What are cat pheromones and how do they work?

Updated 29/09/2023

Cat pheromones aren’t rocket science, they’re basically your feline friend’s way of instant messaging their purr pals. As your fur baby won’t be sliding into your DMs to bring you up to speed on the topic, we thought we’d take pet parents and cat sitters on a tour of pheromones for cats to get to grips with how they work.

What are cat pheromones and how do they work?

Understanding the role of pheromones in feline communication

Sounds a bit serious, doesn’t it?! Well, cats release pheromones from their special scent glands to send messages to other furry felines and interact with the world around them. Cat pheromones can communicate various messages, from marking territory to attracting mates and bonding with their newborn kittens. Most mogs like to rub up against new objects and areas of their home to mark them as safe, while others (often un-neutered males) sometimes spray urine markers to warn other cats away from the area. 

Now you know a little bit about the kinds of messages your furry felines might be sending, how do these messages get “read”? Cats detect pheromones using the vomeronasal (or Jacobson’s) organ located at the base of their nasal cavity, above the roof of the mouth. You will know your fur baby has caught a whiff of something interesting if they’ve got their mouth hanging open and a vacant expression on their face, otherwise known as the flehmen response.

The different types of cat pheromones and their effects

Cat pheromone glands are located all over the body, from the lower ears, cheeks and forehead to the rear, nipples and paw pads. Cats usually use their feline facial pheromones to mark “safe” areas - including you - if your feline friend’s a fan of head-butting (find out more about weird cat behaviors on our blog). Moggy mums secrete cat-appeasing pheromones from the area around their nipples to comfort newborn kittens and enhance their bond. And if you’ve got a “kneady” kitty, it means that your fur baby is depositing their feline interdigital semiochemical (or pheromone) from the glands near their paws onto surfaces. Don’t forget those pheromones in urine, especially used by male cats to scent mark their territory!

How to use pheromones for cats to improve their behavior

While cats deposit pheromones around the home all the time, artificial ones that mimic your purr pal’s natural pheromones can be used to improve their behavior. In particular, pet parents use pheromones to discourage their fur babies from marking and scratching furniture or to encourage proper litter box usage. But they can also be used to calm anxious kitties and improve relations between cats in households with multiple mogs.

Using pheromones to reduce stress and anxiety in cats

Although furry felines often happily use a scratching post to stretch out their backs and sharpen their claws, cat scratching can be a sign of boredom, stress and anxiety. Changes to their everyday life such as traveling, moving home and spending time with unfamiliar people can trigger stress responses such as scratching and spraying more than usual, but artificial pheromone products can be used to calm cats down and signify that they’re in a safe place. 

Using pheromones to promote healthy social behavior in cats

Pheromones can also be used to create harmony in multi-cat households. The smell of the pheromones can be used to indicate that other felines are friends, not foes, and aggressive behavior such as fighting, hissing and chasing can be reduced. 

Cat pheromone products

There are a number of cat pheromone products to choose from depending on your mog’s behavior and the issue you’re faced with. First, let’s take a look at choosing the right artificial pheromone for cats. 

How to choose the right pheromone product for your cat

Make your decision based on the issue you want to address - is there tension in your multi-cat household or are you in need of a cat-calming pheromone? Next, choose between a pheromone diffuser for cats, a cat pheromone spray, pheromone wipes and a pheromone cat collar depending on what kind of lifestyle your furry feline leads. Diffusers release the scent continuously to make the room feel a little more zen for your kitty, whereas sprays can be used to target specific areas that cause problems (such as furniture or your cat’s travel bag). A cat pheromone collar works to reduce stress and anxiety for mogs who need a little reassurance while on the go. 

Pheromone diffusers for cats

The Feliway Multicat diffuser sends out harmonious messages to reduce tensions in homes where cats are causing conflict and is proven to improve bonds within the household in as little as seven days. Both the Classic and Optimum Feliway diffusers help to reduce signs of stress in cats, and 93% of pet parents who used the Optimum diffuser reported enhanced calming effects while 92% agree their cats were happier after using the Classic option. The Calming Diffuser made by Comfort Zone is another great option for anxious mogs as it reduces stress and unwanted feline behavior.

Cat pheromone sprays

The Classic Feliway concoction also comes in a spray form, so it can be used directly on the areas which cause the most stress for your feline friend. Stress triggers can be targeted at home or on the go, so visiting the vet no longer has to be a daunting task. The Spray & Scratch Control Spray from Comfort Zone can also be used as a spot treatment releasing calming pheromones for cats.

Pheromone wipes 

Pheromone wipes can be used to wipe over things your cat comes into contact with, like cat carriers, to help keep them calm in situations like traveling. You can also use their own pheromones in this way by wiping a clean cotton cloth on your cats' cheeks and then rubbing it on the desired items like the carrier or furniture in a room to help spread their own scent and help reaffirm their safety in their environment. Generally, the scent needs refreshing a couple of times a day if wipes or cloths are used.

Pheromone cat collars

Comfort Zone’s Calming Collar makes cats feel safe and secure while they’re out and about, and Sentry’s Calming Collar for cats turns anxious meows into happy purrs, with pet parents reporting a reduction in stress-related behavior such as scratching and urine marking. If you want to learn more about what your furry friend's trying to tell you, head to our post on "why do cats meow?".

Meet our veterinary expert, Lily

This article has been checked by veterinarian Lily Richards BSc (Hons) BVSc MRCVS. Lily qualified from Liverpool University in 2011 and spent 5 years as a veterinarian working in mixed animal practice. As Lily’s passion for exotics and exploring more complicated small animal medical cases developed, she stepped into small animal-only practice. By 2018 Lily was leading a busy branch of a large hospital practice with a fantastic team, enjoying working on both surgical and medical cases. Since falling poorly in 2021 Lily has found a new passion in medical writing. Sharing medical knowledge and writing for the public is a particular passion.