What are cat pheromones and how do they work

All animals have their own way of communicating, whether that be through body language or vocalisation, and cats are no different. One of the more unique ways cats communicate is through pheromones.

Pheromones act as invisible markers, communicating certain information and triggering specific, instinctive responses between animals of the same species. Cats have a special structure located just above the roof of their mouth called the vomeronasal organ. This organ analyses different scents and identifies pheromones.

Some cat pheromones trigger an instinctive calming response, so when your cat identifies them, they instantly feel relaxed and at ease. Certain events or situations, such as fireworks, travelling or vet visits, can be stressful for cats or make them feel anxious. Cats often display their distress through normal, but problem behaviour, such as furniture scratching or urine spraying, which is distressing for us too. Pheromone calming products provide an ideal way to help reassure your cat, and help reduce general feelings of stress or anxiety.

The two pheromones used in cat calming products are:

• Feline Facial Pheromone (FFP)
• Cat Maternal Appeasing Pheromone (MAP)

Both the Feline Facial Pheromone and the cat Maternal Appeasing Pheromone promote feelings of reassurance, and help reduce problem behaviour, stress and anxiety in cats. As both pheromones trigger an instinctive calming response, either can be used to support cats during all kinds of stressful situations. But, they do work slightly differently, and therefore you may find one pheromone is more suitable to the situation your cat is facing.

The Feline Facial Pheromone is used by all cats to mark areas and objects as ‘safe’ or ‘familiar’.

You may have noticed your cat rubbing their chin on objects or gently butting their heads on furniture, people or even other pets. When cats do this, they release the Feline Facial Pheromone from the glands in their cheeks, chin and forehead. This particular cat pheromone is associated with happiness and reassurance, helping cats form positive connections with people and their surroundings. So when a cat does this, they are marking the area as a ‘safe space’.

The Feline Facial Pheromone is ideal for helping cats feel more at ease during stressful situations they may experience while at home, such as fireworks, thunderstorms, changes in the environment and moving house. It can also be used to help reduce problem behaviour, such as furniture scratching and urine spraying.

The Feline Facial Pheromone is used in the Beaphar CatComfort® Excellence Pheromone Diffuser and the Beaphar CatComfort® Calming Spray.

• Beaphar CatComfort Excellence Cat Calming Diffuser
• Beaphar CatComfort® Cat Calming Spray

The cat Maternal Appeasing Pheromone is naturally produced by the queen after giving birth and when she nurses her kittens. It helps the kittens feel reassured and comforted, and is a crucial part of the socialisation and bonding process. Although only produced during nursing, cats of all ages are still able to recognise this pheromone, even if they were hand-reared.

Cats are naturally solitary animals, and can find living in multi-cat or multi-pet households stressful. Using a calming product for cats containing the cat Maternal Appeasing Pheromone can therefore be particularly useful to promote harmonious living, reduce conflict and aggressive behaviour, and promote bonding between pets and owners. It will also help your cat feel reassured during situations such as vet visits and cattery stays.

The cat Maternal Appeasing Pheromone is used alongside FFP in the Beaphar CatComfort® Excellence Calming Diffuser. It is also used in the Beaphar CatComfort® Calming Spot-On, which calms your cat within 15 minutes of application and creates a calming effect that travels with your cat for up to one week.

• Beaphar CatComfort® Cat Calming Spot-On

Cats can be particularly sensitive to changes within their environment. Something that seems trivial or exciting to us can cause stress or anxiety for our cats, which they often communicate through normal, but stress-related behaviour. Whether your cat is exhibiting problem behaviour or a specific stressful event is coming up, using Beaphar CatComfort® can help your cat feel at ease.