Why cats like the smell of sweat

Cats are noted for their cleanliness. That said, they take great pleasure in sniffing out their owner's armpits, and they enjoy purring things from the gym. Why do cats love the smell of sweat? Experts in zoopsychology and animal behavior have several explanations for why animals are attracted to such a specific smell.

Why does a cat like my sweaty clothes?

I've constantly noticed – I come home from work, start to change my clothes – the cat starts lying around and rubbing himself against my dirty clothes. Especially underarms he is concerned about. Maybe his perception of smells is different – and it's like perfume to him?

Several options can be suggested, this is either just one of them or even all of them together. So, cats like the smell of sweat because:
– The specific hormones secreted with human sweat are similar to the pheromones secreted in animals of the opposite sex to attract attention;
– The concentrated and strong scent of the owner on his clothes, affects animals as a soothing and relaxing agent;
– Cats are known to have a taste for salty food, which may be why they like the taste of sweat – because it is salty;
– When their owners return from the street, their feet and shoes leave traces of the scents of the places they have visited. They bring home new and endlessly interesting smells, especially for pets who don't have access to the outdoors. They rub themselves as if to secure their rights to objects by enveloping them with their scent. After all, cats have scent glands on their muzzles;
– Those cats that can walk on the street and come back home try to replace the strange smell with their own, or more precisely the master's, so they rub their owners' things;
– Adult animals react to the smell of human sweat, as well as to catnip, which also has in its composition a pheromone that mimics the pheromones of adult animals ready to breed.

we have to find out.) ) they're all like that. maybe they just like the garbage can. then he digs in my trash can, then he sticks his face in the neighbor's shoes (in the apartment), and so you say. and many cats my mom has, the same thing. socks yes, half of the cats around the house.

My cat also likes to rub and especially sleep on things I wear. I assume they like the smell of their owner. What can't be said for humans. Hardly anyone around me likes the smell of pungent sweat. Robinul (glycopyrrolate) is the only thing that helps me with sweat. The downside is that the dryness in the mouth comes 3-4 hours after admission, as glands responsible for fluid secretion are blocked. After 4-5 days you get used to it and you're fine. I myself have been suffering from hyperhidrosis for 7 years and cannot cure it.

The owner's scent

As a rule, a pet comes into a person's home as a baby kitten. The new environment is a great stress for him. Kitten is frightened by the new surroundings. The owner becomes the only object on which you can rely: he will feed and protect. That is why his smell is associated by the animal with calmness and positivity.

Naturally, a fluffy pet will choose the most "fragrant" place of the owner, namely, the sweat glands, where the maximum concentration of odor. And cats like a natural "fragrance" without deodorants, soaps and other chemicals. Therefore, the sharper the smell of sweat from clothing or human, the more it likes the animal.

The owner's scent for cats is the sweetest scent in their lives. It is the male sweat that they like the most, as it includes an accent that indicates the strength of the male. Of all whiskers, it is cats that are most attracted to the smell of their master's sweat. And if a cat is in a position, it will be especially happy to have its owner back home.

As in humans.

The brain of very young children works in a similar way. For example, if a baby is forced to be separated from its mother, it will be much calmer if her clothes are placed next to it in the crib. A baby, like a cat, knows nothing about social norms and that the smell of sweat is not good. To the baby, it's just a smell that reminds him of his most intimate person.

Zoopsychologists explain cats' predilection for the smell of their owner's armpits by the presence of pheromones in sweat. Especially when a cat is in heat. An animal enjoys the smell of its owner's sweat so much that it simply cannot be dragged away from the armpit.

Compared to humans, cats have a more sensitive sense of smell. Not only are they able to distinguish pheromones, but they are also able to navigate the hormonal background of their owner. For example, cats will engage in active sniffing out a woman when she is pregnant.

Sometimes the behavior of furry pets can indicate the presence of a hormonal disorder in the host's body. According to some experts, the behavior of the animal can even determine the beginning of the period of ovulation. But this theory is not one hundred percent proven, because you can't ask the cat about it.

