Cat pheromone diffusers have grown in popularity in recent years, but why? How do they help to calm anxious cats?
Humans use speech as their main form of communication. However, cats work a little differently. Our feline companions use subtle pheromones and chemical signals to communicate with each other, which cat pheromone diffusers are designed to mimic. These pheromones have a multitude of uses for cats, including:
- Specific messaging: When you see a cat urine marking a tree or fence post, they are not simply peeing. The scent of a cats urine can communicate their age, sex, health status, whether they are ready to mate, and to let other cats know that they have laid a claim to that particular territory.
- Preventing fights: Why fight when you don’t need to? When a cat picks up the scent of another cat, they can already determine whether a face to face interaction is necessary. For example, if a female is displaying her desire to mate, then a male will probably go looking for her. If a male is displaying his prowess and dominance, the other cat will stay well clear of that area. This form of communication prevents unnecessary injuries that could leave a cat vulnerable to predation or prevent them from hunting successfully.
- Stress relief: Cats are solitary hunters so a secure territory is essential to establish safe resting and hunting spots. Stressed or anxious cats will often ‘mark’ certain areas or objects using specific glands that are located on their faces, tails, backs, and paws, to feel safer in their environment.
- Social bonding: Mother cats release pheromones to reassure their kittens that they are safe. Feral colonies of cats have also been known to use pheromones to create and maintain friendships.
Cat pheromone diffusers use subtle herbal scents or synthetic pheromones to mimic these natural chemical signals. However, they all differ slightly. In a previous article, we discussed the 8 Best Cat Pheromone Diffusers available on the market. During our research, we concluded that the Feliway Multicat Pheromone Diffuser was the best option. Let’s go more in depth and explain the reasons why.
Why We Love the Feliway Multicat Pheromone Diffuser
So, it’s great for reducing anxiety symptoms in cats during stressful situations such as:
- Travel
- The addition of a new pet in the home
- Moving house
- Unfamiliar visitors
- Separation anxiety
- Children and loud noises
- Conflict between feline housemates
Key Features of the Feliway Multicat Pheromone Diffuser
The Feliway MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser Starter Kit comes with everything you need to create feline harmony within your home, including one diffuser head with a universal plug and one vial of pheromones.
Key features of the Feliway MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser include:
- Reduces signs of conflict between cats: The MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser is perfect for multi-cat households because it has been clinically proven to reduce fighting, chasing, stalking, and other forms of aggression between cats in 84% of situations.
- Vet-approved product: Feliway is a leader in the cat calming market and has been since they released their very first product back in 1996. The MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser is approved by vets across America and is considered the number one solution to inter-cat aggression.
- Results are fast: Many customers state that they notice a significant decrease in their cats aggressive and anxiety-driven behaviors within 7 days.
- Contains natural calming pheromone technology: The MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser is completely drug-free. So, you won’t see any adverse side effects. The ingredients simply mimic the natural pheromones given off by mother cats when around their kittens to reinforce bonding and offer reassurance.
- Covers a large area: This cat pheromone diffuser disperses calming pheromones over a 700sq feet area, which makes it perfect for both apartments and larger homes. Make sure you plug the MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser into a room that your cats spend most of their time in for maximum effect.
- Convenience of use: The MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser is very easy to use. Simply plug it into a wall socket and let the calming pheromones work their magic on your feline companions. Just make sure you don’t plug this diffuser behind a door, cabinet, or curtains because this can prevent the pheromones from dispersing properly.
- 30-day use: Each diffuser vial lasts for around 30 days before it needs replacing. Additional vials can easily be purchased from Chewy, Amazon, and the official Feliway website.
- Odorless to humans: This cat pheromone diffuser doesn’t give off any strong scents that can be unpleasant for the human nose.
Cons
Just like all of the best cat calming aids, the Feliway MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser does have some downsides. This product should not be purchased by anyone that also owns a pet bird because the chemicals in this particular cat pheromone diffuser can be fatal if inhaled. Birds have very tiny lungs so even a small amount can cause significant health issues.
The Feliway MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser can also work out to be quite expensive compared to other products, especially when you consider the need to replace the vial once a month. This diffuser is suitable for long-term use but you need to make sure you have the finances available to cover the additional costs.
Final Thoughts
The Feliway MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser is our top pick of the cat pheromone diffusers available on the market today. It’s especially effective at calming conflict between feline companions in multi-cat households, which are unfortunately fairly common. It’s safe to use on all cats and doesn’t give off any pungent scents that may be off-putting for owners.
Remember that the best way to treat feline anxiety is with a combination of soothing aids and behavioural training. However, the Feliway MultiCat Pheromone Diffuser can go a long way toward calming your cat. Simply plug this cat pheromone diffuser into a wall socket and enjoy a life filled with feline harmony.
Author
Carla Shaik, Chief Editor and Writer, BSC Animal Behavior and Welfare
Our resident animal welfare expert, Carla Shaik has always had a passion for writing and educating the public on topics that really matter, especially cat welfare. Since graduating with a BSC in Animal Behavior and Welfare, Carla has written for a national cat magazine for eight years and more recently branched out into becoming a freelance writer full-time. Carla is an avid cat lover and has owned cats all her life. She couldn’t imagine life without them.
