Why is scent so important for cats?

We explain how cats use their sense of smell to communicate and why it is so important for them. 

A cat's sense of smell is developed even before it opens its eyes as a newborn kitten. In the early days after birth, cats rely on their sense of smell to locate their mother and feed. Long before a cat can visually perceive its surroundings, its sense of smell is the primary tool for survival, highlighting the vital role scent plays in the life of a cat.

Cats utilise their sense of smell to communicate in various ways, gathering all the information they need about their environment. When something changes, such as the introduction of a new sofa, they can detect it immediately. Your cat might begin scratching the new furniture, marking it with its scent and integrating it into its territory—a feline ritual that may not be as endearing to you as it is essential to the cat. To a cat, this behavior is perfectly normal; they mark their territory by leaving their scent on the furniture. A cat's sense of security and contentment is deeply tied to the scent markers within its environment, which define its territory and help it thrive.

Cats produce pheromones through scent glands, each cat having a unique scent, similar to humans. These glands are located on various parts of the body, including the sides of the face, cheeks, chin, top of the head, the bottom of the feet, the tip of the tail, and towards the flanks. While these glands serve as the delivery system for a cat’s scent, the intriguing aspect lies in how cats use this scent to communicate.

In addition to establishing their territory, cats use their sense of smell to evaluate the quality of their food, assess environmental changes, and detect potential threats. They also communicate their presence to other animals and humans in the home, as well as to other cats in the neighborhood if they have access to the outdoors. Cats deliver their scent through various methods such as rubbing, bunting (rubbing their head against objects or people), scratching, spray marking, and toileting. However, not all cats use every method, and ideally, a secure and confident cat will primarily use rubbing, bunting, and scratching. They transfer their scent onto scratching posts, beds, furniture, and throughout the home, creating a unique community scent that includes all household members.

When you interact with your cat by stroking, touching, or grooming, you are adding your scent to theirs, contributing to the community scent. Cats groom themselves not only to clean their fur but also to ingest your scent, which is a self-soothing behaviour. This process enhances the community scent and strengthens the bond between you and your cat. Introducing a new cat to the home alters the community scent profile, which can be unsettling for the existing cat, making it feel as though its territory is threatened. This is why it is crucial to introduce new cats slowly, with careful attention to scent transfer.

A lack of scent in the home can lead to behavioral issues in cats. Without established scent markers, a cat may become anxious, leading to behaviours such as spraying, urine marking, excessive scratching, and even aggression. Cats will go to great lengths to communicate with their environment, including the people and other cats in it.

If you notice a lack of scent in your home, you can help by acting as an additional scent transfer system. Some cats naturally have strong pheromones and can confidently spread their scent, while others may need assistance. You can support your cat by using a soft fabric like a pillowcase or sock to rub around the cat’s scent glands and then transferring this scent to key areas around the home, such as doorways and furniture. This technique helps your cat recognize its scent in the environment, encouraging it to top up the scent by rubbing or scratching, which helps it feel safe and secure.

This scent transfer method can also be useful when changing the home’s scent profile, such as when bringing in a new baby, another cat, or a dog.

To maintain a healthy scent environment for your cat, it’s advisable to leave cat beds in place for extended periods, rub your cat and then touch furniture to transfer the scent, provide multiple scratching posts and beds for each cat, and ensure there are clear scent markers throughout the home. However, avoid scolding your cat for scratching, using strong-smelling cleaning products frequently, or washing cat bedding daily, as these actions can disrupt the scent profile and cause stress for your cat.

Scent is also crucial for cats when it comes to food. Cats use their sense of smell to determine if food is safe to eat. If your cat seems unwell, warming wet cat food can make it smell more appealing. With 200 million odor sensors in their noses compared to a human’s 5 million, cats can detect the smell of bacteria and determine if their food is fresh.

Cats also have a vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson’s organ, which allows them to analyse scents more deeply. When a cat sniffs something and then holds its mouth slightly open, it is using this organ to process scent molecules, which are then sent to the hypothalamus in the brain for further analysis.

Understanding the importance of scent to cats can help you create a supportive environment for your feline companion. Scent is the first sense that develops at birth, and cats even have a secondary mechanism to process it more thoroughly. When cleaning your home, consider your cat’s need for scent continuity. If you’re doing a thorough cleaning, ensure your cat has access to fresh air, whether by going outside or sitting near a window. Remember, cat bedding, scratching posts, and food are all essential elements that contribute to your cat’s ability to navigate and thrive in its environment.

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