Why cats love the smell of sweat

There is nothing strange that a cat pokes its nose into socks and things that are not the first freshness, smells her sweaty armpits or plays with the owner's slippers. Cats are not indifferent to the smell of human sweat. But why?

Animals, unlike humans, don't just smell, they read it. The sense of smell for cats is known to be extremely important. Thanks to this organ, cats find a mate, they hunt, get information. It is also the organ of communication. The main task of the sense of smell is to alert the cat for a lightning response: it helps the cat to find out whether an odor is a threat or an unpleasant sensation or, on the contrary, a pleasure. Animals use scents to orientate themselves in their environment, to mark their territory and so on. Traces of the memory of a variety of scents are never erased or dulled in the brain of a cat, and forever anchored in the center of long-term memory, as if in a bank of scents.

Scents that are alluring and appealing to our smaller brothers can be repulsive to humans. Just as a neutral scent not remembered by humans can be extraordinarily important to their beloved pets.

Therefore, feline urges in the form of nibbling, sucking on and rubbing shoes, socks, shirts and armpits may seem strange to owners. But in fact, it is quite common and widespread. Some cats adore the scent of only their owners, while others are interested in every guest. And pets most often feel truly blissed out by such scents.

Human sweat, in terms of feline curiosity, presents our lesser brethren with a rich palette of sensations, from a relaxing effect to an exhilarating effect. However, there may be other explanations for this predilection.

What else is the attraction of sweat to cats?

• It's all about pheromones (Greek φέρω – carry + ὁρμάω – excite, stimulate). Pheromones are chemical compounds of natural origin that play almost the main role in the interaction of animals of the same species. The power of pheromones is powerful, as they are responsible for the reactions that ensure the survival of the species: reproduction, taking care of offspring, etc. Specifically, males and females of all sexually reproducing animals, only pheromones allow them to identify each other and mate.
• Salty Sweat. Cats are partial to salt, and sweat is known to be an aqueous solution of salts and organic substances secreted by sweat glands. Sweat plays an essential role in the socio-biological processes of information transfer between mammals. In addition to pheromones, a large number of biologically active substances are transported with sweat. By the way, human sweat exudes a specific smell. It can be both unpleasant and magnetic, depending on the sex of the subject and its readiness to mate. Fresh sweat, however, has no odor. It begins to be felt after a while, when the bacteria activate their reproduction on the skin.
• A new range of odors.. As soon as the owner enters the house, the cat starts to investigate his feet and shoes. After all, they capture so much information from the places he's been! They are unrecognizable and infinitely entertaining smells, especially for those cats and cats who are not allowed outside. They rub along as if to secure their rights to objects by enveloping them with their scent. Scent learning and memorization occurs in cats due to scent glands that are located on their muzzles.
• "Tame" smell .. Lucky cats that are free to walk in the fresh air on their own, when they return home, try to replace the foreign smell with their own, native, or rather the owner's, so they rub against people's things.

Is it normal behavior for a cat to lick my armpit?

It is normal for cats to groom themselves and each other. Grooming helps keep themselves clean and gets rid of parasites, and also provides social bonds between cats.

So it's not unusual for your cat to lick you, especially if she enjoys being around you.

However, there are a few things you should be aware of if your cat starts licking your armpit specifically.

For example, if your armpit is sweating, your cat may just be trying to wash you. However, if your cat is licking your armpit and you are not sweating much, it could be a sign that your cat is anxious or stressed.

If you are concerned about your cat's behavior, it is always best to seek the advice of a veterinarian.

He or she will be able to rule out any medical causes and give advice on how to deal with any feline behavioral issues.

Why do cats lick their owners in general?

Some people say that these pets lick their owners because they are trying to show affection, while others believe that the cat is trying to woo its owner.

But whatever the reason, one thing is certain: cats licking their owners is definitely a strange phenomenon.

