Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Pheromone: A substance (or substances) released by one member of a species of organisms to interact socially with another member of the same species. Pheromone interactions include signals for food, mating, danger, etc.

Cat urine (especially that of male acts) contains 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol (shown above), a highly odorous pheromone used to signal territorial ownership. This molecule is released by one cat to signal other cats, so it is a pheromone.


Many cats are attracted to nepetalactone (shown above), but because a plant (and not cats themselves) release this molecule it is not a cat pheromone.