Smells Cats Hate Most and Why

1. A cat’s sense of smell: features and anatomy
2. How a cat’s nose works
3. Smells that cats and kittens hate

Why you shouldn’t peel oranges and onions around cats

If you live with a cat, you’ve probably noticed how your fluffy companion reacts differently to smells. One moment they’re enthusiastically sniffing socks or the trash bin, and the next they bolt, having caught a whiff of your favorite perfume. Why does this happen?

A cat’s sense of smell: features and anatomy

A cat’s sense of smell plays a vital role from day one. After all, kittens are born blind and deaf. It’s only through their ability to perceive and distinguish scents that they can recognize their mother.
As they age, smell doesn’t lose its significance.

• Ensures safety. By smell, cats can identify inedible food and changes in their environment.

• Helps communication and spatial orientation. This is why cats sniff each other when they meet and leave scent marks on their territory and on people.

• Plays a role in reproduction. Cats can detect pheromones released to attract a mate from a great distance.

How a cat’s nose works

The primary olfactory organ in cats is the nose. Here’s a breakdown of its components.

• Nose leather. The soft external part of the nose serves a protective function and plays a role in thermoregulation. Interesting fact: a cat’s nose print is just as unique as a human fingerprint. Because of this, an insurance company in China once offered pet owners the option to insure their companions using nose prints.

• Nostrils. These are the openings needed to inhale air.

• Nasal passages and internal nostrils (choanae). Air travels through these to reach the respiratory organs.

• Labyrinth of ethmoid turbinates. Thanks to these, scent-laden air reaches the cat’s olfactory receptors.

Besides the nose, cats have an additional olfactory organ — the Jacobson’s organ. It’s located behind the front teeth. Scientists still haven’t reached a consensus on its exact purpose. The main hypotheses are:

• more precise recognition of food smells;

• monitoring the chemical composition of the air to predict disasters;

• detecting pheromones and other “social” scents.

Smells that cats and kittens hate

It’s believed that a cat’s sense of smell is about fourteen times stronger than a human’s. That’s why they often dislike scents that seem pleasant to us.

• Citrus fruits. When peeling an orange or mandarin, fluffy companions usually wrinkle their noses, snort, and run away. There are almost no exceptions. Cats equally dislike the smell of lemon and mandarin. The reaction to the fruit’s flesh, however, isn’t as strong as it is to the peel. This is because citrus zest contains a large amount of essential oils, which greatly irritate a sensitive feline nose. If a cat doesn’t react to this smell, it’s worth paying attention: perhaps your pet has caught a cold and simply can’t smell it.

• Essential oils. Often, aversion to certain smells is a protective reaction. Cats can’t stand the scent of essential oils because they can be toxic. A cat’s liver cannot produce the enzymes needed to process these chemicals. The most dangerous oils include: pine, eucalyptus, clove, tea tree, citrus, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, wintergreen, and pennyroyal. The main signs of poisoning are difficulty breathing, excessive salivation, muscle tremors, lowered body temperature, and a decreased pulse rate.

• Plants. Cats dislike the smells of only certain plants. Examples include lavender, geranium, mint, eucalyptus, and rosemary. These plants release phytoncides, which irritate the mucous membranes of the animal’s respiratory tract. And conversely: in nature, there are plants whose scents attract cats, such as valerian and honeysuckle.

• Bananas. This might seem strange to people, but cats hate the smell of bananas, especially very ripe ones. The reason is that banana peels contain a substance whose odor closely resembles acetone. Humans can’t detect it, but it’s no coincidence that a cat’s nose is stronger!

• Onions and garlic. The pungent smell of onions and garlic affects a cat much the same way it affects a human. Only cats don’t cry — they blink. The culprit is the phytoncides contained in onions, which irritate the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and eyes.

  

• Spices and seasonings. The smell of black and red pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and other spices is unpleasant to cats for the same reason: they contain phytoncides that irritate mucous membranes.

• Coffee. Cats dislike the smell of both coffee beans and ground coffee. The reason is organic compounds that are toxic to these animals.

• Vinegar. The sharp smell of vinegar bothers them because of the acetic acid, which in its pure form is dangerous not only for cats but also for people. Animals can’t tolerate even the weak concentration of acid found in common table vinegar.

• Alcohol. Cats dislike the smell of alcohol in any liquid — be it perfume or spirits. Alcohol evaporates quickly, so when inhaled it can injure mucous membranes and reduce olfactory sensitivity.

• Tobacco. This applies not only to the smell of tobacco smoke while smoking but also to the plant itself. The smoke is toxic to cats and can cause asthma and other lung diseases.

• Household chemicals and petroleum products. Cats’ aversion to these smells is tied to a protective reaction. Many chemicals in such products are harmful to animal health. Inhaling them can lead to allergies, poisoning, and respiratory tract burns.

Of course, there are always exceptions. In the world, there are cats that eat citrus, sniff geraniums, and stroll calmly through lavender fields. Reactions to different smells can be highly individual. But scents absolutely affect the lives and health of cats. That’s why it’s better to protect your companions from aromas they might not enjoy.