Introduction:
Cat Pheromones are something that I feel like people either love them, think they are overrated, or have absolutely no idea what they are.
There’s really no in between, I’ve noticed.
They are interesting because they really don’t fall into any one category. You don’t feed them to your cats, so they are food or treats.
Your cats don’t play with it, so it doesn’t really fit a cat toy. It’s like it’s an entire category by itself!
And I want to break it down for you do you can make an educated decision if you REALLY want to buy the cat pheromones for your cat or kitten.
Appearance:
Let’s start out with something that I found important when getting a product for my home is to make sure it wasn’t sticking out like a sore thumb.
Most cat pheromones look (and act) like a wallflower. All that you have to do is place them in an outlet, and replace them when the liquid is no longer there.
I personally really like the appearance of the pheromones because we have a lot of scented wallflowers in our home. So this product doesn’t really stick out.
It just doesn’t smell as fresh as the other wall flowers. Which it’s not supposed to, that’s not what it’s meant for.
Durability:
Cat pheromones are great because they help cats stay calm and less territorial when there are multiple animals in a home, or if they are entering into a new location.
With that being said, their durability isn’t always great.
The vials only last around two months, and if you notice a large difference with your cats, you want to make sure you are replacing them as soon as they start to get low.
Now, if you buy them in bulk, obviously the “durability” goes up. Duh, Paige!
I personally like to buy them in bulk, and then do the “Subscribe and Save” option on Amazon.
Then I don’t have to remember that the supply is getting low or to add it to my next Amazon order, because it’s already coming!
Which leads me into the next topic, the price.
Price:
The initial cost of a cat pheromone diffuser can be a little more expensive than most other cat items that you purchase.
But one thing to call out is that you only have to buy the diffuser once. After that, you can just get the refill bottles which are less expensive.
The initial diffuser and bottle usually costs between $25-30, though the prices will range depending on the time of the year.
After that, you can get refill bottles which I like to buy in bulk. I usually will vary between a pack of 3 or 6 (really just depends on my mood when I start a new subscription) and those usually run around $10/refill. (Again, sometimes there are deals or coupons on Amazon so be on the lookout).
The coupons are usually what help me determine if I am going to do a 3-pack or a 6-pack too.
But no one really cares about the price if it doesn’t actually do what it claims so let’s more onto the most important topic, effectiveness.
Effectiveness:
So let’s just set the record straight from the beginning. This will not make your cat extremely calm, sedate them or cause a MASSIVE personality change.
If that is what you are needing or wanting, don’t do pheromones. You will be disappointed.
However, if you are moving to a new house and don’t want your cat to feel overwhelmed, cat pheromones are a great option to add into your home.
And if that’s really the only reason you decide to use them, then you don’t need the refills! Yay!!
Another good reason I like to use it is in multiple cat households. Because it releases a calming pheromone, it helps cats not feel so territorial around the other animals in their home.
This is especially great if you have a male cat the sprays to mark their territory.
This is actually the reason I continue to use the pheromones. With four cats, there are bound to be territory issues. And I always know when the bottle is starting to run low because the hissing and wrestling starts coming out to play a lot more.
What is comical is that is what actually got me to write this review today. I noticed my pheromone diffuser was running low because Wobbles was hissing at Chloe. *Insert Lion King’s ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’ *
Now for cats that aren’t territorial, you may not notice a huge change in the pheromones. And if your cat doesn’t seem stressed out, I wouldn’t actually recommend buying the product because you won’t notice a huge change in their personalities.
Cat’s Verdict:
I always like to add in the cat’s verdicts to every review because, well if the cat doesn’t like it…it’s not a good product.
Even if I think it’s the best product since sliced bread, if the cats don’t like it, it doesn’t pass. Of course, with Cat pheromones, cats don’t really notice something is happening so you can’t really tell if your cat “likes” it.
The one caveat to that is when we were moving. Whenever we would move to a new apartment, or into our now home, I would go in a day early and put a pheromone diffuser in the living room.I noticed that when we did this, Wobbles was much calmer in the new environment and was more relaxed come moving days.
In my mind, that’s a stamp of approval. But it’s kind of like hiding vegetables in smoothies and having your kids enjoy in the smoothie.
What they don’t know, benefits me sometimes.
Final Verdict:
I personally love cat pheromones, especially the diffuser. Not only does it look nice, it also helps in our crazy household.
With four cats and two who are anxious, the cat pheromones really help keep everyone at a calmer level than without them.
I really like that it doesn’t alter their moods or personalities either. I just notice the kitties don’t feel the need to rub their faces up against everything and everyone all the time.
And while some people may think the price is a little high for something their cat’s don’t even use, it’s really going to depend on your cat and what is best for their mental health.
If you like this, make sure you head over to 6 Cat Products You Should Be Buying On Amazon to find our other favorites!