Pet Owners Look to Nature for Clues on Keeping Pets Feeling Safe, Comfortable

In many ways, nature has equipped every living creature on Earth with the tools most essential to their survival. And though many years of evolution have changed those tools and how we use them, many of today’s most popular pet products—from food to toys and everything in between—seek to capitalize on the natural behaviors or basic biological needs of our pets.

For example, cat toys are designed to entice felines’ instinctual hunting behavior, and one of the most popular selling points for dog foods in today’s market is how close a formula comes to ancestral diets. Even substrates and other accessories made for reptile enclosures aim to mimic the animals’ natural habitats. So when it came to pet anxiety and stress—a burgeoning product category, as of late—the team at H&C Animal Health took similar cues from nature to create a range of clinically proven* solutions for cats and dogs.

FELIWAY® (for cats) and ADAPTIL® (for dogs) products work by mimicking natural pheromones emitted by these pets, which are specific to each breed.

“When comfortable and happy, cats mark their territory by rubbing their faces against corners, furniture, people or other cats at home. They leave an odorless message known as a feline facial pheromones,” said Sarah Salva, director of marketing at H&C Animal Health, makers of FELIWAY® and ADAPTIL® products. “When present in the environment, these ‘happy messages’ provide comfort and security to cats.

“Mother dogs communicate with their puppies through natural messages released into the air. These ‘comforting messages’ are called Dog Appeasing Pheromones,” she added. “These odorless messages are only perceived by dogs… [and] provide a strong signal of security and comfort to dogs of all ages.”

For cats, there’s FELIWAY® CLASSIC, FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY® and FELIWAY® MultiCat. FELIWAY® CLASSIC—available in a plug-in diffuser and travel spray—mimics these “happy messages” to help cats adjust to their surroundings and prevent or reduce urine spraying, scratching or hiding. FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY®, when applied to any cat scratcher, encourages cats to scratch the correct pieces of furniture, rather than the couch. Lastly, FELIWAY® MultiCat mimics cat appeasing pheromones emitted by mothers to their kittens to encourage harmony and prevent conflict between cats sharing a home.

ADAPTIL® Calm and ADAPTIL® Junior are two calming products available to dogs. ADAPTIL® Calm keeps adult dogs comfortable in stressful situations, including loud events, having visitors, or being home alone. ADAPTIL® Junior is available in collars made specifically for new puppies. And while new pet owners may not immediately think to add calming products to their New Puppy Essentials list, that’s where retailers might come in.

“New puppy owners face many unique challenges when adopting a new puppy,” Salva said. “ADAPTIL® Junior is designed to fit puppies’ necks and [tackles] the biggest challenges puppies and their owners face: crying at night, socialization and training, loneliness, and fear of loud noises. ADAPTIL® Junior has been clinically proven* to improve puppy’s adjustment to her new forever home.”