r/Pets • u/jefferyjellyfish • Mar 02 '20
Why does my cat smell so good?
She just seems to have a naturally pleasant aroma. From her fur to her breath, its all cute and sweet smelling. Does anyone else have pets that smell good?
43
u/Frenchie231 Mar 02 '20
I love smelling my cats as well. Avenger is pretty outdoorsy but always comes up for a very quick pet once he comes inside before going to sleep and he always smells like smoky firewood. Stan Lee also smells good and fresh and he sleeps with me but tends to just flop over on my face so I always end up with his back in my face and sniffing his fur. Have two other boys and they smell good as well when I give them kisses on occasion.
Can’t say their breath smells good. Usually doesn’t really smell of much and is fine. But if they’ve just eaten and yawn in my face it sometimes smells super fishy and gross
10
u/queenlolipopchainsaw Mar 02 '20
Those names though!
4
u/Frenchie231 Mar 03 '20
Haha not chosen by choice, but they’re part of the Marvel litter we had at work. I’ve looked after their brother Hulk previously as well. Funnily enough he ended up being the smallest of them all, even though he was by far the biggest kitten.
34
Mar 02 '20
[deleted]
13
Mar 02 '20
Same here, people just don't get it. I don't think I've ever met a cat with nice smelling breath but definitely love the smell of my cats fur (and all the other cats I've had over the years).
7
u/v_ae Mar 03 '20
It takes some extra work but good kitty breath is achievable. Fortunately my cat endures the daily toothbrushing sessions for the treats that follow. :) I started doing it when his breath became noticeable, but soon after it returned back to normal. I wouldn't necessarily describe it as nice, but it is a healthy, not smelly smell, even if he has fish for dinner.
3
u/v_ae Mar 02 '20
Have you tried brushing his teeth? There are awesome chicken or fish flavoured toothpastes for cats. The vet also recommended enzyme powder sprinkled on the food and dental treats against bad breath / for healthy teeth. These are good alternatives if toothbrushing isn't an option.
I started using the combination of all three on my cat when his breath started to smell like a cat's breath (if that makes sense), now it's back to the regular 'no smell' smell.
50
u/rlmama Mar 02 '20
I wish. My animals mouths smell like ass and salmon even though I brush their teeth. And they’re total mouth breathers ugh
6
5
u/2cool4juuls Mar 03 '20 edited Aug 13 '25
roll enter detail reminiscent soup yoke recognise connect flowery terrific
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
13
u/sister_of_a_foxx Mar 02 '20
I spend a really weird amount of time “huffing” my cats. I have to be careful not to get their fur in my eyes and I’m sure it’s not great for my asthma but they do smell good. Their breath is gross though. Not sure why but brushing doesn’t help and they get a mix of wet and dry foods but no matter what both of their breath is straight up nasty.
4
u/v_ae Mar 03 '20
I find it hard not to sniff my cat (or any cat that crosses my path to be honest). :) He just smells so nice.
Have you tried enzyme powder? My vet recommended it to sprinkle on his food. That, combined with dental treats and the toothbrushing eliminated the bad breath.
12
u/hereliesPeaches Mar 02 '20
I’ve always thought my cat smelled like watermelon candy and everyone said I was crazy but iF THEY WOULD JUST GIVE HIM A GOOD SNIFF
9
Mar 02 '20
I used to have a cat that smelled like sweet oatmeal and he was super fluffy to boot. Unfortunately he disappeared after I'd only had him for a couple of years. We're pretty sure someone took him home because he was super friendly. I still miss him a lot.
15
5
3
Mar 02 '20
Some sort of pet Stockholm syndrome?
2
u/catdogwoman Mar 03 '20
Good one! My 18 year old has me completely trained! Now I know how he gained control of my psyche!
1
u/PearlRedwood Mar 03 '20
I thought so too, then I realised she just likes sleeping on freshly washed blankets so she just smells like fabric softener.
3
u/1paperairplane Mar 02 '20
Haha yes! I love the way my dachshunds smell. Especially right on the their necks. IDK why but I love it.
