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- Title
Semiochemicals from Domestic Cat Urine and Feces Reduce Use of Scratching Surfaces.
- Authors
Zhang, Lingna; Aviles-Rosa, Edgar O.; Bian, Zhaowei; Surowiec, Kaz; McGlone, John J.
- Abstract
Simple Summary: This study aimed to identify the major volatile compounds from cat urine and feces that differed between intact males and females and evaluate these molecules on cat scratching behavior. Results indicated that males had more 3-Mercapto-3-Methyl Butanol (MMB) in the urine and butanoic acid in the feces than females. And the mixture of MMB and butanoic acid had the potential to deter inappropriate scratching behavior in cats, which provided a new strategy for modifying feline destructive behavior in the home. Scratching is a natural behavior in cats but can cause damage to household furnishings. In this work, we sought to identify potential semiochemicals in the urine and feces of domestic cats that may modify cat scratching behavior. Sex differences among adult, intact cats were examined for volatile molecules in their urine (n = 7 females, 7 males) and feces (n = 8 females, 10 males) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Males had seven times more 3-Mercapto-3-Methyl Butanol (MMB, p < 0.001) in the urine and 98% more butanoic acid (p = 0.02) in the feces than females. One mL of mineral oil without (i.e., control) or with MMB (0.1 µg/mL) and butanoic acid (100 µg/mL; i.e., treatment), which corresponds to the estimated biological amount in a single elimination from a male cat, were evaluated for their effectiveness in modifying the use of scratching devices by cats. Two identical cardboard standing scratchers, treated with either the control or the solution containing both semiochemicals delivered through a hanging cotton sock were placed side by side in a home/shelter environment. The preference test consisted of exposing individual cats (n = 28) to both scratchers for 20 min and recording the duration and frequency they interacted or scratched each scratcher. The semiochemical solution significantly decreased scratching time (21.19 ± 3.8 vs. 6.08 ± 3.8 s; p < 0.001) and interaction time (31.54 ± 5.9 vs. 12.90 ± 5.9 s; p = 0.0001) and tended to reduce scratching frequency (1.49 ± 0.3 vs. 0.82 ± 0.3 times; p = 0.07) compared with the control solution. The male-representative solution of MMB and butanoic acid was aversive to cats and might have future applications in protecting furniture from the destructive scratching or in modifying behavior of domestic cats.
- Subjects
CATS; SEMIOCHEMICALS; FECES; URINE; GAS chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC-MS); MINERAL oils
- Publication
Animals (2076-2615), 2024, Vol 14, Issue 3, p520
- ISSN
2076-2615
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ani14030520