The cats with whom we share a house (yes, remember that we share our house, although there are even times when it seems that it is more their house than ours) have a very marked instinct. In fact, it is always said that the cat is not domesticated, but tolerates coexistence with humans.
One of the instincts that they still have is rubbing. And why do they do it? To communicate with their other congeners.
Communication through the chemical marking that they do through pheromones serves both to indicate territoriality and to provide another series of information.
This marking through pheromones is done by secreting secretions in different parts of the body:
- face
- the base of the tail
- urine
- feces (containing secretions from the anal glands)
- around the breasts (in females)
- on the foot pads on the feet
In this case we are going to talk about pheromones and the reason for marking when rubbing with the face . These messages that they are depositing, either in our shoes, or in certain areas of the house, are indicating their presence to the receiver.
In this case, the receiver may be present and see it, or more commonly absent, and on approaching smell the presence of the chemical message left by the previous cat via pheromones.
How many types of pheromones are known?
There are, to date, 5 types of pheromones detected (fractions F1 to F5) . For us, mere observers, it is impossible to know which of the 5 fractions you are depositing at that moment.
Thanks to scientific research that involves the chemical analysis of the secretions deposited when rubbing together with behavioral studies , it has allowed us to determine specific contexts associated with some of the fractions, which will help us postulate what the messages may be in each situation.
The 5 fractions detected are:
F1 – the function of this pheromone is currently unknown
F2 – postulated to be associated with sexual behavior . Male cats rub themselves on prominent objects and deposit the F2 pheromone, while making a visual display towards a female in heat. However, little information is available on what exact information, related to sexual behavior, is transmitted. Interestingly, the frequency of pheromone deposits seems to increase when female cats come into heat, especially if a potential male is nearby.
F3 – is associated with territorial behavior
F4 – has been proposed to be associated with the maintenance of group cohesion in cats living in groups. It is believed that when two cats rub against each other, a mixture of chemicals from the facial glands is triggered. This mixture is thought to form a common group chemical signature. This chemical signature is then deliberately spread further between individuals through more rubbing against each other. Cats that have positive relationships with each other will also rub the same areas in the physical environment and this can also help produce a communal group chemical signature in the physical environment.
The exact function of this group chemical mix is unknown, but it is known that in other mammals, such as rabbits, it reduces aggression between members and allows them to identify strangers.
Therefore, it is likely that this behavior of rubbing between cats of the same group, the mixing of odors and the deposition of the feline facial fraction F4 have similar functions in cats, that is, maintaining social cohesion within a group . And with it, ensure that each cat can identify members who do not belong to the group and who could be seen as a threat to the survival of the group
For this reason, when we are asked in the behavior consultation how to introduce a new cat to the family, we recommend creating a “group scent” . And it is at the moment in which they do not show rejection to that smell when we recommend the physical presentation between them.
This “group smell” is precisely what our cats deposit when we enter the house with “strange smells” from outside, and they rub against our shoes. They are impregnating their scent in our belongings, in order to integrate us into the group.
F5 – The function of this pheromone is not yet known.
As we can see, the cats in our house have certain areas that they have already been marking with known smells. For example, in a door frame. Sometimes, if the door frames are white, we will see a more blackened area, which if we clean, thinking that it is dirt, we will be eliminating that smell that they have deposited and altering their territory.
So if you see these areas, you don’t need to clean them, it’s not dirt. It is the mark of your cat uniting the family with its smell.
References
Vitale, K. R. 2018. Tools for managing feline problem behaviors: pheromone therapy. Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 20(11), 1024-1032.
