Cat's Nose Functions: A Puzzling Sense Explained

What is the Purpose of a Cat's Nose?

One, Health Indicator

A healthy cat's nose should maintain a certain level of moisture. If it appears dry, it could be a sign of discomfort in your feline friend (such as a rise in body temperature). Unusual symptoms like frequent sneezing or a runny nose are also signals that something might be amiss.

Two, A SuperSensitive Sense of Smell

Cats have a remarkable olfactory organ with a mucous membrane located at the back of their nasal cavity. This area spans about 2040 cm² and contains roughly 200 million olfactory receptors (making a cat's sense of smell up to 510 times more acute than a human's). As various scents are inhaled and stimulate these receptors, the olfactory nerves transmit the signals to the brain, resulting in a strong sense of smell.

Three, Temperature Sensing

Cats can detect temperature changes by inhaling air through their nostrils. Their highly developed sense of smell allows them to notice even the slightest temperature variations.

Four, Emotional Communication

Cats use their noses to identify the identities of people or animals around them, determining whether they are familiar or strangers. "Nose touching" is a form of communication in cats, and if your cat sniffs your nose, it's a sign of affection.

Five, Food Discrimination

Cats rely on their sense of smell to determine whether food is edible, rather than taste. Their welldeveloped olfactory organs enable them to easily detect the scent of fresh food, which is why they might reject sealed but spoiled food. Their heightened sensitivity to nitrogencontaining compounds also allows them to accurately detect spoiled or rotting food.

Symptoms of Illness in Cats: What the Nose Can Reveal

It's clear that a cat's nose is incredibly important. Therefore, when it shows certain signs, it might be signaling that there's an underlying health issue:

1. If your cat frequently has a runny nose or sneezes without a clear cause, it could be an allergic reaction to dust, pollen, dust mites, or perfumes. It's important to avoid allergens to reduce discomfort.

2. When a cat exhibits coldlike symptoms along with a loss of appetite, it's often due to a decline in their sense of smell. This is also applicable to older cats whose sense of smell may be diminishing.

3. Unexplained nosebleeds that are not due to injury might be related to inflammation or tumors in the nasal passages, and should prompt a prompt veterinary checkup.

4. Certain upper respiratory conditions, such as feline rhinitis, can present with symptoms like runny nose, loss of smell, and eye inflammation with discharge. This contagious disease caused by the feline herpesvirus is more preventable than treatable.