The Weirdest Question You'll Read All Day.

MistyDawn

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So, as I've been chronicling here, I have a new, solid white, Maine Coon baby. Had him almost two weeks now!

He's coming out of his shell and we've gone from him never purring, to coming when he's called, always purring, and kneading in this time. We're growing very close and I'm furthering his socialization.

There's just one weird bit.

He always smells like fresh laundry. We don't let laundry sit lest it gets covered in cat hair, so it isn't because he's sleeping on it. I can't figure it out. And it isn't the first time it's happened! Another mostly white (flamepoint), long haired kitten I have, who's well on his way to adulthood the one in my profile, has the same smell.

What gives?
 
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MistyDawn

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Could they be getting into the trash where you throw away dryer sheets?

Margret
Nope. All of the trash cans have lids, because we have "lick every single dried piece of gravy off the empty cat food can" dumpster divers. They have no contact with dryer sheets or any of our cleaning stuff. We lock that up, because we would never want anyone to get sick. Plus, the new kittens adoption contract specified his health guarantee is only valid if he's quarantined for three weeks after adoption. He's confined to my bedroom, which, while I'm glad it gives me a chance to bond with him, kinda sucks, because, well, have you ever tried to confine a kitten as energetic as a Maine Coon kitten?
 

1CatOverTheLine

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MistyDawn MistyDawn - Does your Flame Point have deep blue eyes and white mittens?

If the answer is yes, then clearly, she has Snowshoe ancestry. Since Snowshoes are renown for opening - and even unlocking - doors, I'd suspect that the Flame Point has been sneaking into the basement, taking dryer sheets upstairs, breaking into your bedroom, rubbing them on Alaska, and then hiding the evidence, simply to drive you crazy.
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MistyDawn

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Okay, then. Hmmm. Confined to bedroom, you say. So, when is the last time you changed the sheets? That qualifies as exposure to fresh laundry.

Margret
Well, only about a week ago, but he spends a lot of time on the floor. Then again, he does sleep with me, every night, right on my pillow above my head.

But because of the quarantine, the flame point doesn't have access to my bed, which is driving him nuts because he really misses me. I go out and see him but I work from home, and my bedroom is also my office. :/ But the quarantine will be over in one week and all will be well!

Good idea! :thumbsup: One more idea, is the bedroom anywhere near a dryer vent?
Nope. Good thought, though.

.
MistyDawn MistyDawn - Does your Flame Point have deep blue eyes and white mittens?

If the answer is yes, then clearly, she has Snowshoe ancestry. Since Snowshoes are renown for opening - and even unlocking - doors, I'd suspect that the Flame Point has been sneaking into the basement, taking dryer sheets upstairs, breaking into your bedroom, rubbing them on Alaska, and then hiding the evidence, simply to drive you crazy.
.
I had a Snowshoe (I was living with my parents and going to school back then.) and my mother had bonded with her and couldn't part with her, and knew her closest cat, a senior, wouldn't be around long. I hated to part with her but I knew grief was coming for my mother, so I let her stay. I know exactly what you mean!

But no, Aegon, my flame point, has all orange feet, with big floofs of fur sticking out between his toes, much like my Maine Coon baby, Alaska.

It may be your clothes. If you have on fresh clothes and he cuddles with you....
The smell stays on clean clothes for awhile, so it could transfer to him.
Maybe, but the scent is very strong, stronger than even on my clothes. Besides, I use a fruity detergent. He smells more like the classic laundry scent, if you get what I mean.

Healthy cats have a slight baby powder kind of scent. His may just be stronger than normal.
I'm thinking this might be my answer. And, I just thought of this, my litter is scented. They're probably getting some more scent off the litter, plus their usual healthy cat smell.

If there's one thing we have over dog people, our pets of choice definitely smell better. :D Not a jab at dogs, I love them as well, but you know how some dog lovers make it a huge deal and demonize cats. Few things make me madder than that. Sorry for the rant, haha.
 

tinydestroyer

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I think the pets we love and bond with also have an especially good smell, to us at least. My kitten has a slight lily sweet baby smell, and I love sniffing her head and the blanket that both my kitties sleep on. It's so comforting! :dizzycat:
As for dogs, I have a Siberian husky, and they're pretty hygenic as far as dogs go. He definitely has a different scent though. It's his own smell that comes up when he is between baths, and I also love it. It's like cozy warm bread. It's definitely different than if he's obviously dirty or wet (wet dog smell is never great.) Curious as to whether my dog is stinky, I've asked others about this, but they seem to not smell anything on my pets.
In short, I think maybe it's probably partially them having a good scent, and partially our perception to the scent as we bond with our animals.
 

