We all know that cats are blessed with a sense of smell power 14 times stronger than us! So when you find such smells which they actually enjoy! Your curiosity level will definitely reach the sky. Just like it’s important to know the smells which your cats hate, in the same way, it’s necessary to cherish those smells that your cat loves!
To make the environment of your home splendid for them!
Scroll, down to get an idea about the smells that cats love.
Smells That Your Cats Loves! It Matters!
You must have known about the smells that cats love because they are pretty clear about their likes and dislikes. Let’s find out more about such smells and their health benefits on your cats!
1. Catnip, It Will Always Be On Top!
It’s no hidden secret, whenever you will search for the top smells that cats love, catnip is always going to be on the top. Cats really go gaga over the smell of it.
Catnip is a plant scientifically known as Nepeta cataria which is a member of the mint family.
The association of catnip with cats is so strong that they named this plant after it. Several chemical compounds of catnip have a stimulating effect on cats, and you will witness this when she will be rolling, flipping, rubbing, and eventually zoning out.
Cats may meow or growl at the same time, it’s really fun watching them like this.
2. Honeysuckles from Your Garden
Honeysuckles, one of the smells that cats love! Even we can agree on it! Because they smell so sweet and having them in your garden is definitely a splendid option!
Some cats or you can say almost 50% of cats find the smell of honeysuckles very attractive, they have a pleasurable reaction to some chemical compound of this plant. So after reading this, it won’t be a surprise for you after finding your cats rolling in your backyard or specifically chasing around this plant.
Note: you got to be careful about the honeysuckles berries! As they’re potentially toxic for cats if consumed. So it’s better if you won’t let your cats be near them.
3. Valerian Herb
Valerian herb/valerian root is one of the smells that cats love, the reason behind this is due to the drowsy effect it leaves on humans as well as cats.
It is grown widely throughout Europe and Asia. For humans, it works best in dealing with insomnia and as a sedative. You can also use it to calm your cats down, for example when cats are about to be in a situation which they had never been in. they get very curious and stressed some cats often develop anxiety!
In such a case, you can use the valerian herb to calm your cat down as she also enjoys the smell, and you get an all-natural aid for your cat!
4. Olive
The reason why your cats would spend hours scratching the barks of the olive trees goes unsaid, as they do this to release the aroma from it. Yes, surprisingly, olives are one of the smells that cats love.
The answer is very simple because olives contain the same compounds as catnip. The leaves of olives have ”oleuropein” which makes your cat high! (narcotic effect)
You can calm your hyper cat with the help of olives or a few drops of olive oil, while cats who are already calm also enjoy the smell of it!
5. Chamomile
If you are sipping on a chamomile tea, you leave it unattended after coming back you find your cat sniffing around it trying to have a large sip!
This is mostly because chamomile is one of the smells that cats love!
Do you want to know about the health benefits your cat can have with the help of chamomile?
In tiny amounts, dried chamomile can be safe for cats when brewed into tea. For an upset stomach or to calm your kitty’s anxieties, offer the tea by mouth. For an average-sized cat, use roughly 1/2 teaspoon. Chamomile tea can also be used to treat inflamed skin in your kitten.
Chamomile is one of the smells that cats love and which is also beneficial for them.
6. Fruits
Fruits belong to such a class that every house must be having them, even if your cat particularly hates them. But fortunately, fruits fall in the category of smells that cats love!
But with that, not all fruit smells are loved by cats! For example, cats hate the smell of citrus, so without any doubt, they are going to hate lemons and oranges.
Smells that cats love, watermelon, peach, and strawberries are powerful aromas that attract the attention of cats very quickly. If our cats are attracted to such smells, it goes unsaid that they will make multiple attempts to eat them.
While some fruits have antioxidant, cleansing, and diuretic properties which tend to be beneficial for our cats in many ways.
However, you need to take care of fruits that are potentially harmful to cats!
7. Basil
Cats love the smell of basil a lot more than usual! Do you know why? Because basil belongs to the same family of catnip. So it has a similar effect on them as it has on catnip. You can also add mint and peppermint to this list.
The smell of basil is from one of the top smells that cats love, and now you can connect all the dots that why your cat spends more time in the kitchen when you are cooking food in basil leaves. Making it quite more easy for you, some cats not only enjoy the smell, but they also love how it tastes!
You can sprinkle some on the food of your cat, this will drag the most of her attention! With the smell of basil, you can also make them more inclined towards such foods they hate but are super healthy for them.
Though the basil belongs to the family of catnip, it doesn’t mean your cat will go rolling over and under after consuming its smell or digesting it.
8. Thyme
Cats really enjoy the smell of thyme. Also, it is one such herb that is safe for cats.
So, what are the other benefits of thyme for cats? It just doesn’t smell good to them, also blessed with medicinal properties, soothing and anti-inflammatory.
It helps to help to treat irritated and inflamed eyes of our cats, so if your cat gets conjunctivitis or any other allergies related to eyes, then an infusion or tea of thyme would do wonders.
The other benefit of thyme smell for your cats is that it helps in reveling stress. You can use it as a natural relaxer for cats.
9. Human Food
Almost every cat owner has seen their cats chasing around the food they bring to the table, even when your cat had her dinner. They will always act like they have been hungry for years and years.
But this is not the only case, we always prefer our food to be hot or warm and this makes it more smelly, you would agree with this as the whole house would know what’s cooking in the kitchen!
While cats with 14 times stronger smelling sense, going to get super curious with such smells. So the bottom line is your cats are interested in the smell, not in the food.
10. Human
Being a cat parent, you’re going to love reading this, now we know that cats won’t like to be petted every time or any time of the day, they have their moods and humans have to act according to it. But when they return all the love in various and weird forms, the experience is heart-melting.
When cats rub themselves on you, what are they actually doing? Your cat is transferring her smell to you and taking your smell!
This is the most common and strong way for cats to show affection. You will find your cat rolling in your dirty laundry or playing with your socks, now this might feel super gross but hey! They are picking up your smell as they really love you!
I know this was a little heartwarming, but that’s how our cats surprise us!
11. Flowers from Your Garden
What, you think that only humans fantasize about flowers? You would be surprised to know that cats also enjoy sniffing around the fragrance of some flowers.
Now you know that why your cat spends most of the time in your backyard, she also enjoys the smell of flowers with destructing the plants. Flowers like roses, daisies, and lilies are smells that cats love.
Cats do love the floral aroma, but some flowers can be highly toxic for cats, so there you need to be very careful about planting such plants or flowers.
12. Lavender
Merely listing to the word lavender, got you completely lost in the deep imagination where you’re taking a bath with all the lavender-scented candles. Please come back, it’s not about you but about our picky cats.
The reason for this amazing smell to be on the bottom of our list is, according to the American Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals states the common lavender plant contains linalool and linalyl acetate these two compounds are toxic to cats.
The bad news is lavender in any form essential oils or dry can make your cat sick, but the good news is that it’s not lethal.
Now, some cats are really attracted to the smell of lavender and some completely hate it, you got to find what category your cat belongs to!
Conclusion
Any responsible cat parent would want to make her/his home the most comfortable for their cats! This shows the affection level you both share. Knowing about the smells that your cats love will help you to cherish their life in a better way.
You should also take care of the smells that cats hate or are toxic to them. To balance it out, our article will give you a nice summary of smells that cats love, and are they safe or not? If yes, then what are the benefits your feline friend could get!
References
- Causes of Bad Odors in Cats — PetMD
- Smell of Success: Scent Enrichment for Cats — Fear Free Happy Homes
- What Scents Do Cats Like – Purr-fume? — Pacific International Insurance