Pheromonotherapy - Cat

Overview

Pheromonotherapy may be used to assist behavioural therapy. It is thought that the effect of pheromones on distinct behaviours can be explained by stress reduction, providing some safe substitutes for resolution of behavioural disorders . In contrast to pharmacological treatment of behavioural conditions pheromones have no side effects. Use is external via either a diffuser or spray. The simultaneous use of pheromonotherapy and anti-anxiety medications may produce a faster resolution of conditions than if either were to be used alone. Pheromonotherapy can also be a useful adjunct for treatment of behavioural problems in older pets, or those with already existing medical conditions where pharmacological treatment may cause adverse effects due to interactions with existing medication. In addition there is no minimum recommended age for the use of pheromones in young pets.

F3

The pheromone F3 (Feliway) is a synthetic analogue of pheromones from feline cheek glands, known as the ‘familiarisation pheromone’. It can be used to reduce general anxiety in stressful situations (such as moving house, transport, presence of other animals) so that the home or environment is less threatening. It has been particularly beneficial in cases of cat to cat aggression within the same household and is thought to provide a sense of reassurance for cats in new or stressful circumstances.

The use of F3 diffusers (Feliway) can simulate the effect of dense facial and flank marking within an environment, whilst the cats re-establish their own marks and exchange odours that identify them.

F4

F4 (Felifriend) is a synthetic pheromone analogue used by cats to identify familiar individuals and when applied to unfamiliar individuals this can increase the cat’s tendency to approach and show affiliative behaviour. This can also be useful because it reduces escape responses. Combinations of pheromone therapies, using both F3 and F4 are especially helpful when the target of aggression is a member of the family or regular visitor to the household of a cat that has been recently re-homed. F4 may produce dissonant emotional states (which can induce a panic reaction) when the person or animal to whom F4 has been applied is already familiar to the cat from some aversive encounter and therefore invokes visual triggering of hostile responses. Further work in this area is essential but at the moment F4 should be used with care, applying it only to unfamiliar individuals, preferably from species with which the cat was socialised as a kitten.

The pheromone F4 ought to be very useful for treating inter-cat aggression within the household, but unfortunately there have been problems with its practical use. F4 signals indicate familiarity, but with cats that have already had a number of aggressive encounters there may be a dissonance between the memory of the visual appearance of the aggressor cat and the chemical ‘familiarity’ signal. This has been seen to trigger apparent panic and violent outbursts. F4 is not recommended for treating inter-cat aggression within the household, but is very useful for reducing fear of unfamiliar people and other animals and for helping in the introduction of a new member of the household.

Proper Use of Pheromone Products

• F3 diffusers must be used at a rate of 1 per 50-70m², in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Diffusers should be left switched on at all times and must not be moved from room to room.
• Diffusers should be installed strategically, one in each of the locations where individual cats or factions of cats spend time. Installing a single diffuser in a hallway between rooms will not generally produce an effect in the rooms.
• When F3 diffusers are first installed the cats should be kept away from the diffuser for the first 1-2 hours to prevent them from spraying onto the diffuser. Being plastic, the diffusers will initially release a combination of smells that some cats may find objectionable.
• If a diffuser becomes contaminated with urine it should be thoroughly cleaned, other wise it will release urine odours along with the F3. Some diffusers may need to be thrown away.
• F3 spray can be used to spot mark new objects that are brought into the house (clothing, bags, new furniture).
• F3 spray can also be used as a deterrent for scratch marking in the home: one squirt is applied daily to the claw marking location. An alternative claw marking location should be provided nearby.

References

Heath, S. Chapeter 5, Common Feline Behavioural Problems, Feline Medicine and Therapeutics