Espuña Gemma, Nicolas Céline S, Girardin Aurélie, Fatjó Jaume, Bowen Jonathan, Monginoux Patricia, Rème Christophe A
GM&MD Department, Virbac SA, Carros, France.
MU Petfood Petcare, Virbac SA, Carros, France.
Front Vet Sci. 2024 Aug 29;11:1445108. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1445108. eCollection 2024.
Using pheromone diffusers is part of the strategy to control stress-related behaviors in cats (). The goal of the study was to compare the efficacy of a novel long-acting, unpowered gel-based diffuser containing a facial pheromone analog (Zenifel gel diffuser, Virbac) with a similar electrically powered feline pheromone diffuser that already has proven efficacy, on situational stress in cats, at home. The study involved 90 owners of cats presenting undesirable behaviors receiving one diffuser or the other: 46 received one gel diffuser and 44 received one plug-in device and a refill, for the 2-month study duration. The presence of the various undesirable behaviors was checked regularly and a general score was given to rate their presence. The most reported behaviors were related to hypervigilance, seeking the owner's attention, hiding, excessive vocalization, inactivity, and excessive scratching. All six behaviors significantly improved over time with Zenifel while only four improved with the reference product (no improvement for excessive meowing and inactivity). The general score significantly improved as of day 7 in both groups, with no difference between groups. More owners said they would use the product throughout the year with Zenifel than with the reference product (80% vs. 42%, < 0.05). Therefore, both diffusers can be used to help control undesirable behaviors of cats at home but Zenifel is more convenient to use throughout the year.
使用信息素扩散器是控制猫与压力相关行为策略的一部分。本研究的目的是在家中，比较一种新型长效、无动力的含面部信息素类似物的凝胶基扩散器（禅逸凝胶扩散器，维克）与一种已证实有效的类似电动猫用信息素扩散器对猫情境压力的效果。该研究涉及90名养猫且猫表现出不良行为的主人，他们分别接受一种扩散器：46人接受一个凝胶扩散器，44人接受一个插电式设备及补充装，为期2个月的研究。定期检查各种不良行为的存在情况，并给出一个综合评分来评估其存在程度。报告最多的行为与过度警觉、寻求主人关注、躲藏、过度鸣叫、不活动和过度抓挠有关。随着时间推移，使用禅逸时所有六种行为均有显著改善，而使用对照产品时只有四种行为得到改善（过度喵喵叫和不活动无改善）。两组在第7天起综合评分均显著改善，组间无差异。更多主人表示他们会全年使用禅逸产品而非对照产品（80%对42%，P<0.05）。因此，两种扩散器均可用于帮助控制家中猫的不良行为，但禅逸全年使用更方便。
