The smell of cats and dogs...

[Kirsten]

I just posted in Dog General that my mother got her new rottie pup today, Emma .

She's cute, but boy, she's smelling!! She has this typical, very strong and biting dog scent - but Rocky, the old rottweiler my parents also have doesn't smell that strong. His fur has a more or less fresh scent, unless he's getting wet.

Anyway, this made me realize again that I can tolerate the smell of cats much better. Apart from smelly litter boxes (which - as we all know - DOES sometimes happen, especially in the summer :O), I don't think cats smell at all, at least not very much. (when I put my face into my girls' fur, I notice that Lily smells very fresh, also, while Luna's has a warm cinnamon-like scent).

Well, as there are people who claim that cats smell as well, I guess I'm just too much of a cat person to notice it!

What do you think about this?

Kirsten

[catmandu]

I have never noticed that the Found Cats really have much of an odor at all.
Maybe Im just too used to them to tell.
I am glad that Rocky is still with us, as I thought that he was very ill.
How is he doing?

[zoey]

Hi Kirsten,
I've been to people's home where if it wasn't for the hair on the couch or the food bowls or the cat itself, (obviously), you'd never know a cat lived there.
And others' that the smell in the house was purely nauseating, due to no fault of the cat. It's all about cat box mantinance and is not something that one can procrastinate on.
My dog doesn't smell; She cleans herself like a cat and never poos in the house, even when she gets an occasional diarrhea. Once my aunt had a cat that wouldn't clean herself at all. She was white too, and always filthy.
Some dogs smell sometimes, but i don't think all dogs smell in general.
Usually it's the dog food or lack of bathing that makes a dog smell. Although it could be a hormonal thing too. My dog rarely needs bathing, unless she plays in the mud or gets into my lipstick.

[caseysmom]

I never noticed a smell with my rb gigi (kitty), you know cats are so finicky about being clean maybe that is why. My dogs definetely get a bit ripe if they don't get their weekly bath. In 14 years I never bathed my kitty and she never smelled.

[sirrahbed]

Dylan and Boomer have a very nice and fresh scent. The others have no real smell at all. Maybe it is because they stay inside all the time? Maybe because of the constant grooming they do? Even with lots of long fur, Dylan smells good all over. (I checked)

On the other hand, Emily and Eliot have the occasional smelibutt syndrome - from anal glands - but that only lasts a few hours and they clean it all up

I am not often around dogs, but when I am around our family dogs - I notice a distinct "doggie" smell. It isn't really bad but I don't like it much.

OK, Emily just climbed into my lap and I ggace her a good sniff and she simply smells good

[Kfamr]

I think this is a pretty unfair thread. ;| Dogs and cats are of different species so of course they are going to smell differently. Of course, this doesn't mean dogs smell BAD.



I'm not sure about you cat people but I love burying my nose into one of my dogs and getting a wiff or two. Of course, my dogs are fed a wonderful diet and are bathed weekly.

The Rottie pup probably has had urine, saliva, etc. from her littermates at the breeder. Also, the dog's diet has a lot to play on her smell. She may not have been fed the most quality food.

Smells also depend on breed. Siberian Huskies, for example, can go months without getting bath and smell perfectly fine. Other breeds have different oils in their fur that may smell different to you everyday people.

I have three dogs and have had people walk in my home and never realize that we had dogs. We don't vaccum everyday, probably only weekly - We don't spray anything, etc.

[Kirsten]

The Rottie pup probably has had urine, saliva, etc. from her littermates at the breeder.

Well, yes, I think that could be. She'll probably smell better in a couple of days. To be fair: When I got baby Luna, she became smellier with each passing day; she was simply too young to clean herself. Had to give her a bath after a week or so, but after that, she was able to bath herself.

But generally, I can stand feline smell better than the canine version of it. Guess that labels me a cat person.

Kirsten

[momcat]

When it's play time or snuggle time, I've never noticed any unpleasant smell from Groucho. I remember reading somewhere that there's something in a cat's saliva that acts as a deodorant that helps them keep a clean smell. Nothing against dogs though. With either pet, I think a lot has to do with their diet, grooming, general care, and overall health.

[sirrahved]

I love the way Marshmallow smells. I think she smells sweet.

The dogs' smell I tolerate, even find a little comforting, as long as they have regular baths. I can't stand the frito feet smell!

[zoey]

Smells also depend on breed. Siberian Huskies, for example, can go months without getting bath and smell perfectly fine.
Kfamr, mine is half Samoyed, which is another Siberian sled pulling breed. I read they don't have to be bathed often. I didn't know it about the Siberian Huskies,though. (My sister had one.) Perhaps it's the cold regions where they originated. Who knows. I like to bury my face in Daisy's fur, as well.