A wide range of bodily fluids is used in chemical communication between mammals. The chemicals in secreted bodily fluids may convey information such as species identity, sexual identity, individual identity, reproductive state and social status about the odor donor. Although their purpose might be to communicate with conspecifics, the same chemical cues can be used by hunting predators or by prey species trying to avoid predation.

The odor of all bodily fluids is comprised of a complex mixture of volatile components. However, the components of the odor that elicit a behavioral response in the recipient might constitute a minority of the total chemical mixture of the odor. So far only a few examples are known in which single components are sufficient for eliciting the same behavioral responses as the whole complex mixture of an odor does. Such knowledge however, would allow for the production and use of synthetic chemicals as effective predator chemoattractants and prey repellents, for example along plantations, protected areas and highways.