Have you ever wondered what’s going on in your cat’s head when they freeze and stare at one point with their mouth open? We decided to look into this topic. As it turns out, this pet behavior has a name: the Flehmen reaction.
The reason lies in the smell that attracts its attention. At this time, the animal uses the second olfactory organ, the vomeronasal organ, located on the palate. The furry animal opens its mouth to catch air. The vomeronasal organ of a cat can especially sharply distinguish the pheromones of its relatives.
As you know, a pet marks its territory by rubbing against various objects. Therefore, if a cat froze with its mouth open, it is likely that it has smelled a female or a rival. But an animal cannot smell only its own kind. The vomeronasal organ helps detect prey.
It turns out that the flehmen response is also characteristic of bulls and horses. Experts say that they usually behave this way when they smell a female.
By the way, we wrote before that men who have cats have a higher chance of being liked by girls.
Source: People Talk
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
