An introduction to Pheromonatherapy

Are your cats running amok around the house? Have you got two cats that just won’t stop fighting each other? This week we’ve spoken to our in-house veterinary expert on pheromonatherapy and the benefits it can have on your cats.

What are pheromones?

Pheromones are chemical messages that animals use to communicate with each other, or even sometimes to leave messages for themselves. They are clever as they can leave information in the environment, so the message is passed on even when the animal is not there! There are lots of different bits of information that can be passed on by pheromones, including messages of who the animal is as an individual and when they have been in the area, messages of security or even a warning that there is danger in this area.

What is pheromonatherapy?

Pheromonatherapy involves the use of pheromones which have an emotional impact on an animal in order to manage the behaviour of that animal. In a way, it is a sort of environmental management that encourages more acceptable behaviour. We are using the pheromones to let the animal know that the environment or situation they are in is less threatening than it seems.

As pheromones are detected in a different area to smells and involves the use of natural animal signals it is different to aromatherapy which relies on odours and are often plant-based mixtures.

Why is pheromonatherapy useful?

The pheromone products are species specific, so they do not have an effect on other species in the home or us as their human owners. They are also easy to use and in the case of the diffuser, once plugged in, it will be providing support for a month. They do not sedate a pet and they allow the pet to behave in a natural way, but as they make the pet feel more comfortable in situations, they are a great partner to any behaviour modification plan that is employed to deal with the behaviour problem.

Of course, in some cases it may be appropriate to use medicines to help manage a behaviour case — if required, the pheromone products can be used alongside this.

What is the pheromone in Feliway and how does it work?

The Feliway Classic diffuser and spray contains a synthetic copy of the F3 fraction of the facial pheromone. This pheromone is naturally produced from the cheek area of a cat and is left on objects when a cat rubs their face on them. The presence of this pheromone in a cat’s home provides emotional support for the cat and helps them to cope with any stressful events in the home — if there is no facial pheromone in the home there is believed to be an increase in anxiety. Feliway Classic has been shown to also help cats when they have to travel away from home, which they usually find intensely difficult as their territory is so important to them.

The Feliway Friends diffuser contains a synthetic copy of the cat appeasing pheromone which is naturally released from a mother cat to comfort and reassure her kittens. The comfort provided helps to maintain a harmonious bond between the group and has been found to support feline relationships in multi cat households.

Can too much of that particular pheromone be harmful to your pet?

No, it is not a problem to use the pheromone products long term as they are not absorbed into the bloodstream and it is not possible to ‘overdose’ on them. Also, as the pheromones are specific to a species, it is not a problem to use Feliway in a house with a dog and of course the pheromones do not affect us as humans either.

How long does it take for pheromone therapy to work?

It does depend on what the pheromone is being used for. We would recommend using the product for at least a month. However, the products will start to support a pet quite quickly after they have been plugged in/sprayed on bedding or clothing for e.g. 24 hours after the diffuser is plugged in the pheromones will be released at their optimum and the spray will provide support once the 15-minute window has passed (to allow the alcohol base to evaporate).

When might pheromonatherapy be used?

I would always recommend having a pet checked by a vet to rule out any medical reasons for a change in behaviour; they can point you in the direction of a local qualified behaviourist too if there is not one connected to the practice.

Pheromone products do not alter the natural behaviour of an animal, for example Feliway Classic will not curb the exuberant behaviour of a kitten (climbing curtains and legs!), however, it can help a cat feel more comfortable in their home and reduce (and hopefully) stop their need to urine mark in the home. If a cat is urinating in the home for another reason other than feeling anxious/worried in the home, for example, they have not been given a litter tray, then Feliway Classic will not resolve this. It is therefore useful to understand the motivation for the behaviour seen, so your vet/behaviourist will be able to decide whether pheromonatherapy is appropriate or not.

There is lots of advice on the Feliway website about the correct use of the products too, as they need to be used in the right way to be effective.

Will my pet need Feliway for life?

Some cats only need to have the support of Feliway Classic during a specific periods of change, such as during fireworks when we keep our cats indoors during the evenings when loud bangs may frighten them, when we have visitors to the home or the ultimate change when we move home with our cats. Others may need the continual support of Feliway Classic. If your cat seems to be settled, isn’t demonstrating any stress-related behaviour problems and you have noticed them facial marking themselves you can try unplugging the Feliway Classic and see how they do. It is easy to plug back in again if you need to, or if you know something is going to be happening in the next few days that your cat may find difficult to cope with.

Feliway Friends is similar — the cats in a multicat home may need the constant support of the pheromone to remain comfortable in each other’s presence, or they may only need the support for 1–2 months to help them learn that each other is not a threat.

Regardless of the problem, I would always recommend seeking the advice of a qualified behaviourist to assess your pet. This allows a behaviour modification plan to be put in place to help the pet change their behaviour to a more acceptable one — this may involve a training plan or changes to the home environment but will ultimately mean your cat is able to cope better and more appropriately in situations they find challenging.