How Cats Noses Really Work
Have you ever watched your cat zero in on a spot on the carpet and sniff the space intensely, getting closer and closer to the floor, then suddenly pop their head up, mouth agape, with a shocked look on their face?
Cats seem to smell things we don’t – as if their scent receptors are working on a whole other level. Sometimes they seem to find and track things with their noses, similar to how a dog would, so what is the deal? Are we to really believe their noses are so different from ours? Are they similar to a dog’s nose? Do dogs have a monopoly on incredible smelling power? Let’s dig into this olfactory mystery.
The Structure of a Cat’s Nose
Cats boast a complex nasal structure far superior to that of a human. Their primary nasal structure resembles a complex labyrinth, featuring coiled turbinates to regulate airflow. Think of it as their own sniffing superhighway. This ingenious design allows cats to separate scents into their own lanes quickly and efficiently. Technically, a cat would make an excellent wine connoisseur, being able to distinguish subtle changes in scents, as well as very faint ones too!
Unlike humans, cats have a second nasal structure called the vomeral-nasal organ (also known as the Jacobson’s organ), which is thought by experts to function like a second nose located right at the top of their mouth. This organ detects and decodes pheromones, which are secreted in animal sweat, providing cats with more information about other animals who have been in the area before them.
The Flehmen Response
As mentioned at the beginning, sometimes your cat might hone in on a smell on the floor, or a shoe, or anything else, and then dramatically tilt their head back, mouth hanging open, with a sneeze or a gag. This is their way of processing an overwhelming scent.
While it might look pretty funny to us, the cat is trying to get fresh air into both its standard nasal passage, as well as its vomeral-nasal passage. It’s simply the burden they must carry having such a strong sense of smell. Hyper-sensitive sensory receptors come with their own ups and downs.
How Good is a Cat’s Sense of Smell Compared to Other Animals?
How does a cat's sense of smell stack up in the grand sniff-off against other creatures? With about 200 million scent receptors, cats pretty much reign supreme, beating rodents and giving dogs a run for their money – who average 300 million receptors. Surprisingly, the only other real challengers are Amphibians, but even then, cats have a sense of smell about 100 times stronger.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! Cats have an advanced sense of smell, almost as strong as their canine counterparts, and when putting their nose to work, they really do a great job. They’re busy organizing and separating scents, honing in on pheromones to learn more about animals that have been in the room before them, and getting a massive dose of whatever it is they choose to smell through their two noses. They truly are magnificently strange little creatures!
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