If your cat has been smelling you a lot, this post will show you a number of possible reasons why and what you can do about them.
So, why does my cat smell me? Possible reasons why your cat smells you are that you have an unusual smell or scent on you, it is seeing if you have food, it is greeting you or that it is marking its scent on you.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat smells you and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my cat smell me?
Below are a number of possible reasons and what would make each of them more likely.
You have an unusual smell on you
The reason why your cat smells you could be that you have an unusual smell on you. This would be more likely if your cat smells you more when you are wearing perfume or a lotion or after you have just used the shower.
You have an unusual scent on you
It might also be the case that your cat does it because you have an unusual scent on you. This would be more likely if your cat tends to sniff you more when you have recently been around other people and animals.
Related: Why does my cat smell my neck?
To find out about you
Cats have around 9-16 times better smelling abilities than humans do (source). Dogs have been shown to be able to smell disease in humans (source). While cats do not have the same smelling capabilities as dogs, some people argue that cats are also able to smell certain diseases, so a part of the reason why your cat sniffs you could be to find out how healthy you are.
Related: Why does my cat smell me when I pet it?
It wants to smell for food on you
It could also be the case that your cat is doing it in order to see if you have food. This would be more likely if your cat does it more when you have just arrived home or at around the same time that you would normally feed it.
To greet you
Another possible cause is that your cat is greeting you. This would be more likely if it does it more when you have just arrived home or when you have not seen it for a while. It would also be more likely if it gets you to pet it while lying or sitting down with you and it does things such as purr while doing it.
To mark its scent
Cats will, naturally, go around the house sniffing things and rubbing themselves against them. The reason why your cat has been sniffing you might also be that it is marking its scent on to you so that other animals are less likely to enter its territory. This would be more likely if your cat also rubs itself against you.
Things to consider
Below are things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been sniffing you.
If your cat has not always sniffed you a lot
If your cat has not always sniffed you a lot, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If your cat started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as if you started wearing a different perfume or spending time around different people causing your cat to pick up on their scent.
The timing of when your cat sniffs you
It would also help to consider the timing of when your cat sniffs you. If your cat sniffs you more at a certain time, it would be likely that the timing has something to do with it.
For example, if it sniffs you more when you have just arrived home, it would be more likely that it is smelling for food, greeting you and smelling the scent of other people and animals. Whereas, if it does it more when you are lying down, it would be more likely that it is marking its scent on to you and being affectionate.
What to do about your cat sniffing you
Below are some things you can do about your cat smelling you a lot.
Let it do it
Cats will naturally sniff and rub themselves against their surroundings a lot. It is likely that your cat has been sniffing you naturally. So, the easiest thing to do would be to just let it continue and to move it whenever it starts getting annoying.
Give it distractions
One option would be to give your cat things to be distracted by such as toys so that it is less likely to want to sniff you.
Redirect its focus
Another option would be to redirect its focus towards something else such as toys or to move it somewhere else when it seems likely to start sniffing you.
Why does my cat smell me before I pet it?
Cats have a good sense of smell and can gather a lot of information about things by smelling them. The reason why your cat smells your hand before you pet it is likely to be that it is gathering information about you such as where you have been today and what other animals you have been touching.
Why does my cat smell me then run away?
The reason why your cat smells you then runs away could be that it gets intimidated when you move when it smells you. Another possible cause is that it recognizes the smell on you as being one that it wants to avoid, which would be more likely if your cat runs away when you have just touched another pet such as a dog that it does not like.
Why does my cat smell me a lot?
The reason why your cat smells you a lot is most likely to gather information from you such as where you have been and what you have been around.
Why does my cat smell me then lick me?
Your cat might smell you then lick you because it likes the smell on your hands. This would be more likely if your cat does it more right after you have been cooking or touching food.