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Do your cats do this... mouth thingy?

post #1 of 16
1/15/10 at 5:42am
Thread Starter 
Hard to describe, but my cats often after having smelt something, seem to freeze and their mouths look as though they are stuck being open! They stay open like that for a good few seconds and it always makes me laugh Any thoughts why they do it?
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post #2 of 16
1/15/10 at 5:51am
Mine dont do it all the time but every once in a while Ill catch one doing it when Im making something particularly smelly (good or bad smelling) in the kitchen...This might be TMI but funny once Herc did that mouth thing after someone (BF) let out a really NASTY fart!! haha ewwwwwww
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post #3 of 16
1/15/10 at 5:55am
Mine does this too! I though she was the only one. She doesn't do it all the time, mostly if something is 'new' or particularly smelly. It was so funny the other night she was smelling DH's crotch (he had been outside working, sitting on the ground a lot). She was doing her 'mouth smell', when he let out a nasty fart, lol, I've never seen such a disgusted look an a cat's face before.
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post #4 of 16
1/15/10 at 6:13am
Here is why they do it

Quote:
Cats have a pair of vomeronasal organs (also called Jacobson's organs) on the roof of the mouth. When the cat wants to thoroughly investigate a particular scent, she will inhale through her mouth, usually curling her lips up at the same time, and bring the air over the roof of her mouth. When the cat curls her lips like this, she will often squint her eyes and maybe even flatten her ears as she concentrates. This makes her look like she is grimacing. This grimace is called a flehmen reaction. The vomeronasal organs will then analyze the scent molecule by molecule -- almost as if the cat is tasting the smell.
http://www.catsplay.com/thedailycat/...ses_smell.html
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post #5 of 16
1/15/10 at 6:35am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlleyGirl View Post
Oh wow.. that is really interesting! Thanks so much for that . Yes, it looks just like the cat is grimacing. I love it when my boys do it - it is quite a study!

LOL at the other comments.. now you know!!!
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post #6 of 16
1/15/10 at 6:52am
Oh yes.. I have seen my cats do the flehmens. I call it the "stinky face,"
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post #7 of 16
1/15/10 at 12:35pm
Mine do it a lot, usually after having their nose up another cats butt
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post #8 of 16
1/15/10 at 12:52pm
Kipper is the only one of my cats I've seen do it. I never knew why he did though. It's creepy because he's a black cat and has especially large teeth (he was born a feral, maybe that has something to do with it?) so you just see him making this mean face with his two "fangs" hanging out of his mouth. I can't take it, I always reach out and close his bottom jaw.
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post #9 of 16
1/15/10 at 2:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AddieBee View Post
Oh yes.. I have seen my cats do the flehmens. I call it the "stinky face,"
That's exactly what I call it. And I laugh because sometimes they'll smell something on me and when they make the face I say "Hey that doesn't stink!!!".
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post #10 of 16
1/15/10 at 2:32pm
Both of mine do the mouth smell thing. I think its soooo cute! But, then again, I think everything my cats do is cute. What's especially funny is that BF always leaves his clothes in the bathroom. And when the kitties are smelling his dirty clothes, they always make that face after smelling his underwear
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post #11 of 16
1/15/10 at 2:56pm
Cats are not the only animals with a Flehman reaction. Horses do it too, especially stallions smelling mares. I am sure there must be others too.
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post #12 of 16
1/15/10 at 6:27pm
Dogs do it too. They also have the Jacobson's organ.
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post #13 of 16
1/15/10 at 7:20pm
The "Big Cats," do it too.
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post #14 of 16
1/16/10 at 7:56pm
I see you have Sphynx Yes, mine does too.
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post #15 of 16
1/16/10 at 9:52pm
Thanks for the link AlleyGirl.

I like watching them do this, it's fascinating to see how they process their surroundings.
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post #16 of 16
1/16/10 at 9:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by missymotus View Post
Mine do it a lot, usually after having their nose up another cats butt
here too.... poor dog does not understand cat to cat does NOT mean dog to cat contact...lol
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