How long do scent markings last?

williecat

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For the last few months of Willow's life she spent a lot of time in one corner of my bedroom. I gave her her meds and shots and SQFs there. And at the end, I even hand fed her there. She never peed there that I know of and it doesn't smell like anything to me now.

The day she died, I had my husband stack some storage totes in that corner and they haven't been moved since (about 18 months--ewwwwwwww, but I just couldn't do it).

So today I felt ready to move the totes and vacuum and wipe the baseboard down. As soon as I moved the totes, Pepper jumped in and will NOT move from that spot. She's doing the open mouth sniffing, looking around, rolling around on her back. She's been there most of the day, much more that she'd typically explore a new spot. She's sleeping there now.

Is it possible she can still smell Willow? There is a few hairs that i can see and probably more that i cant. And maybe the rolling is her trying to put her scent on the spot? They never met but I'm sure Pepper smelled some of Willow when I first brought her home.
 

catspaw66

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If the area wasn't disturbed for 18 months, it is possible that Willow's scent is still there, very faintly. And since Pepper's scent is not there, she wants to make it hers. I often wonder what my place says to all my ladies.
 

taurinecat

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I see this is an old thread, but does anyone actually know how long "friendly scent" lasts? I am asking because we will be moving to a new house soon and will be taking the cats after we are able to do some basic repairs and build an enclosure. I would like to have them rub against/sleep on a bunch of different blankets and towels and then place them all around the new house to make it smell familiar, but I am not sure I can really "stock pile" these "scented" things.

I have tried a Feliway diffuser in my room before and my sort of "alpha" guy (or I guess Jackson Galaxy calls them police cats?) actually spray-marked the diffuser, so I am not sure I even want to try that again.
 

catspaw66

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They will be able to smell "their" things for several weeks, if you don't wash the stuff, I think. Corrections, please?
 
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