• One possible explanation for why cats lick their owners is that they are trying to take care of them. Cats are very clean animals and like to groom themselves. So perhaps when a cat licks its owner, it is just trying to help keep itself clean.
• Another possibility is that cats lick their owners to show their affection. When a cat licks its owner, it may be hoping to create a stronger bond with it and make it feel loved.
• There are also those who think that cats licking their owners has another motive because the cat wants attention! Many people think that when a cat licks its owner it signals someone to pet it or give it attention.
• Some people even think that cats lick their owners to get them to feed themselves! It is said that cats will lick their owners in an attempt to get them to open a jar of food or give them a treat.
• Finally, there is the theory that cats simply enjoy the taste of their owners!

Cats perceive the smell of their owner's sweat as a guarantee of protection

A pet finds itself in a human home, as a rule, a small kitten. Of course, the new environment is stressful for him. Everything around is new, everything is scary. And the owner is the only object you can rely on – he'll protect and feed. Therefore, the smell of the owner is associated with positivity and calmness.

Naturally, the cat will choose the most "fragrant" places, and the sweat concentrates where the sweat glands are located. Moreover, cats like the natural smell of sweat, without soaps, deodorants and other chemicals. That's why the more pungent the smell of sweat from a person or clothing, the more a cat likes it.

Cats treat the smell of their owner's sweat as the sweetest scent in their lives. They like the sweat of the male more, because it contains a certain accent indicating the male and his strength. Of all whiskers, it is the cats that are most attracted to the smell of their owner's sweat. And if a cat is pregnant, it is the return of the owner of the return home will be unspeakably happy.

As for humans, when children are very young, their brains work in a similar way. In the sense that if a child is forced to be separated from his mother, he will behave much more calmly if his mother's clothes are lying next to him in the crib. The baby, like the cat, doesn't know anything about any social norms or that a sweaty smell is not good. To the baby, it is just a smell that reminds him of his family member.

Cats like the smell of human sweat because it contains pheromones

Zoopsychologists, talking about the special predilection for the owner's armpits on the part of cats, say that it is connected with pheromones. Especially in the period of heat in a cat. The smell of the owner's sweat gives her pleasure to such an extent that it is impossible to take the cat away from the armpit.

Cats have a more sensitive sense of smell than humans. Not only can they discern pheromones, but they can also navigate their host's hormones. For example, they will always seek to actively sniff out a woman during pregnancy.

The behavior of cats and cats can sometimes indicate that there is some sort of hormonal disorder in the host. Some experts say that the cat's behavior can even tell if a girl is ovulating. However, the animal itself is not asked about it, because this theory is not 100% proven.

Salt

Veterinarians say that cats like to smell sweat also because they like salty food, and sweat, as we know, contains a lot of salt. That is why furry pets will sniff the guests' clothes too, not only the owner's.

Why adult cats like to smell their owner's sweat

An adult cat may like the scent of sweat for a variety of reasons. It might be attracted by pheromones released with the cat's sweat (especially if the cat is in heat – in this case it won't be easy to get it off the owner's armpit).

Cats like to lick sweat because it is brackish, and they like this taste very much. For the same reason cats like to rub their owners' sweat-soaked belongings.

If the owner has brought something that smells strange (for example, from the street or the gym), the cat will try to get rid of it. It will rub itself against these things and mark them with its odor, which is intangible to humans.

According to another version, the cat, for all its cuteness remaining a predator, may, driven by instinct, seek to disguise its scent and acquire the scent of others. In the wild, this is a necessary condition for the hunt to be successful. And if the host's belongings have a strong scent, it is just the right thing for such an occasion.

About healthy instincts and true love

Surely not all owners of furry pets may like having their armpits licked. However, such behavior does not mean that the cat is something abnormal, and one should not be angry with her for that, of course. You can simply distract the cat with something or take a shower with fragrant soap.

The important thing in this situation is that there is a living creature in the house that loves its owner in any way – whether it is healthy, sick, fragrant or quite the opposite.

Pheromones

Continuing the theme of special predilection of cats for their owners' armpits, we can say that pheromones are to blame. Especially if the fluffy girls are in heat. They begin to simply "live" with their nose hidden in their owner's armpits. After all, the owner's smell becomes just incredibly pleasant.

