What are Cat Pheromones and What Do They Do?

The chemical alerts your cat leaves behind—and the way they play an vital position in your cat’s relationship with their atmosphere and also you.

Photograph: Scalia Media/Shutterstock

Pheromones are chemical alerts, technically known as semiochemicals as a result of they’ve that means. Cats produce varied pheromones and go away them as chemical alerts that they or different cats will discover. The one you’re almost certainly to have heard of is the artificial pheromone in Feliway Basic that’s used to assist make cats really feel at dwelling.

Pheromones are a sort of unstable natural molecule, and cats have an innate response to them. In different phrases, cats don’t need to be taught what they’re; they’re born with the response. Pheromones are used to depart a message, which could be for one more cat—however cats can even sniff their very own pheromones too. Generally the receiver of the message is current, like when cats rub on one another, however generally they aren’t they usually obtain the message once they come throughout it at some later time.

How cats detect pheromones

Cats detect pheromones with the vomeronasal organ (VNO). The VNO is 2 fluid-filled sacs within the onerous palate on the prime of the mouth. There are two ways in which molecules can get there. Molecules within the nostril can dissolve within the nasal mucus and enter the VNO by way of the nasopalatine canal. Alternatively, molecules are licked or breathed into the mouth the place they dissolve in saliva. The molecules journey to the VNO by way of two openings behind the entrance enamel. Molecules could be pushed out and again into the VNO so it could take cats a short time to course of them. The VNO connects to part of the mind known as the amygdala.

It’s potential that the olfactory system can even detect pheromones (Tirindelli et al 2009). We all know this occurs in mice so it’s in all probability the identical for cats.

Cats detect pheromones utilizing one thing known as the Flehmen response. This seems to be like a grimace and includes lifting the top up, pulling the lips again and placing the tongue in direction of the entrance of the mouth. This is identical in all cats and might final thirty seconds or longer. In the course of the Flehmen response, pheromones enter the ducts, and it additionally helps transfer pheromones as much as the VNO. 

Kittens begin to present the Flehmen response at 5 weeks of age and it’s totally developed by 7 weeks. 

How cats make pheromones

Cats produce pheromones in glands across the physique, together with between the top and ears, along side the lips, below the chin and within the cheeks. Cats even have glands within the pads on their paws, and within the anal and urinogenitary area. Feminine cats have glands across the teats that produce feline maternal appeasing pheromone.

Pheromones could be deposited into the atmosphere or onto different cats by way of facial rubbing, tail wrapping, urine spraying, middening (leaving poop uncovered), scratching, and publicity of the glands across the teats. 

The social position of feline pheromones

Cats will facial rub in opposition to objects within the atmosphere (together with furnishings and partitions) in addition to in opposition to one another and people. A staff of scientists led by Patrick Pageat has discovered 5 totally different chemical fractions within the pheromones deposited by facial rubbing, generally known as F1, F2, F3, and many others.. Whereas we don’t know what all of them do but, one among them (F2) is related to sexual behaviour. One other one, F3, is territorial and used to mark objects and locations that the cat makes use of typically; the artificial model of that is in Feliway Basic. F4 is vital for social relationships inside teams of cats: cats that get on will rub in opposition to one another (known as allo-rubbing) and in addition allo-rub the identical locations. Therefore it’s thought to create a ‘group scent’.  

Tail-wrapping can be thought to take care of a ‘group scent’ and therefore social cohesion.

Your cat in all probability likes to rub their head on you too.  It’s a beautiful greeting and an indication that they embody you as a part of their social group. Scientists have additionally discovered that cats desire us to pet them within the locations across the head and face the place they make pheromones (Ellis et al 2014). (However keep in mind to at all times give your cat a selection of whether or not or to not be petted).  

Marking cats’ territory

Pheromones even have territorial makes use of. Head-rubbing, middening and urine-spraying all have this perform. Deposited pheromones are nonetheless there when the cat is just not, and are thought to offer details about when the cat was there, their well being, sexual standing, and so forth. There are a number of hypotheses about how this works.

Urine spraying leaves each visible and olfactory alerts. The situation of the spraying is probably going chosen with care. In wildcats (F silvestris), it has been advised they select a specific plant to spray on, frequent juniper, as a result of chemical properties of the plant will amplify the pheromones.

Middening – leaving faeces in a outstanding location – may additionally make pheromones accessible to different cats. Barn cats will bury faeces inside their very own space, however go away them uncovered when away from the barn. Analysis exhibits cats can differentiate between faeces from acquainted and unfamiliar cats, spend longer sniffing that of unfamiliar cats, and get used to the odour of unfamiliar cats’ faeces (Nakabayashi et al 2012). 

Scratching can be thought to have a territorial function. In a single experiment, cats scratched a put up considerably extra when it had been handled with Feliscratch, an artificial model of the pheromones present in plantar pads, in comparison with a placebo (Cozzi et al 2013). So its presence appears to encourage cats to scratch. As a result of Feliscratch additionally contains catnip, it’s not recognized which substance (or the mixture) is chargeable for this impact (Zhang and McGlone 2020).

Some pheromones are linked to sexual behaviour. In sexually intact cats, males usually tend to present Flehmen behaviour after sniffing the urine or physique of intact feminine cats. The feminine cat doesn’t do it as a lot.

