My Cat is So Weird. (Part 5)

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:56 am

So now that it's Springly, herself takes me out for walkies. Nothing strange there, but she has this thing for sniffing at shrubs. I mean, SNIFFING at shrubs. The fragrant little conifers and junipers I can understand, but she's always has a special thing for the yew-bushes, which I can't figure out, as I can't get a scent out of them for my human senses. Weirder yet, she's now taken to this one cotoneaster - still winter-bare, yet - and will thrust her head in despite the pointy bits and sniff and sniff and sniff as if she can't get enough.

What's up with that?

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:35 am

you're actually asking us to explain a cat's behavior:-?

that WAS rhetorical...wasn't it?

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:38 am

A tomcat has probably been spraying in those bushes,
so she's exploring who's territory she's in.

Caroluna · Post by **Caroluna** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:46 am

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/petplanet/he ... t_talk.htm

A cat's sense of smell is extremely sensitive, and cats use scents to tell other felines who they are, where they've been and when, whether they are male or female, and whether they are ready to mate...Some of this information is passed on when cats meet each other, and some is left in the form of scent marks - odiferous 'calling cards' for other cats to find.

Cats scent mark their territories by rubbing their scent glands against objects. Scent glands are located on a several locations, including the sides of the cat's face and lips, the base of the tail, and between the toes. You have probably seen cats 'chinning' objects, rubbing them with the base of their tail, or scratching with their claws - as well as leaving a visible mark, scratching also deposits scent.

http://www.catvetclinic.com/feline_marking.html

A commercial product containing feline cheek gland scent has been recently introduced...The product is called Feliway® and is a synthetic pheromone designed to mimic cheek gland secretions from a cat....The scent of the pheromone seems to calm the cat and may stimulate marking in the area by bunting (rubbing with their cheeks), ...Feliway® has also been used to calm cats in new environments.

Great, but would it work for me too?

.. You can perhaps get the same effect by rubbing a cotton ball or gauze square on your cat's cheek or chin glands

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:55 am

To my nose, Yew bushes have an extremely strong odor of cat pee.

Nice to know there's a cat out there that agrees with me. LOL

Doc Jones DVMCPE (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine & Cat Pee Expert)

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:19 pm

Fair enuf with the cat spray thing, but cotoneasters? That's just plain risky. Ow.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:24 pm

there ya go...the Pub descends into cat sex...

Nano!

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:43 pm

What I found interesting is that cats may have a great sense of smell but they have a very poor sense of taste. Apparently humans have a better sense of taste than cats do, from what I've read. That may explain why cat food smells so strongly - its the way they enjoy their food, I guess.

djm

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:47 pm

helps 'em find it, eh?

hopefully before the dog eats it.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:50 pm

Doc Jones wrote:To my nose, Yew bushes have an extremely strong odor of cat pee.

Nice to know there's a cat out there that agrees with me. LOL

Doc Jones DVMCPE (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine & Cat Pee Expert)

I used to think that Box bushes smell of cats pee. But no. The smell is exactly what it is. The Box is not guilty.

gonzo914 · Post by **gonzo914** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:49 pm

Most of nature smells like cat pee. That which doesn't tends to smell like either a skunk or a crow's lunch.

Just one more thing to make me oh, so very glad I quit smoking.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:18 pm

Doc Jones wrote:To my nose, Yew bushes have an extremely strong odor of cat pee.

I've noticed the same thing about some type of evergreen bush (it's
not the yew, though). I didn't know what species of shrubery it is,
but it'ss always the same every time I pass one. I always wonder
why that particular type of bush is so popular amongst toms. My
wife and I call them "cat pee bushes".

I'm also not fond of local builders' recent habit of surrounding
every new building with Bradford Pear trees. Those things smell
terrible in the spring, like a diabetic cat on an all-fish diet.

hyldemoer · Post by **hyldemoer** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:00 pm

A cat's sense of smell? Why yes, but it might work as ours does. If exposed to strong smells for too long our sensitivity to smells lowers. Its a self preservation thing our minds do for us.

The lady who cares for my cat's when I go out of town has started wearing a lot of perfume lately. Last time she came here it confused my cats so much that when I came home they smelled like dogs. The next day their sense of smell came and they bathed until the stink was gone.

My mother wears a lot of perfume as well but her cat spends more time hiding from her than playing with her. When she does come out to play she washes so well afterwards that she's licked the fur off her paws.
The vet has offered her prozac thinking its OCD.
I can't help but wonder if my mother cutting back on the perfume would help better.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:06 pm

There's a mouse in the bushes.

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:12 pm

My cat's breath smells like cat food!