This is why cats smell so good
3/6/2025
Translation: Elicia Payne
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
When cats have bad breath, it can stop you in your tracks. Yet, even though they lick their fur, they don’t smell bad. Why is that?
No matter how much I slather myself with [candy shower gel](/search?q=candy%20shower gel), I can never match the candy floss scent of my cats. And they don’t even shower. Their only form of body care may be quite tedious at (three and a half hours daily!) but it consists of fishy saliva (website in German).
To me, their coat smells like fresh bread rolls. And I’m not the only one who thinks this. In forums online, people have compared the smell to sweets, baked goods or fresh laundry. I know this might sound crazy to non-cat people. But even they’d probably agree that cats don’t stink. So, how is this possible?
Saliva isn’t the same as breath
There’s a clear distinction between saliva and breath. A cat’s breath can smell bad, especially if they have plaque, an illness such as diabetes or if they’ve just eaten. Saliva, on the other hand, is almost odourless. What’s more, it cleans the coat and virtually neutralises dirt and odours because the enzymes in it have an antibacterial effect.
Super sebum
How come cats don’t have a neutral smell then? Our four-legged friends have numerous sebaceous glands. For example, on their face, tail or paws. Cat expert Birga Dexel explains to German animal news site «Landtiere»:
«The outmost layer of their skin is covered with an oily sebaceous gland secretion, which the cat spreads over its coat when grooming. What we humans can smell with our not-so-good noses is a combination of these feline glandular oils and the result of feline grooming.»
Did you know that cats mainly sweat through their paws? (website in German). Something that also positively influences their body odour is a balanced diet.
It must be love
Finally, there’s a psychological explanation for the phenomenon. People who like their cat associate positive feelings with it. This is why a cat lover usually can’t get enough of their cat’s smell. It’s similar with babies. Parents often hardly ever stop raving about how lovely their baby smells. On that note, I’m taking a good sniff of my feline!
And if you want a constant cat scent wafting through your place, it’s now available in the form of candle:
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
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