The feline sense of smell is much more sensitive. And so the feline family is able to distinguish not only pheromones, but even such subtleties as the hormonal background of the host. In this case, an active sniffing goes to pregnant women. Sometimes by the behavior of animals begin to suspect hormonal disorders of the host. There is even a theory that cats can tell by their behavior when girls are ovulating. But since animals don't write dissertations, there is no 100% proof yet.

Sincere love

The more we work, the more anxious we are or the sicker we are, the more we sweat. In fact, strong smelling clothes give away information that it's been a rough day. Therefore, there is also a theory that the cat rubs itself against the sweating host, trying to bring the body's activity back to normal. And it licks the most sweaty places, the armpits.

In this way, the cat tries to calm the man, to bring him to feeling, to give a charge of love. After all, you should agree that it's a great happiness when someone loves you and sick, and very tired, and not only beautiful and well-groomed.

Why does the smell of sweat attract kittens?

The answer to the question of why cats like the smell of sweat suggests several answers. If we are talking about kittens, who, by the way, are less often interested in the sweat of adults, they may be attracted by the concentrated smell of the owner.

They associate it with the feeling of safety. After all, the master is like their mother. And the smell of the owner is an antidepressant and relaxant "in one bottle".

On the other hand, by playing with the owner's socks or showing interest in guests' shoes, a kitten learns the world (because shoes bring so many unknown scents from the street!) and hones her hunting skills.

Why might adult cats like the smell of sweat?

If an adult cat likes the smell of sweat, it may have other reasons. First, it is the pheromones secreted with sweat, which pets, especially cats in heat, find extremely attractive. So much so that some kittens literally can not tear away from the owner's armpits.

Secondly, kittens are known to really like the salty taste – so licking a sweaty person or sucking on his sweat-soaked clothes can be delicious to them.

Third, things from the street or, for example, from the gym can carry foreign smells that the cat tries to get rid of by marking with its own smell, which are insensible to humans.

There is another version. Cats, being predators, instinctively seek to get rid of their own scent by acquiring the scent of another creature. This is supposedly the key to a successful hunt. And strongly smelling household items seem to be quite suitable for this purpose.

Who likes the smell of a cat and why?

No, this article is not about what you're thinking! It's not about toilet issues, apartment tags and odor removal sprays. This post is about perfume that smells like… a cat. And this is no joke!

It is believed that a cat's fur itself has no smell. And it is quite understandable, because this animal is a predator, which hunts from an ambush. Unlike canines, cats are very interested in not giving away their presence before time.

However, owners claim that there is one place on the body of purrs, namely on the head between the ears, where the cat smells good. What metaphors are not found in the description of this smell in the faithful lovers of whiskers! Some people compare the smell of a cat's fur to that of freshly baked bread, others say it smells like wood heated by the sun or a clean cotton cloth…

Cat-scented spray from Japan

But why do people like the smell of a cat? Is it because they have a strong attachment to their pet? Or for some other reasons? At Yamamoto Perfumery in Japan, there were no romantics – only pragmatists. Rather than admiring in vain, they decided to reproduce the scent of a cat and make good money on it. The head of the company himself, Mr. Yamamoto, is said to have smelled dozens of animals in order to choose the most fragrant ones.

The company then spent four months trying to figure out why cats smell good – they carefully studied the chemical composition of the substances secreted by animal glands, decomposed the "smell of the sun" into molecules and tried to recreate it in the laboratory. And here's the sensation! The world's first cat-scented spray with the long name Moho Mohu Odeko no Kaori Fabric Water!

This product, costing about $10, is not meant to be used instead of perfume, of course, but to scent interior objects – furniture, pillows, bedspreads, etc. According to the creators, it will help create an atmosphere of coziness and warmth in the house, even if you can not have a cat – as we know, in Japan with this problem!

For about $20 you can buy a special pillow in the shape of a cat's head, also soaked in the scent of the spray. As it evaporates, the scent can be intensified by periodically spraying the pillow from the bottle.