The cat stinky face isn’t necessarily a snooty sneer. It’s way more scientific than that. “The flehmen response is a type of sniffing, but instead of using their nostrils, cats inhale the air through their open mouths,” Dr. Sasha Gibbons says. “Cats use the flehmen response to detect chemical stimuli, such as pheromones, that are present in urine and feces, or areas that cats have marked with scent glands,” she says.
Source: Catster, January 8, 2018.
Along with domestic cats, large cats such as lions and tigers, also use the flehmen response,” shared Dr. Gibbons. “Outside of the cat family, horses, giraffes, buffalos, goats and llamas have also been seen demonstrating the flehmen response.”
INSIGHTS: We continue to learn about pheromones and their impact on animal behaviors. AHD sponsor Ceva Animal Health is a leader in the development of pheromone-based products that encourage positive behavior. Recently, Dr. Jeff Nichol discussed Ceva’s newest pheromone product FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY™ in the Albuquerque Journal.