not peer-reviewed. - **Cat Litter Box Problems** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-litter-box-problems/) - Why cats stop using the litter box and how to fix it, organized as three paths: medical rule-outs first (FLUTD, CKD, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, arthritis, GI issues), then the box itself (the AAFP/ISFM n+1 rule, size, covered vs uncovered, fine-grained unscented clumping litter, scoop daily and deep-clean weekly), then environment and behavior (location, surface preference shifts, silent multi-cat conflict, scary memories attached to the box). Distinguishes inappropriate elimination (squatting on horizontal surfaces) from urine marking (standing spray on vertical surfaces, ~10% of neutered males and 5% of neutered females still spray per Cornell). Includes retraining protocol with enzyme cleaner and gradual box relocation, why punishment and ammonia cleaners backfire, and the male cat emergency (urethral obstruction fatal within 24-48 hours). Cites Ellis et al. 2013 AAFP/ISFM environmental needs guidelines, Buffington 2011 FIC paper, Cornell House Soiling guide, and Ohio State Indoor Pet Initiative. - **Cat Sleep Guide** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-sleep-guide/) - A new-owner-focused guide to feline sleep: why healthy adult cats sleep 12-16 hours and kittens or seniors up to 20, why cats are crepuscular (not nocturnal) and zoom at dawn and dusk, how to handle 3am wake-ups by completing the hunt-catch-kill-eat-groom-sleep cycle before bed, the shelter-community 3-3-3 decompression rule for newly adopted cats, reading sleep poses (curled ball, loaf, belly-up, REM twitching vs seizures), the pros and cons of co-sleeping, and when sleep changes signal illness — lethargy with kidney disease or anemia, restlessness with hyperthyroidism, nighttime yowling with Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (25%+ of cats aged 11+), and stiff posture with osteoarthritis (over 90% of cats 12+ show radiographic signs but under 5% are flagged by owners). Same-day vet signs: unresponsive, sternal posture with open-mouth breathing, 24h anorexia with lethargy, unrousable twitching. - **What Does It Mean When Your Cat Slow Blinks at You?** (https://furwise.app/blog/cat-slow-blink/) - The science behind the cat slow blink. Why staring reads as a threat in cat language and why deliberately closing the eyes signals trust. Covers the Humphrey et al. 2020 University of Sussex experiments (Scientific Reports) where 45 pet cats were tested across two conditions: cats blinked back significantly more when owners slow-blinked, and unfamiliar researchers who slow-blinked got both more reciprocal blinks and more hand-approach behavior than those with neutral expressions. Includes the companion shelter-cat study (Animals, 2020) showing cats that returned more slow blinks tended to be adopted faster. Explains the proper technique (narrow eyes like a soft smile, close 1-2 seconds, open slowly), why unbroken staring is counterproductive, what to do when a cat doesn't blink back, and other "I trust you" signals to read alongside (tail-up question-mark curl, exposed belly, loose-body purring, slow kneading). - **How to Help a Shy or Fearful Cat Trust You** (https://furwise.app/blog/shy-cat-trust/) - A research-based guide to building trust with a shy, fearful, or semi-feral adult cat after the first-month settling is over. Explains why a cat stays wary of people (undersocialized in kittenhood, temperamentally cautious, or simply rattled by a recent move) and reframes progress as less fear rather than a lap cat. Covers ruling out pain first when withdrawal is new and sudden (see a vet before assuming it is behavioral), using the environment to do most of the work (hiding spots at height, predictable routine, scent and voice familiarity, no looming or direct staring, slow blink as a low-pressure reply), food and play as the way to build trust through plain-language counter-conditioning (incremental feeding distance, wand-toy interaction without hands), reading consent before touching (approach vs tolerating, the petting-then-bite warning signs, the withdraw-hand rule), handling normal setbacks and regression, and when to escalate to a vet or veterinary behaviorist (extreme/worsening/global fear, or fear plus not eating, litter avoidance, or aggression) with anxiety medication framed as a vet-decided support, not a protocol. Grounded in AAFP/ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines (Ellis et al. 2013), the Casey & Bradshaw rescue socialisation study (2008), Vitale Shreve et al. 2017 on cat preferences for human interaction over food, Vitale et al. 2019 on cat-human attachment bonds, and Humphrey et al. 2020 on slow-blink communication. ## Links - Website: https://furwise.app/ - Blog: https://furwise.app/blog/ - Privacy Policy: https://furwise.app/privacy/ - Terms of Service: https://furwise.app/terms/ - Help Center: https://furwise.app/help/ - Android waitlist: https://furwise.app/android/ ## FAQ **Is Furwise free?** Furwise is free to download. The free tier covers one cat with daily care logging, the care guides, and a basic monthly analysis quota. Furwise Pro is an optional in-app subscription that adds multi-cat support, deeper insights, and higher analysis limits. **Is Furwise a replacement for a vet?** No. Furwise helps you keep records and understand common care questions, and points you toward a vet when something is worth checking. Diagnosis and treatment always stay with your veterinarian. **Is there an Android version?** Not yet. Furwise is an iPhone app and requires iOS 17 or later. An Android version is in planning, and the launch date will be posted on the site once there is one. Anyone willing to help test it can leave an email address at https://furwise.app/android/ and will be invited to the Google Play closed test first. That address is used for the test invitation and nothing else. **Can multiple family members use it?** Yes! Share your cat's profile with family members using an invite code. Everyone can view and update health records. **What health data can I track?** Weight, vaccines, medications (flea/deworming/prescriptions), vet visits, and general health notes. Plus photo-based analysis. **Is my data secure?** Yes, we take privacy seriously. Your pet's data is encrypted and stored securely. See our privacy policy for details.