Why do cats smell their anus?

Those of us who have decided to share our lives and our homes with felines, know that there are many rare things that cats do. A particularly disconcerting situation occurs when the cat puts its tail on its guardian’s face or shows its anus. If you have lived this experience, you are likely to ask What does it mean when a cat shows its ass to another cat? or your tutor, and if this would be a way to greet with other felines, animals and people who share their environment.

In we will explain why cats smell their anus one another, and why they show their tail to their guardians. We invite you to continue reading this new article to get to know your feline better.

Why do cats smell one another’s anus?

To begin to explain to you why cats smell their anus, we must remember that the kittens express themselves differently from us, using mostly their body language to communicate with other cats, with their guardians and also with their environment. To establish a bond of mutual trust, understanding and friendship with your cat, you will need to learn to interpret the postures, expressions and attitudes through which your pussy expresses your moods, emotions and perceptions.

Many of these “strange” behaviors, according to our perception, are totally natural for our pigs. Although it seems a shameful attitude, cats smell their anus as a way of greeting, making yourself known and exchanging information about your personality and state of mind with other individuals.

The social life of felines does not obey nor is determined according to the same codes that people use to relate in their day to day. We will not see two or more siblings shaking hands, exchanging words, hugging or kissing each other to greet each other, because the language and communication of cats does not include this kind of demonstration of affection or cordiality.

On the other hand, the attitude of sniffing the butt of another cat and exposing his anus so that the other individual smells it is perfectly normal for the pussycat, since they use their nose in this opportunity to gather data about the other individual, interact and communicate.

Why does my cat put my tail on my face?

To understand why your cat puts your anus on your face, we must clarify, first, why cats smell to greet and get to know each other. In this sense, we need to remember that cat’s smell is much more developed than ours. The pussycat can perceive smells that pass us perceived, like the hormones and non-volatile chemicals produced by the body glands of other cats, other animals and also people.

When two cats meet for the first time, we will see that they do not directly show their years. First they usually smell on their faces and in the regions near his cheeks, where they concentrate a large amount of pheromones. By perceiving this substance, cats can calm negative emotions such as fear, insecurity and distrust, so this “introductory greeting” acts as a kind of friendship test.

Then, continue to smell on the sides of your body to start getting to know each other and feel comfortable in the presence of the other. Something similar to what happens when we shake hands with a person we just met, and then we exchange the first words in an attempt to establish a friendly relationship.

When two cats are already comfortable and safe in the company of each other, it is time to raise your tails and smell your anus. This is a key step in the communication and interaction of the cats, because it means that they have decided to “exchange” their most personal or intimate information. When the cats smell their anus, they establish a kind of “chemical communication“That allows them to collect data about their age, gender, health status, mood, diet and even about their genetic inheritance.

All of the above is possible because cats have anal or perianal glands They concentrate all their chemical information through the production of certain secretions that reveal the identity of each feline. For this reason, it is often said that the “smelly signature” of a cat is found in its anus. When smelling in this region, cats can interact chemically with each other, making themselves known and, at the same time, knowing the personality and the routine of their interlocutor through their smells. This means that the anal glands and smell play a key role in communication and social life of cats, so we should not reprimand or punish a pussycat for sniffing another cat’s anus or showing its tail to people . This way, if you wonder why your cat puts the tail on your face, here is the answer and you should not react negatively.

Why do cats open their mouths when they smell their anus?

You may also have noticed that cats open their mouths when they smell something, even when they smell their anus to get to know each other and communicate. To explain this behavior, we must tell you that cats have a sensory organ called “Jacobson’s organ“, Which lies between your mouth and your nose, more precisely in your vomer bone. All the functions of this body are still not known exactly, but it is known that he is responsible for receive stimuli captured by smell, playing a key role in hunting, reproduction and social interaction of cats.

When cats slightly open their mouths when they smell and breathe, they allow odors to reach the Jacobson organ more quickly and intensely through a pumping mechanism. In this way, they manage to perceive and recognize odors more easily, hormones and chemical substances from their environment, enhancing their sense of smell.

However, if your cat always breathes with his mouth open and usually pant, you must be very attentive. Allergies, respiratory problems and some infections, as well as obesity in cats, can lead to difficulty breathing. For this reason, we recommend going to the vet when observing that your cat breathes with difficulty or has excessive panting.

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