Keep an eye on his nose

Cats have a much more acute sense of smell than people. Using their nose, they can tell who’s been through their territory and where good food is to be found. If they like something or want to establish their territory, they’ll mark it with their own particular smell to show just who owns it.

A perfect navigation system

Kittens may be born blind and deaf but their sense of smell is fully grown, enabling them to home in on their mother’s teats immediately. Each kitten will then mark his own teat, with his own special smell, so he knows where to go for his next suck. Later, this heightened sense of smell allows the kitten to find his way back home if he wanders off or goes exploring. During weaning, the kitten’s sense of smell enables him to find different food and to make a clear distinction between the edible and the inedible. If he doesn’t like the smell of something, he definitely won’t eat it.

Just one sniff

As your kitten grows up, his nose still plays an important role. A cat can get information about gender, or preparedness for mating by ‘reading’ the smells. When two cats meet, they’ll greet each other face-to-face in order to gather the smell information that will distinguish the ‘familiar’ from the ‘unfamiliar’. That’s why, on meeting, a kitten will usually look for you to contact his head first, before proudly presenting you with his backside.

Noses and health

The state of your kitten’s nose can often indicate whether or not he is well. His nose is usually cool and moist but, if he seems to have a cold, has an encrusted nose, or sneezes a lot, you should take him to the vet straight away. These symptoms suggest that he may well have cat flu. If they are associated with lack of appetite, it probably means that he is unable to smell his food and therefore won’t eat. The only effective way to prevent cat flu is to have your cat vaccinated by the vet, and to make sure you have the vaccination repeated regularly.