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Zooming in on Feral Feline Pheromones

Massey University scientists hope to eventually alleviate New Zealand's large feral cat problem by fooling them with a cat-derived chemical.

A research team led by scientist Dr Wouter Hendriks is investigating an amino acid called felinine, excreted in the urine of some members of the cat family, including the domestic cat.

Hendriks suspects felinine is a precursor to a pheromone -- chemicals secreted by animals to attract or deter other animals. His research should identify whether a pheromone derived from cats will be a useful tool in the control of feral cats.

By releasing the pheromone at points in a feral-cat populated area, the females are expected to be attracted, while males should stay away. Pest controllers can then deal with the cats while they are gathered together.

The pheromone may also have other uses. Hendriks says hares have been deterred by the urine of bobcats so there are possibilities for reducing the rabbit damage to crops.

Hendriks is collecting urine samples from zoos around the world to establish the incidence of felinine in members of the order Carnivora, which includes lions, tigers, pandas, hyenas and dogs. Preliminary results indicate that all the felinine-excreting species belong to the genus Felis of the family Felidae.