Even the most avid olfactories will find it difficult to accurately pinpoint what a cat is smelling. You may have heard that cats don’t “smell” anything, but that’s not entirely true. Cats can smell many different scents, and the way they smell them differs from one cat to the next. One thing is certain: Cats have very keen senses of smell, and opening their mouths when they smell something is a natural instinct for them. It’s believed that this reflex allows them to better detect the specific chemical smells present in their environment so they don’t get sick or become attracted to odors they shouldn’t be exposed to. But exactly why do cats open their mouth when they smell? And how does it relate to their behavior? Let’s take a look at what you need to know about this curious behavior.
Why Do Cats Open Their Mouth When They Smell?
The reason why cats open their mouth when they smell is that their mouth contains sensitive nerve endings. When a cat detects a pie-shaped object in its environment, particularly one that is new and exciting, the hairs on its tongue instantly tense up and contract. These hairs are very sensitive, registering tiny changes in pressure on the tip of the tongue and activating an array of chemical receptors that send messages to the brain.
What Is the Difference Between Smelling and Being Smelled?
1. Smelling
A cat has a keen sense of smell, and it is highly developed. It is believed that cats can detect different chemicals in their environment, such as food, enemies, and mates. Cats are also known to smell their owners and other pets on a regular basis. However, they aren’t capable of smelling everything they come in contact with.
2. Being Smelled
A cat’s ability to smell is not limited to just its environment. Cats are able to smell other animals as well as humans on occasion, but this is not common behavior for them and should be treated as a sign of illness or stress in the cat.
Why Do Cats Open Their Mouth When They Smell?
1. Cats open their mouths to test the air.
Cats have a highly developed sense of smell, and it is believed that they can detect different chemicals in their environment, such as food, enemies, and mates. Cats are also known to smell their owners and other pets on a regular basis. However, they aren’t capable of smelling everything they come in contact with.
2. Cats open their mouths when they are stressed or sick.
Cats may olfactorially detect the presence of illness or disease by opening their mouths when they feel certain symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, vomiting, or loss of appetite. It is believed that cats do not like being sick and may develop a more intense sense of smell to help them detect changes in their environment.
3. Cats open their mouths when they are scared.
Cats are highly sensitive to sound, and if they feel scared or threatened, it is likely that they will open their mouths to limit the amount of noise and thereby protect themselves from potential predators.
4. Cats open their mouths when they are stressed or sick.
Cats may olfactorially detect the presence of illness or disease by opening their mouths when they feel certain symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, vomiting, or loss of appetite. It is believed that cats do not like being sick and may develop a more intense sense of smell to help them detect changes in their environment.
Why does my cat smell food?
1. Cats smell food because they are hungry.
When a cat is hungry, it will sniff around to find food. A cat will not be able to smell its own food and may have to wait until a human has left the room before finding it. Once the cat finds its own food, it will eat as much of it as possible.
2. Cats smell food because they are stressed or sick.
Cats may olfactorially detect the presence of illness or disease by opening their mouths when they feel certain symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, vomiting, or loss of appetite. It is believed that cats do not like being sick and may develop a more intense sense of smell to help them detect changes in their environment.
3. Cats smell food because they are bored.
Cats are highly active animals and need plenty of toys and other forms of entertainment to keep themselves occupied. If a cat is bored, it may find some form of entertainment in the form of food items that have been left out.
4. Cats smell food because they are sick or injured.
Cats will often sniff around their own bodies to try and detect any signs or symptoms that may indicate their own illness or injury. If a cat has an infection, it may seek out the scent of its own urine or feces to help it find more optimal treatment options for its illness until it is able to see a doctor.
The 5 Key Ingredients to Cat Odors
1. Urine
Cats urinate in order to mark their territory with scent. This is done in order to keep other cats from marking their territory and also to mark their own territory. The smell of urine is a strong odor that can be detected by other cats as well as humans, but it will not last long on the ground. It may, however, be detected by humans for a longer period of time.
2. Feces
Cats produce feces for two reasons: 1) To mark their territory and 2) To defecate after eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with bacteria or toxins. Cats will often defecate in litter boxes because they are trying to clean themselves after they have eaten or drank something that has smelled bad to them. If a cat eats contaminated water or if there is no litter box available, it will defecate wherever it feels the need to go and may choose places such as the middle of a room, under furniture, etc..
3. Urine Marking Scent
Cats use urine marking scent while they are marking their territories, but they will also use this scent while they are trying to attract mates or when they are trying to advertise themselves as being healthy and attractive so that another cat will come and sniff them out for potential mating partners or potential love interests. This scent is usually very faint and not noticeable by humans until it has been present for some time on the ground underfoot.
4. Food Smells
Cats eat food in order to gain energy, but they may also eat food in order to smell more attractive to potential mates or potential love interests. They will often eat food that has been left out for them so that they can smell their own scent and it can be detected by other cats as well. Cat Food Smells are often very strong and detectable by humans as well as other cats. This is why people are often so concerned when they smell cat food in the area that the food smells like cat food but that the cat is not available to eat it.
5. Urine Marking Scent
Cats use urine marking scent while they are marking their territories, but they will also use this scent while they are trying to attract mates or when they are trying to advertise themselves as being healthy and attractive so that another cat will come and sniff them out for potential mating partners or potential love interests. This scent is usually very faint and not noticeable by humans until it has been present for some time on the ground underfoot.
Conclusion
As you can see from the above, there are a number of reasons why a cat might open its mouth when it smells. The exact reason why a cat opens its mouth when it smells is still a little bit of a mystery, but it does seem to be a reflex born out of safety and comfort. If you want to get a better understanding of your cat, you should try to observe him/her from a distance. With practice, you should be able to learn what smells your cat is smelling, and interpreting that data can be a rewarding experience. If you’d like more information about how to care for your cat, check out our article on how to take care of a cat.