di and bob

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Cats all have different smells, several of my cats smell very good and sweet, you may be associating that with the laundry smell. There are several specific breeds associated with different smells, must be the smell from there scent glands, the most common is the strong, slightly musky odor common with the oriental breeds. EVERY Siamese, or Burmese, and including the flame point Siamese mix I have right now has had this odor, and it is how I identify the oriental breed in them, They often, but not always have the beautiful blue eyes too, although I have several ferals who are diluted down to turquoise, which is how I identify their lineage too. It's not really offensive,although not pleasant either, you are lucky you have some breed mixed in that smells so good!
 

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I have the same issue.:lol: My Speedy is a shorthair tortie point Siamese and since the day she came to live with me I am always thinking how wonderful she smells.:daisy: Like so fresh, I can't explain it. :purplebutterfly: Not perfumy, but just really fresh and clean.:bluebutterfly: She smells so good that, ok, I will now admit that I love to hug her and take a deep breath of her fur, it is so fresh.:) It is definitely her, not my clothes or bedding because she smells better than them! :lol: Thanks for asking this question. She is the first cat I've had that smells this good!:catlove:
 

sabian

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It's funny I seen this post. My Maine Coon that past recently always smelled like my sheets I guess because he was always sleeping in the bed. Manny, the cat I recently adopted has a different smell but it's a fresh clean smell. I can't figure out where it comes from. He doesn't sleep in the bed like my last cat. It may come from the new cat trees and a his natural scent combined, I don't know. I was just telling him when I came in from work how good he smelled. I don't know that health has anything to do with it. My Maine Coon didn't smell any different a week before he passed than any other previous time and I'm sure he had cancer for a while as bad as it was.
 

Caspers Human

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How about trash bags?

Some brands of trash bags have a fragrance applied in order to counteract the smell of garbage.

If your cats are known to be dumpster divers, they might be picking up some of the scent from the garbage can.

The reason I think of this is because I just took out the garbage about ten minutes ago. I was sitting in front of the computer, reading your message, and I smelled something on my hands. It took me a moment to realize that some of the fragrance from the trash bags had rubbed off onto my hands.
 

tarasgirl06

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Well, only about a week ago, but he spends a lot of time on the floor. Then again, he does sleep with me, every night, right on my pillow above my head.

But because of the quarantine, the flame point doesn't have access to my bed, which is driving him nuts because he really misses me. I go out and see him but I work from home, and my bedroom is also my office. :/ But the quarantine will be over in one week and all will be well!



Nope. Good thought, though.



I had a Snowshoe (I was living with my parents and going to school back then.) and my mother had bonded with her and couldn't part with her, and knew her closest cat, a senior, wouldn't be around long. I hated to part with her but I knew grief was coming for my mother, so I let her stay. I know exactly what you mean!

But no, Aegon, my flame point, has all orange feet, with big floofs of fur sticking out between his toes, much like my Maine Coon baby, Alaska.



Maybe, but the scent is very strong, stronger than even on my clothes. Besides, I use a fruity detergent. He smells more like the classic laundry scent, if you get what I mean.



I'm thinking this might be my answer. And, I just thought of this, my litter is scented. They're probably getting some more scent off the litter, plus their usual healthy cat smell.

If there's one thing we have over dog people, our pets of choice definitely smell better. :D Not a jab at dogs, I love them as well, but you know how some dog lovers make it a huge deal and demonize cats. Few things make me madder than that. Sorry for the rant, haha.
I am no fan of dogs and I agree 100%. CATS are the world's most beloved companions; there are over 10 MILLION more in US homes than the next most popular (dogs). I have had to care for 2 dogs in my life, so it's not like I don't know them, but I do not like them and I can't think of one single good thing about them. Anyway.
 

tarasgirl06

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So, as I've been chronicling here, I have a new, solid white, Maine Coon baby. Had him almost two weeks now!

He's coming out of his shell and we've gone from him never purring, to coming when he's called, always purring, and kneading in this time. We're growing very close and I'm furthering his socialization.

There's just one weird bit.

He always smells like fresh laundry. We don't let laundry sit lest it gets covered in cat hair, so it isn't because he's sleeping on it. I can't figure it out. And it isn't the first time it's happened! Another mostly white (flamepoint), long haired kitten I have, who's well on his way to adulthood the one in my profile, has the same smell.

What gives?
All of the cats I have ever known, and there have been many, smell like flowers to me. Especially right behind their ears.
 
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