著者

宮崎 雅雄 上野山 怜子

出版者

THE JAPANESE SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGY

雑誌

動物心理学研究 (ISSN:09168419)

巻号頁・発行日

pp.72.2.2, (Released:2022-12-07)

参考文献数

26

被引用文献数

1

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The domestic cat is a very popular companion animal. However, there is very little work focusing on cat-specific physiology and behavior. In this review, we introduce our studies uncovering scent signals for species- and sex-recognition and the behavioral significance of the silver vine response in cats. Cat urine emits a specific catty smell. Our chemical analysis identified a sulfur-containing volatile organic compound, 3-mercapto-3-methyl-1-butanol, that is detectable in the urine of cats but not of dogs and humans. In addition, its level varies between sexes; its level is markedly higher in intact males than in castrated males or females. These indicate that the sulfur-containing compound is a urinary scent signal involved in species- and sex-recognition in cats. The other characteristic in cats is the behavioral response to silver vine, which comprises licking and chewing the plants, rubbing against the plants, and rolling over on the plants. Previous studies identified some bioactive compounds designated as matatabilactones from the plants, but little is known about why cats do the response to the plants. Our analyses found that nepetalactol which was missed in the plants is a potent bioactive compound for the response and stimulates the μ-opioid system which is responsible for the euphoria in humans. Nepetalactol has the repellent activity of pest insects such as mosquitoes. The rubbing and rolling responses to the plants transfer nepetalactol onto the feline fur that repels mosquitoes. The licking and chewing of the plants changes not only emission levels of nepetalactol and matatabilactones but also their contents which increase bioactivities toward cats and mosquitoes. These findings improve our understanding of the species-specific physiology and behavior in cats.

著者

上野山 怜子 西川 俊夫 宮崎 雅雄

出版者

公益社団法人 日本農芸化学会

雑誌

化学と生物 (ISSN:0453073X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.59, no.9, pp.435-440, 2021-09-01 (Released:2022-09-01)

参考文献数

20

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蚊は,人類の大敵である.蚊に吸血されると,かゆみが生じるだけでなく,生命を脅かすさまざまな伝染病,たとえば熱帯地域では,マラリアなどに感染する恐れもある.そこで人類は古くから植物からの抽出物を使って蚊を化学防御してきた.このような生存戦略をとった動物は,人類だけではない.たとえばオマキザルやハナジロハナグマなどの動物は柑橘類の果実の皮を身体に擦り付け,その忌避効果を利用していることが知られている(1).つまりヒト以外の動物も進化の過程で病原体を媒介する蚊から身を守る化学防御術を身に着けてきたようである.本稿では,ネコでよく知られたマタタビ反応も実は蚊の攻撃から身を守る重要な行動であるという予想外の知見が得られたので(2),この発見に至った経緯を紹介する.

著者

宮崎 雅雄 上野山 怜子

出版者

THE JAPANESE SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGY

雑誌

動物心理学研究 (ISSN:09168419)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.72, no.2, pp.39-44, 2022 (Released:2022-12-16)

参考文献数

26

被引用文献数

1

---

The domestic cat is a very popular companion animal. However, there is very little work focusing on cat-specific physiology and behavior. In this review, we introduce our studies uncovering scent signals for species- and sex-recognition and the behavioral significance of the silver vine response in cats. Cat urine emits a specific catty smell. Our chemical analysis identified a sulfur-containing volatile organic compound, 3-mercapto-3-methyl-1-butanol, that is detectable in the urine of cats but not of dogs and humans. In addition, its level varies between sexes; its level is markedly higher in intact males than in castrated males or females. These indicate that the sulfur-containing compound is a urinary scent signal involved in species- and sex-recognition in cats. The other characteristic in cats is the behavioral response to silver vine, which comprises licking and chewing the plants, rubbing against the plants, and rolling over on the plants. Previous studies identified some bioactive compounds designated as matatabilactones from the plants, but little is known about why cats do the response to the plants. Our analyses found that nepetalactol which was missed in the plants is a potent bioactive compound for the response and stimulates the μ-opioid system which is responsible for the euphoria in humans. Nepetalactol has the repellent activity of pest insects such as mosquitoes. The rubbing and rolling responses to the plants transfer nepetalactol onto the feline fur that repels mosquitoes. The licking and chewing of the plants changes not only emission levels of nepetalactol and matatabilactones but also their contents which increase bioactivities toward cats and mosquitoes. These findings improve our understanding of the species-specific physiology and behavior in cats.