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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The cat flehmen response is a scent-processing behavior: after sniffing an interesting odor, a cat may raise its head, part its mouth, lift its upper lip, and pause. This posture helps direct scent information toward the vomeronasal organ, also called Jacobson’s organ. It is not, by itself, a sign that the cat finds the smell unpleasant.
What does the flehmen response look like?
A cat may stop after investigating an odor, lift its head, hold its mouth slightly open, and curl or retract its upper lip. The tongue may rest near the palate. People sometimes call this expression a “stinky face,” but its appearance can be misleading: the cat is processing scent information, not necessarily reacting with disgust. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes the posture as a way to waft interesting smells into the vomeronasal organ.
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How does flehmen help cats process scent?
The vomeronasal organ (VNO), or Jacobson’s organ, is an accessory olfactory structure involved in processing chemical scent information, including pheromones. The characteristic posture helps direct odor information toward this organ. Pheromones are one kind of scent information cats may investigate; the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior discusses their relationship to the VNO and flehmen.
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What can trigger a cat’s flehmen response?
Flehmen may follow investigation of urine, scents from other cats, dirty laundry, anal-gland secretions, facial pheromones, or another new or intriguing odor. The reproductive example of a male cat investigating a female’s scent is only one context. Flehmen is not limited to male cats or to mating. PetMD’s veterinary overview describes several scent contexts that may prompt it.
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When is an open mouth a reason to call the veterinarian?
Context matters. A brief pause with the mouth slightly open immediately after sniffing, while the cat otherwise appears comfortable, fits the usual description of flehmen. Persistent open-mouth breathing is different: do not assume it is a scent response, particularly if your cat seems distressed or has other new signs.
- Contact a veterinarian for advice if the open-mouth posture continues, occurs outside a sniffing context, or accompanies signs such as sneezing, coughing, poor appetite, or changes in normal routines.
- Seek prompt veterinary guidance if your cat appears to be having difficulty breathing or is visibly distressed.
Great Pet Care’s veterinary guidance discusses unusual behavior and accompanying signs that merit attention. If you are unsure whether what you see is flehmen or a breathing problem, describe the episode and its context to your veterinarian.
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