Have you ever caught your cat standing, frozen and intently focused, with her mouth slightly open in a funny grimace? Your kitty is undoubtedly showing what is known as the Flehmen response and is trying to decipher a whiff of pheromones she detected in the air. And did you know, that every time your cat scratches a post or rubs up against you, he is emitting these pheromones?
The Flehmen response in cats is a voluntary reaction to an interesting chemical smell. Cat’s detect this smell with a vomeronasal organ (the vomer is a bone located between the nose and the mouth) called the Jacobson’s organ, which is located on the upper palate of its oral cavity – hence the open mouth and funny grimace to “smell” it.
So what exactly are pheromones and what on earth is your cat doing with them?
Well, you already know that your cat is a fascinating creature. Her behaviour is probably sometimes puzzling even to you and this is no surprise since it is driven by a complex system of communication that goes beyond just meows and body language. At the heart of this intricate “cat language” are – you guessed it – pheromones! Unbeknownst to you, these pheromones are used to convey emotions, mark territory, and build social bonds which play a crucial role in feline interactions.
So let’s explore the science behind them!
Understanding Pheromones: The Silent Communicators
Pheromones are chemical substances produced by animals, including cats, to communicate with others of their species. These chemical signals are emitted into the environment, where they can be detected only by other members of the same species, influencing their behaviour and responses. As if cats weren’t enigmatic enough, they have an additional invisible and secret language that can only be deciphered by other cats! How important is this secret language?
Well, in the feline world, pheromones offer quite a silent and powerful means of communication. In fact, cats have not one but several types of pheromone-producing glands, with each type playing a specific role in different aspects of their lives. We know about four specific ones, but that is not to say that there are more that we have yet to discover!
Facial Pheromones: Marking Territory and Establishing Comfort
Facial pheromones are produced by glands located on a cat’s face, particularly around the cheeks, chin, and forehead. When a cat rubs its face against objects, people, or other cats, he is depositing these pheromones. This behaviour, known as “head bunting” or “head rubbing,” serves the dual purpose of marking territory and establishing a sense of comfort.
So, when your cat head-butts you, it’s not just a display of affection. It’s a way of claiming you as part of its territory and creating a familiar and secure environment!
Recognizing the significance of facial pheromones has led to the development of synthetic feline facial pheromone products. These products, available in sprays, diffusers, or collars, mimic the natural facial pheromones that a cat produces when it rubs its face against surfaces, mimicking, for example, the pheromones a mother emits to calm and reassure her kittens.
For instance, Feliway, a popular product, replicates the facial pheromones that convey a sense of security and well-being. Using such products in your home can help reduce stress-related behaviours, such as urine marking and inappropriate scratching.
Feline Alarm Pheromones: Stress Signals and Anxiety Management
Cats also produce alarm pheromones. These are often released when they feel threatened or stressed and can also act as a warning signal to other cats in the vicinity. When your kitty arches its back, raises its fur, and hisses, she may be emitting alarm pheromones, indicating her state of heightened stress.
Understanding these signals is crucial for cat owners, as it allows for prompt intervention to alleviate the source of stress. Creating a calm and consistent environment, providing hiding spots, and using synthetic calming pheromone products can all contribute to anxiety management.
Interdigital Pheromones: Territory Marking and Social Bonding
Interdigital pheromones are produced by glands located between a cat’s toes. When a cat scratches a surface, he deposits these pheromones, marking his territory. This behaviour is not only a territorial claim but also a way for cats to leave behind their scent during social bonding activities.
To promote healthy scratching behaviour and discourage unwanted scratching on furniture, for example, providing appropriate scratching posts treated with synthetic pheromones (and/or catnip) can redirect your kitty’s desire to scratch to more suitable locations.
Social bonding pheromones constitute another area of research and production of artificial pheromones. Here the manufactured formulas try to replicate the chemicals that are released during social bonding with the aim of minimizing anxiety from group situations that some cats can find particularly stressing. These products can be used in multi-cat households or to help ease new cat-cat introductions.
Sexual Pheromones: Attracting Mates and Reproductive Signaling
Sexual pheromones play a vital role in feline reproduction. Female cats emit specific pheromones during their oestrus (heat) cycle to attract potential mates. Male cats, in turn, release pheromones to signal their readiness for mating.
As a result, urine spraying around doors, electrical appliances (the heat intensifies the smell) and in areas where there is a lot of traffic is common in intact males and females, though it is more prevalent in males. In addition, male urine has a much stronger odour. While cats spray to mark territory year-round, it becomes particularly intense during the breading season to attract mates.
For this reason vets often recommend spaying and neutering. It not only prevents unwanted litters but also help manage behavioural issues, including urine spraying in the home, that are associated with mating behaviours.
Neutering and spaying as a solution for urine marking is unfortunately not 100% foolproof: it is estimated that approximately 5% of neutered females and 10% of neutered males continue to spray after they have been fixed. The likelihood of this behaviour continuing increases the later in life the cat is neutered.
And that’s about the smell of it – the science behind feline pheromones and another level of the mysterious feline communication that we would all love to learn and understand! Unfortunately, this one is imperceptible to the human eye (and nose), yet it profoundly influences our cat’s behaviour. Understanding their existence of respecting these chemical signals, however, can help you better create environments that foster well-being, reduce stress, and strengthen the bond between you and your beloved feline friend(s).