Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Synthetic cat facial pheromone lowers stress and respiratory
By Chadwin, Robin M et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2017·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of a synthetic feline facial pheromone product on stress scores and incidence of upper respiratory tract infection in shelter cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study involving 336 cats in shelters found that using a synthetic pheromone product did not reduce stress levels or the occurrence of upper respiratory infections (URI) among the cats. The cats were exposed to the pheromone or a placebo for 21 days, but the results showed no significant difference in stress scores or URI rates between the two groups. The researchers concluded that this pheromone treatment was ineffective, suggesting that shelters should consider other proven methods to help manage stress and prevent infections in cats.
People also search for: cat stress relief products · upper respiratory infection in cats treatment · how to reduce stress in shelter cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether a synthetic feline facial pheromone product would decrease stress scores and upper respiratory tract infection (URI) incidence in shelter-housed cats. DESIGN Randomized controlled clinical trial. ANIMALS 336 stray, feral, owner-relinquished, or legally impounded cats at 2 animal shelters in northern California. PROCEDURES 5 cat holding rooms (3 at shelter A and 2 at shelter B) were used. A diffuser containing either synthetic pheromone or placebo was randomly assigned to each room, and cats were exposed for a 21-day period. Data collected on each cat included signalment, daily stress scores, and daily URI incidence. After 21 days, diffusers were removed for a 7-day washout period. The type of diffuser in each room was switched, and data were collected for another 21 days. Findings were statistically compared between exposure types and other groupings. RESULTS Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed no significant difference between exposure (pheromone or placebo) and URI incidence. Mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression revealed no significant relationship between exposure and daily stress scores. Three covariates had significant ORs: number of days in holding (OR, 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76 to 0.84), owner-relinquished versus stray (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.18 to 8.94), and feral versus adult cat room at shelter A (OR, 11.10; 95% CI, 4.47 to 27.60). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE No evidence was found that the evaluated synthetic feline facial pheromone product had any effect on stress scores or URI incidence in shelter-housed cats. Therefore, other established methods for stress and URI reduction should be used in shelter settings.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28763279/