The use of Felifriend and Feliway spray for the clinical examination of cats

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this research is to test whether or not Felifriend and/or Feliway spray can alleviate stress behaviour with domestic cats during some standard handling procedures at the veterinarian.

Design: Double blind, randomized clinical trial

Animals: 30 animal shelter-cats of both genders over 1 year of age.

Procedure: 30 cats were divided into three groups of 10 cats. The three groups of experimental cats are tested with a different spray in the environment (sprayed once at the left and the right front side of the cage) and sprayed once on the hands of the tester. The spray used in group A was the Feliway spray. The spray used in group B was the control (=water) spray. The spray used in group C was the Felifriend spray. Each cat was scored on social behaviour, anxiety and aggression during the clinical examination based on a modified stress score ethogram of Kessler and Turner and a modified Kessler and Turner human approach score ethogram. (Kessler and Turner, 1997).

Results: During the research only one significant result was found in relation to the stress score and the sexes in combination with the use of the pheromone and control sprays. However, because there were no equal amounts of males between groups a comparison could not be made. And because of a low number of investigated males (8/30), no statements can be made about differences between the sexes. The distribution of the stress score regarding sex showed a significant difference with a p-value of 0,0349. Unfortunately these results cannot be used because in group A (Feliway spray) there are no males. All other results during this research are not significant.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: This research concludes that a single time use of a pheromone spray has not lead to alleviation of stress behaviour of the cats. Maybe in the veterinary practice a single use of Feliway or Felifriend spray will not give alleviation of stress behaviour during standard handling procedures. However, more research should be done to further examine the effects of the pheromone sprays.