Unlike dogs that love to lick their owners, cats will not just lick but also sniff the human eye. Many cat owners find this habit endearing, but there are others who are curious about this habit.
The number one reason why your cat smells your eye is because they want to show their affection. However, there are other possible explanations as well:
1. To show affection
For cats smelling your eye is a way to show they are friendly and affectionate towards you.
2. Recognition
A cat recognizes its owner partly by smell. Especially if you are not at home most of the time, they will often use their sense of smell by coming near you to confirm that it is you.
3. This habit helps them calm down
Smelling your eyes, or the eyes of other cats and animals for that matter, can be relaxing for cats.
4. They want to groom you
Cat sniffing their kitten’s eyes can indicate grooming time and they may transfer this instinctual behavior to you.
More strange & interesting cat behaviors
Cats are beautiful creatures to have but they sometimes exhibit quirky behaviors. Here are more strange but interesting behaviors:
1. Face rubbing
Aside from smelling your eyes, cats may approach you to rub their furry face and whiskers against your face, your arm or your leg. This is also their way to greet you, or in Spanish colonial culture, their version of the beso-beso.
2. Sudden bite
Ever been surprised that they will reveal their fangs and act as if wanting to bite your fingers when you play with them. More often than not, this is their way to reciprocate the playing or that they feel uncomfortable.
3. Kneading
Ever noticed your cat kneading like a human kneading dough? They may do it with blankets or fabrics or other objects or their humans.
4. Eyes and mouth open
You may have watched viral cat videos showing these furries with their mouth and eyes wide open. Known as the habit of “flehming,” it is derived from the German word which means “lip curling.” The cat opens their mouth big to allow scents to reach their Jacobsen organ or vomeronasal found at the roof of their mouth.
5. Howling at night
Cats howling at night may be a sign of cognitive changes at these hours.
Image: istockphoto.com / cyano66