Effect of Felisept spray® on signs of travel anxiety in cats

Car transport can be stressful for cats. Most frequently reported symptoms are vocalisations, restlessness, panting, trembling, salivation and vomiting1. These symptoms could be fear induced as a result of insufficient or bad experiences with car transport, but they could also result from motion sickness. However, the distinction between these two diagnosis is not very clear. Little research has been published on this area2,3. This study aims to evaluate the effects of the Felisept spray® on signs of travel-related problems in cats. 10 cats (6 males and 4 females) of different breeds, aged between 2 and 13 years, referred for problems when transported by car, were recruited. Owners were asked to fill in a questionnaire in order to understand cat behaviour during travel. Each cat was then filmed during two car transports of 15 min. The first transport was a routine transportation (baseline trial), in the second one Felisept® was sprayed in the pet carrier 10 minutes before the travel (treatment trial). An additional questionnaire was used to investigate cat behaviour during the treatment trial. The questionnaires analysis showed that vocalizations, tail close to body and mydriasis decreased after the administration of Felisept spray® (Wilcoxon, p<0.05), while panting and swallowing tend to decrease (Wilcoxon, p=0.66). Video analysis showed that restlessness, crouched position and mydriasis decreased after the administration of Felisept spray® (Wilcoxon, p<0.05). These results suggest that the use of Felisept® spray in the pet carrier 10 minutes before the transport could decrease transport-related signs of stress in cats.