Washington State University
Dr. Universe: Why do cats rub their cheeks on stuff? – Lara, 10, New York
Dear Lara,
I’ve seen cats try this, too. So, I talked about why with my buddy Dr. Jessica Bell. She’s a veterinarian at Washington State University.
She informed me that cats rub their cheeks on issues after they’re pleased or need to say that factor belongs to them.
“There are scent glands in their cheeks,” Bell stated. “The glands release a happy or low-stress pheromone. So, they use it to mark all the places they’re most comfortable or happy. It can be their owner. It can be the doorway. It can be where their food dish is.”
Scent glands make and launch chemical messages. Some chemical messages are utilized by members of the identical species to speak with one another. They’re referred to as pheromones.
Cats have scent glands close to their tails, on their bellies, and in between their toes. When a kitten kneads on its mom’s stomach whereas consuming milk, that releases pheromones. When a cat scratches on a scratching put up or your sofa, that releases pheromones, too.
Cats even have scent glands throughout their faces–close to their cheeks, lips and foreheads. Those scent glands launch 5 completely different pheromones referred to as feline facial pheromones. Their major objective is marking territory. The cat is saying, “This is my place. I feel happy here.” Or “This is a human I like.”
Some scent marking behaviors are so frequent that scientists give them names. You know the way cats rub heads collectively once we’re pleased to see one another? That’s referred to as bunting. It’s like a excessive 5, a hug and a chat multi function. Allorubbing is when two cats rub their pelts in opposition to one another.
Scientists even make synthetic feline facial pheromones that you may spray or diffuse into the air. It’s like placing up an indication that claims, “It’s OK. This place is safe.”
“We use pheromones on our blankets and kennels in the veterinary clinic,” Bell stated. “We sometimes use it in our exam rooms to help reduce the overall stress load on the cat – or how they interpret the stress.”
Cats decide up pheromones utilizing their noses and particular sacs on the roof of the mouth referred to as the vomeronasal organ. It’s a part of the cat’s smelling system. It connects to the cat’s mind and works like a scent analyzer.
Have you ever seen a cat grimace? It opens its mouth and pulls again its lips whereas lifting its head and tongue. That’s referred to as Flehmen’s response. Cats do it after they odor one thing fascinating. It’s like taking an enormous sniff along with your mouth.
Lots of animals have vomeronasal organs like cats do, together with elephants, snakes and turtles. Most people do, too. But whether or not that organ picks up human pheromones or now not capabilities in any respect remains to be a thriller.
Maybe sometime a intelligent cat like you’ll sniff out the reply.
Sincerely,
Dr. Universe
Adults will help youngsters submit a query at askdruniverse.wsu.edu/ask
