Odorant volatile sulfur compounds in cat urine: occurrence of (+/−)-3,7-dimethyloct-3-sulfanyl-6-en-1-ol and its cysteine conjugate precursor
Published 2015 · C. Starkenmann, Yvan Niclass, I. Cayeux
Flavour and Fragrance Journal
18
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1
Influential Citations
Abstract
Cat urine from female, male, spayed female or neutered male cats was fermented with an undefined soil microflora broth to create a typical cat urine malodour. This fermented urine was extracted and analysed by a gas chromatograph–mass spectrometer coupled to an olfactory port. Sulfur compounds are the major contributors to cat urine odour, the key odorants being 4-methyl-4-sulfanyl-pentan-2-one, 3-methyl-3-sulfanyl-butan-1-ol and 3-methyl-3-sulfanyl-1-butyl formate. Other compounds contributing to aged cat urine odour are mainly indole and para-cresol. In addition to felinine, a cysteine-S-conjugate precursor of 3-methyl-3-sulfanyl-butan-1-ol, the occurrence of S-(1-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-6-octen-3-yl)cysteine (1.4 mg/L (±0.2) on average in male cats is described for the first time. Its concentration is proportional to that of felinine. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.