Proof that pheromones are linked to social behaviour comes from a research that discovered a hyperlink between irritation of the VNO and aggression in direction of different cats (Asproni et al 2016). They did necropsies on 20 cats. Cats that had irritation of the sensory epithelium within the VNO have been extra prone to be aggressive to different cats, however there was no hyperlink for irritation of the non-sensory epithelium. Neither was linked to aggression to people. That is in keeping with the concept pheromones are particular to feline-feline communication.

Pheromone remedy for cats

There are a number of artificial pheromones accessible: an artificial F3 pheromone, present in Feliway Basic and another manufacturers; an artificial Feline Appeasing Pheromone present in Feliway Multicat (also called Feliway Mates); an artificial Feline Interdigital Semiochemical accessible as FeliScratch. Extra not too long ago, Feliway Optimum comprises a brand new artificial advanced that goals to mix pheromones and work throughout extra conditions. 

Vets might use an F3 analogue to assist cats really feel much less harassed by having a diffuser within the examination room and spraying towels used to cowl cat carriers (Taylor et al 2022). Cat guardians may additionally be inspired to spray towels or bedding within the cat provider with a pheromone spray 15 minutes earlier than going to the vet.  

Total, the proof base for using artificial pheromones to resolve behaviour points is blended, and plenty of research haven’t used applicable designs, making it onerous to evaluate the outcomes (Vitale, 2018). One randomized research of Feliway Multicat that used a placebo management group discovered that it helped to resolve intercat aggression in households with multiple cat (DePorter et al 2018). One other randomized research with a placebo discovered {that a} artificial model of the F3 pheromone can cut back stress in cats when they’re briefly in a provider (Shu and Gu 2022). Nevertheless, extra analysis on feline pheromones is required.

Artificial pheromones ought to be used as a part of an total behaviour plan, not used on their very own. There appears to be some particular person variation in how cats reply, and there’s additionally a suggestion that using catnip would possibly assist F3 pheromones work higher (though once more, extra analysis is required). 

If you happen to’re utilizing an artificial pheromone, consider carefully about the place to place it in the home. It ought to be in a room the place the cat spends a variety of their time, and someplace near the place they relaxation. When you’ve got a number of cats, you could want a number of with a purpose to place them the place totally different cats spend time hanging out. You should utilize catnip, toys, or meals positioned close to to it to encourage the cat to strategy the place it’s and detect the pheromone. 

Bear in mind to consider different methods to assist your cat too, corresponding to bettering the allocation of assets within the dwelling, making further time for play (particularly play with a wand toy), giving your cat meals puzzle toys, making certain your cat has hiding areas, coaching your cat, and discovering different methods to cut back stress.     

In case your cat has a behaviour challenge, see your vet in case a medical challenge is inflicting or contributing to their behaviour.

Respecting the cat’s sense of odor is likely one of the 5 pillars of a wholesome feline atmosphere. You possibly can be taught extra about your cat’s nostril and VNO and learn how to take account of their superb sense of odor in what your cat’s nostril is aware of.  

If you happen to like this put up, take a look at my ebook Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Glad. Trendy Cat journal calls it “the must-have information to bettering your cat’s life.” Will probably be out in paperback on June sixth, and the hardback is out there now. 

P.S. Do not miss my webinar Learn how to have a cheerful cat on Could thirtieth at 10am Pacific (1pm Japanese/6pm UK time). It is free and a recording might be accessible to those that register. Closed captions might be accessible. 

Helpful hyperlinks:

References

Asproni, P, Cozzi, A, Verin, R, Lafont-Leceulle C, Bienboire-Frosini, C, Poli, A and Pageat, P. (2016) Pathology and behavior in feline drugs: investigating the hyperlink between vomeronasalitis and aggression. Journal of Feline Medication and Surgical procedure, 18(2):997-1002.

Cozzi, A., Lecuelle, C. L., Monneret, P., Articlaux, F., Bougrat, L., Mengoli, M., & Pageat, P. (2013). Induction of scratching behaviour in cats: efficacy of artificial feline interdigital semiochemical. Journal of Feline Medication and Surgical procedure, 15(10), 872-878.

DePorter, T. L., Bledsoe, D. L., Beck, A., & Ollivier, E. (2018). Analysis of the efficacy of an appeasing pheromone diffuser product vs placebo for administration of feline aggression in multi-cat households: a pilot research. Journal of Feline Medication and Surgical procedure, 21(4), 293-305. 

Ellis, S., Thompson, H., Guijarro, C., & Zulch, H. (2014). The affect of physique area, handler familiarity and order of area dealt with on the home cat’s response to being stroked Utilized Animal Behaviour Science, 173, 60-67.

Nakabayashi, M., Yamaoka, R. and Nakashima, Y. (2012) Do faecal odours allow home cats (Felis catus) to tell apart familiarity of the odours? Journal of Ethology 30:325-329.

Shu, H., & Gu, X. (2022). Impact of an artificial feline facial pheromone product on stress throughout transport in home cats: a randomised managed pilot research. Journal of Feline Medication and Surgical procedure, 24(8), 691-699.

Taylor, S., St Denis, Okay., Collins, S., Dowgray, N., Ellis, S. L., Heath, S., … & Ryan, L. (2022). 2022 ISFM/AAFP cat pleasant veterinary atmosphere pointers. Journal of Feline Medication and Surgical procedure, 24(11), 1133-1163.

Tirindelli, R., Dibattista, M., Pifferi, S. and Menini, A. (2009) From pheromones to behavior. Physiological Overview 89:921-956.

Vitale, Okay. R. (2018). Instruments for managing feline downside behaviors: pheromone remedy. Journal of feline drugs and surgical procedure, 20(11), 1024-1032.

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