Veterinary assistant, Lizzie, uses it to help control her cat's destructive behavior. When it runs low “Monkey” begins to shred her clothes and go fishing for her goldfish. Dr. Partlow uses it to prevent her young cats from pestering and
attacking her feline old timer. Dr. Fisher uses it to temper the panic attacks his newest canine friend, Dickens, experiences when thunder storms roll in.

So what is “it”? Two new veterinary products designed to control various
behavior problems that dogs and cats experience. Both products are
pheromones that help calm and soothe the animal's demeanor. A pheromone
is a chemical substance that is naturally produced by an animal and serves to stimulate a behavioral response. The pheromones used in these products are
natural substances that mimic an animals own pheromones that have a natural calming affect. When a cat feels safe in its environment it rubs its head
against the furniture, the corners of walls, or the bottom of curtains, leaving substances (facial pheromones) that convey a message of calm, well-being and absence of stress. In dogs a similar calming pheromone is naturally
produced by a nursing mother too soothe newborns that enter the world
blind and insecure. Now you can use Feliway or D.A.P. to have the same comforting effect on your pet.

Produced in France by CEVA and distributed in the United States by
Veterinary Product Laboratories the products Feliway for cats and Dog
Appeasing Pheromone (D.A.P.) for dogs are two species specific
pheromones that are available for use on your pet in various forms. For cats
the liquid Feliway comes as a spray or as a plug-in, slow-release diffuser. The
spray is used on areas of a room that cats would naturally rub up against such
as corners of furniture and doorways and the plug-in diffuser covers 500-650
square feet. For dogs D.A.P. can be purchased as a slow-release dog collar
(similar in appearance to a flea collar), a spray or a slow-release plug-in
diffuser. The collar slowly releases the pheromone upon exposure to body
heat and lasts about a month. All diffusers last about a month and refills can be purchased.

Uses in cats include:

•  housesoiling misbehavior/ urine marking

•  aggression between feline household members

•  destructive behavior including furniture scratching

•  anxiety associated with moving to a new home

•  new arrivals and overcrowding

•  travel or visits to the veterinarian (spray in travel carrier)

Uses in dogs include:

•  separation anxiety or angst associated with environmental change including associated whining, barking and destructive behavior

•  car travel sickness and anxiety

•  fear of loud noises such as fireworks or thunder

•  socializing new puppies. Reduces the stress associated with the new
home and helps reduce whining, fear of new people and pets and helps
speed up the housebreaking and crate training process.

Clinical studies have shown 70 -80% effectiveness in stopping or significantly reducing these problem behaviors. Looking for a way to soothe to angry or
anxious beast in your pet—then consider giving one of these new products a try.

Peter G Fisher, DVM