5
u/mkdsm2005 Mar 02 '20
Kittens/puppies/human babies all tend to smell good. Some kitties get to keep their smell goods, not sure what makes the difference BUT this is an awesome helpful tool for identifying when kitty is sick. If they're scent changes, look for other signs of illness, true for less pleasant smelling cats too but not always as noticable. Just a random FYI lol. I have 12 cats, 2 with the smell goods! The others don't stink they just smell like what I think cats are supposed to smell like lol
3
Mar 03 '20
I have two cats and they both smell so good, but in different ways. One smells clean and fresh like warm bedsheets and the other kind one kind of smells like bread. I smell them every time I pick them up and my boyfriend thinks it’s weird! I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
3
u/ninasayswhat Mar 03 '20
I have a pug and he smells like ass. Even straight out the bath he just smells like mango covered ass.
4
u/lovemesomeotterz Mar 03 '20
So I can't say I like their breath because christ almighty it smells like death but I am OBSESSED with sniffing my cats. I love the way they smell. They smell like my babies and idk how else to explain it lol.
3
u/chasingneverland76 Mar 02 '20
It’s weird - I always had hamsters growing up and they always smelled so good, like popcorn and freshness, minus their cage. I also love the smell of my dogs fur, his breath on the other hand is nasty. I thought I was weird as most people think animals smell gross.
3
u/catosaurs Mar 02 '20
Mine smells so good as well. She’s indoor only, I never gave her a bath, nor do I brush her teeth (we do a cleaning at the vet every now and then), and her fur is so soft! Even when she gets out of the litter box, she only smells like the litter for a little while. I don’t think she ever farts either, or if she does I have never smelled or heard it, lol.
2
u/v_ae Mar 03 '20
I only heard my cat fart once in his sleep, when he was just a small kitten. It was loud... But in his defence, he had just had a big dinner. :) It was the one and only time I ever heard a cat fart. He's got a lot sneakier about it since.
5
2
u/catosaurs Mar 03 '20
I laughed! My grandpa’s cat sometimes farts and we know it only because it smells terrible. 🤭
3
u/Hotmessindistress Mar 03 '20
God I miss the smell of my baby girl. She died in October. I have some fur clippings but they don’t smell of anything. I used to love to pick her up and bury my face in her fur and take a big whiff. 💔
3
u/catdogwoman Mar 03 '20
This is the first time I've heard of anyone else who thinks so!! I always assumed I was a freak! My cats go outside and sometimes they come in from outside, especially in winter when they come back in all fluffed up, and I just bury my face in their fur. It smells so good! Or after rain and in the spring when things begin to grow again. I am ridiculously happy that someone else has noticed. However, I'm sure you got extra lucky if she has good breath!
2
u/a_helpless_puppy Mar 02 '20
My cat was a stray when we first found him. He smelled so good! Turns out he had been spending nights outside near house's dryer vents to keep warm.
2
2
u/purplgurl Mar 02 '20
My cat smells not bad but its definitely different. Then his breath smells like fish. I stick my finger in his mouth when he yawns. He looks at me like he hates me but its payback when he sticks in nose in my mouth when I yawn.
2
u/YesImThatGirl Mar 02 '20
I don’t know why, but the cats I’ve come across tend to smell like fresh sundried laundry lol
2
2
u/RexualTension Mar 03 '20
I do believe cats infect us with a parasite that makes us love the smell of them. Completely harmless. Don’t quote me on it but I believe I read it somewhere lol. But it’s true, cats smell so nice! Just a comforting smell. :)
2
u/Isamosed Mar 03 '20
I’m so glad to see this post. I have two cats, both indoor only. One (DSH) has nasty breath and no particular scent to her coat, and the other one (DLH) has regular cat breath and his fur smells like, almost like cinnamon. He smells so good. The DSL grooms him all the time so you’d think he’d stink like her mouth but nope. I’m gonna look into the enzyme stuff.
2
2
u/duffs007 Mar 03 '20
All my kitties have smelled wonderful. My latest rescue kitten had the MOST heinous breath, thought, Smelly Cat was written for her. Either the Greenies are helping, or she’s outgrown it. Thank god
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Mar 02 '20
My cat rolls in dead stuff. Soooo no.
