If you live with a cat, you may have already caught them sniffing your face, sometimes quite insistently.
This behaviour, both endearing and slightly puzzling, actually has a perfectly logical explanation according to specialists.
They're simply checking it's really you
Speaking to the Rover website, Dr Mikel Maria Delgado, a feline behaviour expert, explains that this gesture is far from trivial. "The cat comes to sniff you to check that you are indeed you," she says. Thanks to their extremely developed sense of smell, cats recognise members of their household primarily by their scent. By approaching your face, they're confirming that you're still part of their familiar world.
"They're simply reminding themselves that you are indeed part of their comfort zone. It's a sign of affection!" the specialist adds. In other words, this little olfactory ritual is your cat's way of maintaining the bond between you.
The expert also points out that this behaviour can occur during the day or at night. Cats are what's known as crepuscular animals, meaning they're naturally more active at times when we humans seek peace and quiet: at dawn and dusk.
"Cats probably sniff you for the same reason: to gather information, whether you're asleep or awake," Mikel Delgado explains further. Their curiosity never completely switches off, especially when it comes to you.
