Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using synthetic facial pheromones to help cats with idiopathic
By Gunn-Moore, D A & Cameron, M E·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2004·Royal (Dick) School for Veterinary Studies, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A pilot study using synthetic feline facial pheromone for the management of feline idiopathic cystitis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Twelve cats with recurrent feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) were treated with a synthetic feline facial pheromone (Feliway) to see if it could help manage their symptoms. Owners reported that over half of the cats seemed healthier while using the pheromone, and there were fewer days with signs of cystitis compared to when they were on a placebo. Although the results weren't statistically significant, there was a noticeable trend showing that the pheromone may help reduce symptoms and negative behaviors like aggression and fear. Overall, it appears that Feliway could be beneficial for some cats suffering from FIC.
People also search for: cat cystitis treatment · Feliway for cat anxiety · feline idiopathic cystitis symptoms
Abstract
Synthetic feline facial pheromone (FFP) (Feliway; Ceva Animal Health) was assessed for the management of cats with recurrent feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). Nine of 12 cats completed the randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot study. They had their environment treated daily with either FFP or placebo for 2 months, after which time the treatment groups were reversed. Owners used visual analogue scales to define the severity of their cat's clinical signs and behavioural changes. Five (56%) of the owners stated that their cat's overall health was better when they were using FFP. Four (44%) of the owners noticed no difference between when using the FFP and when using the placebo. While there were no statistical differences between the two treatment groups there was a trend for the cats exposed to FFP to show fewer days with clinical signs of cystitis (FFP total, mean per cat+/-standard deviation, 30, 4.3+/-6.7; placebo 69, 9.9+/-19.1), a lower overall clinical score (1667, 238+/-476; 2009, 287+/-425), a reduced number of episodes of cystitis (9, 1.3+/-2.0; 10, 1.4+/-2.1) and reduced negative behavioural traits (e.g., less aggression and fear) (-128, -18.3+/-65.8; -73, -10.4+/-35.1).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15135349/