Effects of Waiting Room and Feline Facial Pheromone Experience on Blood Pressure in Cats

Abstract

Obtaining accurate blood pressure measurements in cats is challenging due to the stressful nature of clinic visits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of veterinary clinic waiting experiences and a feline pheromone spray on blood pressure in the cat. We hypothesized that reduced stress associated with bypassing the waiting room and use of synthetic feline facial pheromone (FFP) spray would result in lower blood pressure. A 2 × 2 factorial design involved two rooms and two FFP treatments. Thirty-nine healthy adult cats were recruited and were systematically assigned to four treatment combinations administered over four visits in 2016 and 2017. Cats were kept in the hospital waiting room or were taken directly to the exam room, with or without FFP treatment. All cats were then acclimated to the exam room for an additional 10 min, where vocalizations were recorded manually, before blood pressure measurements were collected using Doppler ultrasonography. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, with room × FFP interaction, visit, sex, and trial year in the model. There was no significant effect of waiting room by FFP interaction on blood pressure (n = 0.95). Mean blood pressure was significantly higher at visit 1 than visits 2 and 4 (P < 0.01), but higher at visit 3 than visit 2 (n = 0.02). Mean blood pressure was higher in males (n = 0.01), and males were more likely to be categorized as borderline hypertensive/hypertensive or severely hypertensive (n = 0.01). Number of vocalizations was significantly associated with waiting room by FFP interactions (P < 0.01), with fewer vocalizations associated with bypassing the waiting room and when FFP was provided. In conclusion, although we found some behavioral evidence supporting stress reduction when feline patients bypass the waiting room and are provided with FFP, these interventions did not result in lower blood pressure in a clinical setting.

Keywords: blood pressure; cats; pheromones; stress; veterinary clinic.

Figure 1

LSMean (±SE) feline blood pressure (mmHg) as assessed using Doppler¹ at a veterinary clinic. Over four visits, 39 cats² were randomly assigned to one of four possible treatment combinations, (WR+/FFP+, WR+/FFP–, WR–/FFP+, WR–/FFP–)³ which were experienced for 10-min prior to the acclimation period and blood pressure measurements. ¹Parks Doppler Flow Detector Model Number 811-B with cuff sizes 2–4 cm was used to measure blood pressure. The tail base the primary site, but the rear leg was used when tails were too short or tail manipulation was not tolerated by the cat. The site chosen for each cat was used across all four visits. Hair was clipped on the first visit to facilitate identification of the pulse prior to placement of the Doppler probe, and was re-clipped as needed during subsequent visits. ²All enrolled cats were mature, healthy, and either spayed or neutered. ³WR+: owners and their cats stayed in the waiting room lobby at veterinary clinic for 10 min prior to being taken into the exam room for blood pressure measurements; WR–: owners and their cats were immediately taken into the exam room where they waited for 10 min prior to blood pressure measurements; FFP+: a clean towel was sprayed with feline facial pheromone and placed in their carriers during the 10 min acclimation period; FFP–: no feline facial pheromone was provided.

Figure 2

LSMean (±SE) feline blood pressure (mmHg) as assessed using Doppler¹ during four visits to a veterinary clinic. Columns letters denote statistical differences between visits (P < 0.05). ¹Parks Doppler Flow Detector Model Number 811-B with cuff sizes 2–4 cm was used to measure blood pressure. The tail base the primary site, but the rear leg was used when tails were too short or tail manipulation was not tolerated by the cat. The site chosen for each cat was used across all four visits. Hair was clipped on the first visit to facilitate identification of the pulse prior to placement of the Doppler probe, and was re-clipped as needed during subsequent visits. ²All enrolled cats were mature, healthy, and either spayed or neutered.

Figure 3

LSMean (±SE) feline vocalization probabilities during a 10-min acclimation period in a veterinary clinical exam room. Over four visits, 39 cats¹ were randomly assigned to one of four possible treatment combinations (WR+/FFP+, WR+/FFP–, WR–/FFP+, WR–/FFP–),² which were experienced for 10-min prior to the acclimation period and blood pressure measurements. ¹All enrolled cats were mature, healthy, and either spayed or neutered. ²WR+: owners and their cats stayed in the waiting room lobby at veterinary clinic for 10 min prior to being taken into the exam room for blood pressure measurements; WR–: owners and their cats were immediately taken into the exam room where they waited for 10 min prior to blood pressure measurements; FFP+: a clean towel was sprayed with feline facial pheromone and placed in their carriers during the 10 min acclimation period; FFP–: no feline facial pheromone was provided.

Figure 4

LSMean (±SE) number of feline vocalizations during a 10-min acclimation period in a veterinary clinical exam room. Over four visits, 39 cats¹ were randomly assigned to one of four possible treatment combinations (WR+/FFP+, WR+/FFP–, WR–/FFP+, WR–/FFP–),² which were experienced for 10-min prior to the acclimation period and blood pressure measurements. Columns letters denote statistical differences between visits (P < 0.05). ¹All enrolled cats were mature, healthy, and either spayed or neutered. ²WR+: owners and their cats stayed in the waiting room lobby at veterinary clinic for 10 min prior to being taken into the exam room for blood pressure measurements; WR–: owners and their cats were immediately taken into the exam room where they waited for 10 min prior to blood pressure measurements; FFP+: a clean towel was sprayed with feline facial pheromone and placed in their carriers during the 10 min acclimation period; FFP–: no feline facial pheromone was provided.