How to Sedate a Cat for Home Grooming

Getting a less-than-cooperative cat to hold still for a grooming session is a frustrating experience. For cat lovers, the thought of sedating their cat may conjure unpleasant images of forced medication or injection.



Pheromone sprays are synthetic replicas of feline pheromones. These are the scents cats leave behind when they are content, and have rubbed their facial scent glands against their owner, or furniture in the room. Since cats associate the smell of feline pheromones with safety and contentment, a synthetic pheromone that matches the scent can illicit a state of relaxation and cooperative behavior from your cat, and make grooming easier.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat pheromone spray
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Instructions

    • 1

      Shake the bottle of synthetic pheromone spray before taking off the cap.

    • 2

      Apply a liberal amount of the pheromone spray to your hands, particularly your fingers. The amount of spray should be enough so that your hands are slick and wet, but not dripping.

    • 3

      Pet your cat, running your pheromone-coated fingers through your cat's fur. Make sure to run your fingers through the cat's fur thoroughly, slowly and reassuringly, until most of the pheromone has been wiped off.

    • 4

      Give your cat ten to fifteen minutes to feel the effects of the pheromone spray.

    • 5

      Groom your cat with a gentle hand. For an even more calming effect, spray a bit of the pheromone on your lap, and hold the cat there while grooming. Cat pheromone spray is a colorless liquid that will not stain clothing, nor will it leave behind a scent that any human can detect.