You spend a lot of time with your favorite cat, so they see you in all kinds of states. From tired to happy to not feeling well, kitties see us at our best and worst. For women with cats, this means your pet probably sees you dealing with your period every month. But do cats know when you’re on your period?
The answer is probably yes, they do. However, they almost certainly don’t know what it means. They will know the hormonal changes that affect the body during menstruation, and they will know that something is going on.
How do cats know you’re on your period?
Dogs may be known for having extraordinary noses, but it turns out that cats have a better sense of smell than dogs! Where most dogs have about 100 million olfactory receptors in their noses (except for Bloodhounds, which have about 300 million!), cats have about 200 million receptors. this. So, our kittens have wonderful senses of smell.
That ability to scent the world around them means your cat can smell what’s going on when you’re on your period, and we don’t just mean they can smell blood. A cat’s sense of smell is amazing; they even smell hormonal changes in the body in the form of pheromones. So your cat can smell something different about you. This difference isn’t so noticeable that they suddenly don’t recognize you, though; you’re still you even if you smell a little different.
Do Cats Act Differently When You’re On Your Period?
Whether a cat acts differently around you while you’re on your period depends largely on the cat, as well as your feelings or behavior. Some cats notice that you smell a little different and move on with their lives, while others may be more suspicious of the change. How might a cat act when you’re on your period?
If your cat can’t get on with life as usual, they may be more aggressive than usual. Why can they be clingy? One reason is that they smell blood; blood usually means some sort of injury, so your cat may be trying to nurse you back to health with their clawing. Another reason for this behavior is that your cat senses that you are in pain. Cats are incredibly observant and can recognize (and respond to) human emotions. So, if your pet senses that you’re not feeling well, they can give you a hug to make you feel better.
Cats can also be quite clingy if you don’t pay them attention. When you’re on your period, you may want to do as little as possible, including playing with the cat. If your pet feels like they are being ignored, they may decide to give you attention by clinging. Finally, cats can be clingy during your period because of something you do. You may be wearing cozy clothes or holding a hot water bottle, which makes them want to cuddle, or you may be eating more snacks than usual, which means more opportunities for them to sneak in a good meal.
Another possible change in the behavior of cats while you are on your period is that they become protective of you. Your cat may sense that you are a little more vulnerable than usual during this time and decide that they need to put you aside and “watch” you to help keep you protected.
Why don’t cats have periods?
In most cases, our pet cats are spayed, so they definitely won’t menstruate. But whole (unspayed) cats don’t get one either. This is because cats are forced ovulators, meaning they only ovulate if they are mated. When people menstruate, it is because the lining of the uterus thickens to prepare for a potential pregnancy, but when ovulation occurs and the egg is not fertilized, the thick lining is shed, which the our period. Cats don’t go through this process, so they don’t menstruate.
Final Thoughts
Your cat can probably tell when you’re on your period, but even if they can see the changes your body is going through, they won’t really understand what’s going on. However, this does not mean that their behavior will not change around you during this time. Depending on your pet, you may find that your cat is more clingy than usual when you are on your period or more protective of you. We say enjoy your purring heating pads because they’re comfortable with you!
Featured Image Credit: U__Photo, Shuterstock
