The senses are responsible for the complete perception of the surrounding world. Whiskered pets, like humans, have 5 of them, but they are developed a little differently. The most important sense for cats is smell.
If vision or hearing is lost, the animal can still lead a full life with minor changes. Complete helplessness occurs only when the sensitivity of the nose is lost, since smell recognition is far from the only function performed by this organ.
Vision in cats
Cats have binocular vision that is 6 times sharper than humans. The special arrangement of the eyes allows them to capture objects at an angle of 205 degrees, which is 1.5 times greater than the ability of humans. They simultaneously observe what is happening from three sides. Among pets, cats have the largest eyes relative to their body proportions.
In a limited color spectrum, cats recognize 6 colors and many shades, but see them as less bright and contrasting compared to humans. The ability to visually accurately determine the distance to an object of interest makes them dexterous hunters.
The pet's pupil is surrounded by a movable iris. The shell is driven by muscles connected to the spherical eyeball. The pupil, reacting to the degree of illumination, unevenly expands or contracts, protecting vision from the entry of excess light. Foxes have a similar ability.
Cats distinguish moving objects well, but perceive static ones worse. When a mouse sees a predator, it freezes in the hope of remaining unnoticed. The cat sees clearly at a distance of 1-6 meters. She will see a rodent from a 60-meter distance, and she will notice a moving object at 700 meters.
It is a common misconception that felines quickly become accustomed to the dark thanks to their glowing eyes. The glow is explained by the ability of the eyes to accumulate reflected light. Pets cannot see in pitch darkness. Rays of light penetrating into a dark room are caught by the cat. This improves orientation. The light sensitivity of her eyes exceeds human eyes by 7 times.
Another feature is the presence of a third eyelid, located in the inner corners of the eyes. Its purpose is to protect the cornea from penetration of foreign bodies, including dust and debris. The third eyelid is susceptible to infectious and inflammatory processes.
Who is the winner of our competition?
We are used to giving the palm to dogs.
And not at all because a dog’s sense of smell is sharper than a cat’s, but precisely because of habit, inertia of thinking. The cat's sense of smell and its capabilities have been studied relatively little by scientists, mainly due to the lack of practical necessity. However, even the information that science now has allows us to conclude: a cat’s sense of smell is no worse than a dog’s. Perhaps in some moments it even surpasses it. The latest (2016) just claims that cats can successfully work at customs or look for survivors during natural disasters. Purrs successfully “sniff out” many dangerous diseases in the initial stages - previously this was considered the exclusive prerogative of dogs. Perhaps soon we will see rescue cats, police cats, and customs cats. Let's believe in the triumph of science, friends.
Original publication: How Good is a Cat's Sense of Smell? Author: Krissy Howard. Source: cuteness.com Photo: pixabay.com
Cats' sense of smell
The pet will be able to adapt, having lost the main senses, with the exception of smell. His sense of smell is developed better than that of his owners, about 14 times. Scientists explain this fact by the predatory origin and habitat of cats in the wild. Being nocturnal, they were most active during twilight hunting. In conditions of limited visibility, they needed to find prey, pursue prey, and navigate the terrain. A cat's sense of smell is similar to human words and gestures. It facilitates contact and exchange of information with relatives. Favors the building of relationships with partners during the mating season, accelerates the recognition of territory marked by relatives.
The organ responsible for the ability to capture odors is covered with olfactory epithelial tissue. Epithelial cells occupy a surface area of almost 6 square meters. cm, which is half the human figure. During the reaction to the molecules of substances, information is transmitted through the olfactory nerves to the brain. The animal can distinguish the slightest changes in the chemical composition of the air (the so-called sixth sense), allowing it to anticipate natural disasters.
The first sense that emerges in newborn kittens is smell, which allows them to distinguish and find their mother. From the age of three months, the kittens themselves begin to produce odorous substances used for communication and transmitting information to relatives. The peculiarity of a cat's sense of smell is in capturing the “necessary” odors. The rest are blocked by the brain, allowing you to pick up the scent without getting confused by extraneous aromas.
The sense of touch in cats
The organs of touch in cats are located throughout the body on the surface of the tactile hairs on the paws, tail, ears, and between the toes. Unable to navigate in complete silence or darkness, pets use their whiskers. Thanks to them, external influences are perceived and a reaction is manifested. Receptors on the skin, mucous membranes, muscles, and joints also make it easier to move at night.
