Cats are blessed with a strong sense of smell and have an inclination towards sniffing almost everything. Male and female cats crouch to urinate and release the urine over a flat surface—the litter box. A lot of pet parents find this unusual and strange. Cats have a visual field of view of 200° compared with 180° in humans, but a binocular field (overlap in the images from each eye) narrower than that of humans. Your cat sniff your eyes may be because of something she has been seeing in your eyes, or probably a sense of relaxation. Sometimes I will be sleeping and she will just be WAITING for me to wake up so that she can stick her wet nose in my eyeball—not the lids, not the lashes, the EYEBALL. We are only providing information. Every time they are close to my face, both my guinea pig and my cat will smell my eyeballs very intently. Why Do Cats Sniff So Much? Let’s agree – our cats do have a lot of wired behaviors like watching him to eat, or biting your blanket etc. b) because she can c) she's sweet on you. If you’ve recently welcomed a furry friend into your life, you understand how difficult this transition can be. Cats have a territorial instinct and maybe jealous if they get a whiff of any other animal on your clothes. & sometimes we become clueless right? The easiest way for your cat to recognize her owner is through his scent. They sniff their owners to recognize them and also to see if their owner smells of any other cat or dog. So one of the main reasons behind your cat sniffing your eye could be the possibility of an eye infection. My eldest cat Cheska does it fairly regularly. Clearly, cats are good at visual recognition — except when it comes to human faces. But I've got two anecdotes involving dogs: my SO's dad has three dogs, the eldest of whom gets growths on her eye that the male llcks and worries at (while the other female just gets jealous); and my own little mutt, if given half a chance, will stick his snout in my open mouth with an interested or sometimes concerned expression (when he seems especially worried I figure it's time to call a real dentist, e.g., once it turned out I had to have a molar pulled). I had no idea cats could do that. Please Do not disregard advice from a professional veterinarian because of something you read here. Our kitties do that too. Here’s The Answer With Differences. Your cat's action is a backhanded compliment and kitty-correct. posted by tastybrains at 8:55 PM on June 29, 2007 Maybe she sees her reflection and thinks there is another cat? They like to sniff or lick eyelids of smart people to get at their brains. It becomes imperative to take notice if you think your cat smells a bit funny or off, because it might indicate that your cat is not feeling well or that it is suffering from something that you can’t see – and since cat’s can’t speak and tell you what it is that’s bothering them, it’s a good idea to pay close attention. I think my last dog did it as well. My cat does this exact same thing. Cats are blessed with a strong sense of smell and have an inclination towards sniffing almost everything. Causes include blows to the head, a scratched eye, an infection, and chemicals. It's a cat thing. They will sniff you to check if you are alright and are free of any diseases or infections. One of the main reasons behind this could be to recognize and make sure that the person is their owner. They are also extremely protective and possessive of their owners. It's a "your cat" thing. If your cat is a female, she may be responding to a motherly instinct. My old cat would get a sort of build-up in her nose that would dry out. Why, I don't know. Pet owners often feel that as soon as their cat smells a familiar scent, it offers them a sense of ease and helps them to calm down. Is this typical of cats, and why is he doing it? But I've been wondering for ages. (I have no idea what a human eye smells like to a cat, but maybe it's just different enough from the rest of your face that he thinks that's where your scent glands are? If so, that's adorably cute. Check Out The Reasons Here, When Do Kittens Start Playing With Toys? 75% Upvoted. Another theory behind cats’ unusual sniffing habit is a sense of relaxation. My own dear, departed Rowley loved to snuggle her head into my armpits, and I'd often find her rolling around in my sweaty gym shirts as though I secreted catnip. Mothers lick their kittens’ eyes to help get any gunk off and clean them. I think cats have pheromone glands in their faces that they use when communicating with other cats. This is why you may notice your cat approaching a new object with caution. Cats have some weird and unusual habits that are beyond the understanding of the human mind. Your cat will sniff your eye to smell the familiar scent and to make sure that it’s you. This argument would also answer other related questions such as “why my cat smells my mouth” or “why my cat smells my face when I sleep”. One of the main reasons behind this could be to recognize and make sure that the person is their owner. You can find out more reasons below. A raised tail signals another cat that your cat feels secure and is graciously offering the opportunity of a butt sniff. Lyndsay Gamber from California on September 19, 2013: This is a really great Hub! When your cat does this to you, it is like giving a hug and kiss in greeting a friend. They have trouble seeing objects up close so they rely heavily on smell and touch. So, the other reason why your cat sniffs your eye might be due to the salty scent of tears. As with most predators, their eyes face forward, affording depth perception at the expense of field of view. Dilara Goskel Parry, a cat behavior expert at Feline Minds, told The Dodo that when cats take the rubbing one step further and wind through your legs, they want something and are excited about it.A prime example is feeding time. Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) When you trace the vast majority of ailments back to their root, you'll find … The best way for pet parents to start to determine what could be making their cats smell bad is to focus on the exact nature of the odor and where on the body it’s coming from. I don't get it either. However, sniffing is not limited only to your clothes. Cats usually sniff their beloved humans due to several reasons—the primary reason being the sense of recognition and attachment to their owners. Join 6,470 readers in helping fund MetaFilter. Is my scent stronger in my eyes or something? Blocked tear ducts, an overproduction of tears, allergies, viral … Even, cats can see self groom; their saliva has healing properties. She may also sniff your face to smell you and commit your scent to memory to help build trust and familiarity. Sometimes, cats also sniff eyes to smell that familiar scent to relax instantly. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. or maybe she likes the flutter of your lashes when you blink. share. Do the tears go away? Another theory behind cats’ unusual sniffing habit is a sense of relaxation. 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