Do pheromone diffusers work? What do you want to know!

Featured on homefriends

Edited by: Ingrid King. Last updated: February 2, 2023 by Crystal Uys

Products containing artificial pheromones can be an important tool in dealing with feline behavior issues, whether it’s territorial aggression, urine marking, or just a stressful visit to the vet. Cats naturally emit these pheromones. They are used to mark their territory as safe and secure by rubbing the side of their face against furniture, or even against you.

When a cat smells a pheromone emitted by its own species, it triggers a natural response from its endocrine system which then releases calming chemicals. Artificial facial pheromones mimic natural cat pheromones and create a sense of safety in their surroundings. Products containing these artificial pheromones can be used to help comfort and reassure cats when faced with a difficult situation and to help prevent or reduce stress caused by a change in their environment. They can also help bring peace to multi-cat households.

The best known pheromone products are manufactured by Ceva Animal Health under the Feliway brand. There are two versions of Feliway.

Feliway Classic

feliway-diffuser

Check latest price

The original Feliway, now sold as “classic”, is a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure. By mimicking the cat’s natural facial pheromone, Feliway creates a state of familiarity and security in the cat’s local environment. Feliway helps reduce or prevent unwanted behaviors such as scratching, peeing outside the litter box and hiding.

Feliway MultiChat

feliway-multicat

Check latest price

Feliway MultiCat is a synthetic copy of the calming feline pheromone produced by female cats during lactation. It provides a calming effect on cats of all ages and can help cats in multi-cat households feel more secure with their surroundings by reducing tension and aggression between cats.

Study shows effectiveness of pheromones in managing inter-cat aggression

A recent study investigated whether the use of feline appeasing pheromones in a multi-cat household reduced aggression between cats. 45 households containing between 2 and 5 cats with a history of inter-cat aggression were included in the study.

Households were randomized to receive 2 plug-in diffusers containing either the pheromone or a placebo. The owners were instructed to operate them in the house for 28 days. Owners also received training in the use of behavior modification techniques.

Of the 45 cats enrolled in the study, 42 completed it according to protocol. 17 were treated with the active pheromone and 25 with a placebo. At the end of the study, all households were asked “‘In general, do you find that your cats get along better?” 84.2% of households in the treatment group answered “yes” against only 64% in the control group. Although this does not appear to be a convincing difference, it is statistically significant.

Although the results of the study may be limited by many factors, such as the number, sex and age of cats in each household, the size of each house and the specifics of dynamics between cats, I believe that the results still support the use of pheromones to help manage feline aggression.

For more information about the study, please visit the Fear Free website.

My take on pheromone products

I recommend Feliway to my clients and readers as the first line of defense for behavioral issues with generally positive results. Most often what I hear is “I don’t know if it works or not, but when the diffuser runs out, my cats start having problems.” It is important to understand the difference between the products available.

Which pheromone product should you use?

The two brands I know best are Feliway and ComfortZone. Anecdotal feedback from my customers suggests that the original Feliway line produces better results than the Comfort Zone line. Feline veterinarian Dr Andrea Tasi, of Just Cats Naturally, an exclusive feline practice based on home visits and dedicated to a holistic and individualized approach to each cat, agrees. “I always advise my client to spend the money on the Feliway product,” she says. “All of the original studies demonstrating less stress-related behaviors in veterinary clinic cages pretreated with Feliway were done with the original product with a higher concentration of pheromones.”

Feliway and Comfort Zone with Feliway products are available on Amazon – and Amazon’s prices are the lowest I could find. Once you’ve purchased the diffuser kit, you can purchase refills for additional savings. Diffusers should be replaced every six months for best results.

Did you use pheromone diffusers? Please share your experience in a comment.

About the Author


Source Link

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We will assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More