Temperature receptors are responsible for sensing the temperature of air and objects, triggering the process of thermoregulation. A significant part of the pet's body surface is insensitive to high temperatures. This allows walking on a hot roof or asphalt. The animal's nose is especially sensitive to elevated temperatures.
Pain receptors respond to pressure, squeezing, and sharp touches. When experiencing pain, the body instantly launches a defense mechanism, the pet hisses and releases its claws.
Vibrissae are a tactile organ responsible for tactile ability. People often wonder why a cat needs a mustache. Growing on the pet's cheekbones, they represent vibrissae. Their follicles are located deeper, due to which they are better supplied with nerve endings. By pressing his whiskers, the cat demonstrates aggression by pointing them forward - wariness or curiosity. By using them, the pet catches the slightest air currents and evaluates obstacles. Vibrissae are found on the lips, the outer surface of the paws, and around the eyes. They fall out and are restored individually; they cannot be cut off.
Essential oils
Essential oils have a strong odor and can even be toxic. Use them only diluted. A few drops of essential oil are added to a teaspoon of alcohol, vinegar, vegetable oil or detergent.
Then mix and add to water. Keep in mind that essential oils simply do not dissolve in water, but form an emulsion and can cause skin irritation.
The most unpleasant essential oils for cats are citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit, bergamot, tangerine), eucalyptus and rosemary. But cats like essential oils of valerian, catnip and mint.
Cats have taste
Cats have 473 taste buds, while humans have over 10,000. When choosing food, they rely on their sense of smell. Being natural predators, they are better at detecting protein, fats, protein, salty, bitter, and sour foods. They practically do not feel the sweet taste. Information about food components travels through the taste nerves to the brain. This is where the sense of taste is formed. The Jacobson organ also serves as an analyzer, helping to understand whether food is dangerous without even touching it. The animal, approaching the food, opens its mouth, inhaling air. After analyzing the molecules present in the air, the Jacobson organ transmits information to the brain. An unusual skill protects your pet from poisoning.
The upper side of the tongue is covered with horny hooks, tactilely reminiscent of rough paper. They clean the fur during cat washes and help scrape off dietary fiber.
Alcohol
Many cats cannot stand the smell of alcohol – it is quite pungent and has a strong effect on the animal’s receptors. Cats cannot stand the smell of alcohol, so many owners use vodka as a repeller from a certain place in the house that the pet has chosen for his business.
If the owner has been drinking, you shouldn’t show too much love to the cat if he doesn’t want it. The smell of alcohol can cause your pet to behave inappropriately: show aggression or experience severe stress. This unpredictable reaction is not typical for all cats, but it is worth monitoring the individual morals of a particular animal.
Hearing in cats
The hearing aid of cats is adapted to recognize high-frequency sounds. They pick up the quietest noises, vibrations, and gravitational waves. Excellent hearing is provided by 13,000 sensory cells and 52,000 nerve endings, helping to perceive sounds in a wide range, including ultrasound. This helps to determine the source of noise, successful hunting, and the ability to distinguish between the species and size of prey. The cat's sound range ranges from 30-65 kHz, and its sensitivity to loud sounds is 3 times higher than that of humans.
Thanks to the unique structure of the auricle, divided into three sections, even distant sounds entering the ear canal are accurately assessed by the pet. The presence of 27 muscles helps the ears tune independently of each other, picking up sounds coming from different directions. Pets accurately perceive and remember the sound picture of their surroundings. Determine volume, distance, acoustics. When they get lost, they react to familiar noises and their expressiveness in order to find their way back.
Citrus
When you peel an orange or cut a lemon for tea, the cat winces and runs away. Citrus peels can be placed in the area where the cat marks. You can also use products with a citrus scent if your cat is tearing up wallpaper or furniture.
You can make this remedy yourself by infusing table wine or apple cider vinegar on citrus peels. Then a small amount of such vinegar is diluted with boiled water, poured into a spray bottle and sprayed. This product can also be used for cleaning.
Vestibular apparatus in cats
An organ located in the inner ear is responsible for balance, the ability to climb trees, and fall on one’s paws when falling. It is directly related to vision and hearing. From this it follows that the functioning of the vestibular apparatus is possible with the coordinated functioning of the cat’s main sense organs.
Excellent coordination of movements allows you to land on your limbs, placing them to the sides. The tail serves as a stabilizer when falling. By increasing the gliding area through the air, the effect of flying with a parachute is created. But if you suddenly fall from a height, your reflexes may not work. When falling from a small height, a cat runs the risk of not having time to take a safe position. Situations like this can end badly.