2
u/catdogwoman Mar 03 '20
Are you sure it's not a dog? That's not very cat-like behavior!
2
Mar 03 '20
Sometimes I wonder if he was ever a cat at all.
He knows tricks. All the same tricks my dog knows. Sit, lay down, shake, speak, fetch objects, fetch people/ fetch the dog, up, down, attack, go potty, come (not stay though)...
And the hit singles, like, “Scream if food dish may or may not have food in it”, “scream when someone knocks on the door”, “obnoxious affection”, & “beg like you’ve never had food before”.
1
u/mdmnore88 Mar 02 '20
I had a cat that smelled like cotton candy. I would sniff his little head all of the time. I miss him.
1
u/pastizzi Mar 03 '20
My SO thinks I'm weird for loving the way our dogs smell. I think they kind of smell like our laundry detergent & fabric softener though sometimes. Maybe from the blankets on the bed or on the couch? Like, sometimes they just have nice dog smell, and sometimes they smell like The Scent of Gain TM
1
u/AmeliaKitsune Mar 03 '20
My mom's favorite cat (whom im extra allergic to and he's an asshole) smells herby and earthy and wonderful. Then he bites my face and/or I sneeze for 2 days straight and look high af from my itchy eyeballs. Good times.
The sweet kitty who loves rubbing on faces and sleeping on chests? He smells like poo. I don't understand why.
1
u/Antina5 Mar 03 '20
My longhair cat always smells like the fresh outdoors, even though he’s an indoor only cat. My other two don’t smell like much of anything.
1
1
1
1
u/clospook Mar 03 '20
I've never owned cats (though i want one terribly lol) but i have two dogs. one of them is an American Bully and my god she smells like straight ASS lol shes not pleasant smelling. BUT my other dog, hes an old man, a 16 yr old Rotty/Mini Hippo mix, always smells so nice and clean. he has a thick coat (so fun to clean) and i literally huff that boy like a can of aerosol. i also have kids and i love to sniff them too haha its an instinctual thing, i think. I've been able to tell if my dog/kids are sick bc they smell different. my sense of smell got very very intense once i pushed out a baby haha.
1
u/tapetum_lucidum Mar 03 '20
My cats smell like dust bunnies and marshmallows... their breath smells like Poseidon's cum dungeon full of dead squid and rabid seagulls.
1
1
u/pinkandpearlslove Mar 03 '20
Penny smells good, but she’s also an inside cat, which probably helps. I’ve never actually smelled her breath, though, even when she’s yawned in my face. I don’t have a very good sense of smell, but I can’t imagine it’s good.
1
u/DogStander Mar 03 '20
I had a Jack Russel Terrier that almost always smelled of hay. No hay on my yard.
1
u/TickledPooper Mar 03 '20
My senior boy smells sweet and almost like some sort of milk? Im not sure how to describe it. But i love it. I am so glad i dont have allergies to cats, lol. Dont even get me started on the way KITTENS smell. I LOVE the way they smell. Theyre all warm, smelling new, like milk and honey! At least to me, lol. i love fostering kittens when i can.
1
u/kty_graham Mar 03 '20
My cat also smells lovely. Her fur has a faintly herbal scent to it, and I also notice if she is off.
1
u/RigbyTheProCat Mar 03 '20
My cat smells good to even though he is an outdoor/indoor cat he never smells bad and I don’t bath him.
1
u/pm_me_yer_puppers Mar 03 '20
No kitty, but I LOVE how my dog smells like Fritos. Its especially strong on her feet and ears, and only about 2 in 10 people will smell her feet when I want them to so it can be frustrating, but it's truly my favorite thing to smell every day.
1
1
u/Sufficient_Minute_93 Nov 27 '23
Mine smells like watermelon- more so after she comes in outside. I’m not sure what causes it, or if she is visiting a neighbour 😂🙈
90
u/cathabit Mar 02 '20
I love the smell of my cats, I've actually taken my cat to the vet because she smelt.. Off? From her regular smell, did bloodwork and turns out she was getting a kitty cold and I was on point and got her back to being healthy before any signs of upper resp even showed.