# Does your cat HATE certain smells?!



## ETrescued (Oct 22, 2009)

ET does! The other day I was using some alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and he practically bolted off my desk to get away from it, making a very offended face. Just now I put some Blistex (lip balm in a tube) that tingles a bit (alcohol or mint-based)? and ET became extremely offended again! I find this very interesting as I've never heard or experienced such a thing. Does anyone else have a cat that can't stand certain smells? Strange creatures they are :lol: 

-BP


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## KittyMonster (Nov 8, 2009)

Haha, yes. 

My weakness when it comes to fast food is Pad Sew from Thai Express, and Mak apparently loves the smell of the chicken and peanuts inside. What he doesn't love, however, is when I stick the piece of lime in his face. Eugh. Send him scampering away. :lol:


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Cats' sense of smell is so much more developed than ours that 'sharper' odors are probably overpowering for them. 
Our cat Louie cannot smell at all. I know this because I have seen him stick his face in some *very* smelly and unsavory things to take great big whiffs/sniffs of and he has NO reaction at all: household cleaners, ashtrays and a glass of neat scotch. Three things that all of our other cats will back off from, wrinkle their nose, put their ears back and vacate the area if they smell those odors...


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## chloecatgirl (Mar 30, 2009)

Cats HATE mint....so of course I hold toothpaste under Dante's nose just to see him squint up his eyes and back away haha.


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## ogdred (Apr 7, 2009)

chloecatgirl said:


> Cats HATE mint....so of course I hold toothpaste under Dante's nose just to see him squint up his eyes and back away haha.


That's funny... Gadget likes mint, and _loves_ menthol. She also sniffs household cleaners (we don't use anything that strong, though). Growing up I also had a cat who went crazy for mint--couldn't leave gum lying around or she'd chew on it 8O .



KittyMonster said:


> ...What he doesn't love, however, is when I stick the piece of lime in his face. Eugh. Send him scampering away. :lol:


I've heard that cats have a natural aversion to citrus because it is toxic to them. Anyone know if that's right?


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## ETrescued (Oct 22, 2009)

ogdred said:


> I've heard that cats have a natural aversion to citrus because it is toxic to them. Anyone know if that's right?


How interesting! ET hasn't been too exposed to citrus, although he does not go running when I have my morning OJ. A friend's cat, however, will absolutely bolt across the room if a clementine or orange comes too close for her liking. 

-BP


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

Gracie gets totally offended at_ bananas!_ :lol: 

She lays back her ears, wrinkles her nose & looks at us like we're nuts!

Fran


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## whiteghost (Apr 24, 2005)

Yup.
Panther hate permanent markers.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

> I've heard that cats have a natural aversion to citrus because it is toxic to them. Anyone know if that's right?


Someone should let me know because Chica EATS oranges any chance she gets!!! :yikes 

My cats don't like the smell of soda pop... they stick their nose in and either hate the smell of get some fizzy splashed on their nose.


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## ogdred (Apr 7, 2009)

Here we go:



> We’ve all seen the sprays and liquid deterrents to prevent cats from scratching furniture. Usually they have an orange or lemon scent. _*That’s because citrus oils are toxic to cats, and they will instinctively avoid their scent.*_ Cats, being pure carnivores, do not have the enzyme to process citrus oil molecules. The citrus oil molecules will therefore accumulate in the cat’s liver and not exit the body. So, diffusing and using citrus essential oils around the house and on our body could cause an eventual build up in cats to the point of toxicity.


 (http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Environmenta ... s_for_Cats)


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

The smells of onion and garlic in foods will make Arianwen actually *gag*!
I know that's an instinctive reaction to their toxicity.
She looks at me like I'm nuts when I start slicing up onion to put in anything, then runs away.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Apparently, my cats hate the smell of:

A clean floor with no cat food spread around

Clean sheets with no hairball

A new book with no bitemarks

New stockings with no runs

But being the thoughtful little girls they are, they take care of these things themselves.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

...you forgot to add "a meal without a strategically placed cat hair".


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## Xanti (Nov 4, 2008)

Heidi n Q said:


> ...you forgot to add "a meal without a strategically placed cat hair".


 :lol: 

And how about 'a meal for no good reason'?


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## Woodsman (Jan 9, 2007)

ogdred said:


> chloecatgirl said:
> 
> 
> > Cats HATE mint....so of course I hold toothpaste under Dante's nose just to see him squint up his eyes and back away haha.
> ...


My cats love mint and menthal too. My wife onces came home with this all natural minty menthal smelling soap. We had to lock it away to keep the cats away from it.

My one cat hates apples. She will wince back and literallly gag like she is about to puke when she smells them. I had a problem with her climbing on top of the fridge, so I left a bowl of apples up there. problem solved.


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## ETrescued (Oct 22, 2009)

This is all so funny! I can't believe how varied cats are in their preferences. I guess they are as entitled to their opinions about foods and scents as people are!


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## Des_Esseintes (Nov 27, 2009)

ETrescued said:


> Just now I put some Blistex (lip balm in a tube) that tingles a bit (alcohol or mint-based)? and ET became extremely offended again!


Wow, as others have said, cats sure seem to have different tastes. My previous kitty (Alcestis) _loved_ Blistex and hand lotion. 

Part of my daily routine is to put on some Blistex after getting out of the shower, and when I would sit on the bed to put on my socks and shoes Allie would invariably try to climb up on me to lick it off.


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