What are pheromones?

Which pheromone product is right for you?

Pheromones are extremely widespread in the animal kingdom. They are like hormones in some aspects. However, while hormones stay within the body of the animal that produces them and thus affect only that animal’s behaviour, pheromones are released from one animal and, when detected by another animal of the same species, have a significant effect on the behaviour of that receiving animal.

Pheromones are important to many living creatures including insects and mammals. For instance, queen bees produce pheromones that inhibit other queens from developing.  In insects and animals pheromones also act as sex attractants and have many other functions.

Pheromones come in many forms. Some relate to sexual identification, some help animals to mark territory, some serve as warnings to other animals and some relate to familiarization and attachment.

They are released from various glands of an animal’s body, including those around the face and on the foot pads, from sweat glands (especially on the abdomen) and from the animal’s anal sacs.

In cats, three main types of pheromones have been studied – those relating to territorial marking, alarm warnings and to familiarization with others of the same species.  

In dogs, the dog appeasing pheromone is one that has been studied extensively. This pheromone is normally produced in bitches three to five days after they have whelped. It is secreted by the skin around the bitch’s mammary glands and serves to create attachment of the newborn puppies to the dam.

Pheromones are a side effect free way to calm pets that are anxious or that need settling into a new home.

For dogs, they are often used for the treatment of separation anxiety and noise fears.

For cats, they are used to spraying behaviour to assimilate cats into a new home.

There are many other uses and applications but they do need to be used correctly for maximum benefit.

Pheromones are released from various glands of an animal’s body, including those around the face and on the footpads, from sweat glands (especially on the abdomen) and from the animal’s anal sacs.

To take the quiz, simply answer the question by clicking on the corresponding answer or image – that will then take you to the next question, until you reach your suggested pheromone product.

A similar pheromone is also released by adult dogs from the skin around their ears. When released by pack leaders, this pheromone has a similar role, but on a wider basis, to the pheromone produced by a dam – it creates attachment of young animals to the leaders and makes the pack cohesive.

Availability in Australia

Synthetic pheromones are now available in Australia for dogs and cats.

The dog pheromone is known as the Dog Appeasing Pheromone (Adaptil) and the cat pheromones in known as Feliway.

There are several different versions of the pheromones available.

 Your product is: Feliway Complete Diffuser System

For a long-lasting solution for cat behaviour issues, try the Feliway Complete Diffuser system, which contains both the diffuser plus the 48mL vial. The beauty of this product is that you just need to plug it in and forget about it, for a whole month’s worth of therapy. This product is best used in a smaller room in which the cat spends a lot of its time.