Your cat’s nose is their most important sense organ
Cats have 200 million scent receptors in their nasal cavity. Most breeds of dogs don’t have even close to that number. Your cat’s sense of smell guides them to prey, tells them if food is edible or toxic, tells them where you’ve been, and even helps them find their home if they get lost.
Your cat’s nose tells her about other cats in the area
Outdoor cats mark their territory with urine or feces, so if your cat goes outdoors, they can tell if anyone’s been intruding in their space. The cat sense of smell can detect female cats in heat; cats who are ready to mate release certain pheromones detectable only to the feline nose.
Your cat’s sense of smell stimulates their appetite
Cats have very few taste receptors on their tongues compared to people, so it’s the smell rather than the flavor that stimulates her sense of hunger. That’s a big part of the reason why cats with respiratory infections or other nasal blockages stop eating: If they can’t smell their food, they won’t get hungry.
Mutual sniffing is a feline greeting
If you’ve watched two feline friends approach each other, sniff one another’s noses, sides and butts, and then go on about their business together, you’ve watched the feline equivalent of, “Hey, how’s it going?”
There are smells that your cat REALLY doesn’t like
Because cats’ noses are so sensitive, very strong odors are distasteful if not outright painful. This is one reason I recommend against using scented cat litter: The smell might be nice to you, but it could be overwhelming for your feline friend’s nose. Cats are also known to dislike the smell of citrus and tea tree (melaleuca) oil.
The color of your cat’s nose is directly related to the color of their fur
Black cats have black noses, white cats have pink noses, orange cats have orange noses, gray cats have gray noses and so on. And if your cat is multicolored, they might just have a multicolored nose, too. Some kitties also have nose freckles, and some cats have noticeable nose color changes.
Cats have “nose prints,” and no two cats’ nose prints are the same
Every cat’s nose has a unique pattern of bumps and ridges, just like humans’ fingerprints. There has apparently even been some talk about using your cat's nose print as a form of identification!
