Do Cats Know When You're on Your Period? Vet-Verified Facts & FAQ
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You spend a lot of time with your favorite feline, so they’ve seen you in all kinds of states. From exhausted to joyous to not feeling well, kitties see us at our best and worst. For women with cats, this means your pet most likely sees you dealing with your period every month. But do cats know when you’re on your period?
The answer is most likely yes, they do. However, they almost certainly don’t really know what it means. They will be aware of the hormonal changes affecting the body during menstruation, and know that something is up.
How Do Cats Know You’re on Your Period?
Canines may be known for having exceptional noses, but it turns out felines have an even better sense of smell than dogs do! Where most dogs have around 100 million olfactory receptors in their noses (with the exception of Bloodhounds, who have approximately 300 million!), cats have approximately 200 million of these receptors. So, our kitties have phenomenal senses of smell.
That ability to scent out the world around them so well means that your cat can smell what’s happening when you’re on your period, and we don’t only mean they can smell blood. A feline’s sense of smell is amazing; they can even smell hormonal changes in the body in the form of pheromones. So your cat can smell that something about you is different. This difference won’t be so significant that they suddenly don’t recognize you, though; you’re still you, even if you smell a bit 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 how you are feeling or behaving. Some felines notice you smell a bit different and move on with their lives, while others may be more suspicious of change. How might a cat behave when you’re on your period?
If your cat isn’t one to go on with life as usual, then they might become clingier than usual. Why might they get clingy? One reason is they can smell blood; blood usually means an injury of some kind, so your cat may be trying to nurse you back to health with their clinginess. Another reason for this behavior is your cat senses you’re in pain. Felines are incredibly observant and can recognize (and respond) to human emotions. So, if your pet realizes you aren’t feeling well, they may cuddle up to make you feel better.
Cats may also get a bit clingy if you don’t pay enough attention to them. When you’re on your period, you may want to do as little as possible, including play with the cat. If your pet feels like they’re being ignored, they may well decide to make you pay attention to them by clinging. Finally, cats may get clingy during your period because of something you’re doing. You may be wearing cozy clothing or hugging a hot water bottle, making them want to snuggle up, or you may be consuming more snacks than usual, which means there are more chances for them to sneak some tasty treats.
Another possible behavior change in felines while you’re on your period is them becoming protective of you. Your cat may sense you’re a bit more vulnerable than normal during this time and decide they need to lay on you and “guard” you to help keep you protected.
Why Don’t Cats Get a Period?
In most cases, our pet cats have been spayed, so they definitely won’t get a period. But entire (unspayed) cats don’t get one either. This is because cats are induced ovulators, meaning that they only ovulate if they are mated. When humans have a period, it is because the lining of the uterus has become thickened to prepare for a potential pregnancy, but when ovulation occurs and the egg is not fertilized, that thickened lining is shed, which is our period. Cats do not go through this process, so they do not get a period.
Final Thoughts
Your cat most likely can tell when you’re on your period, but though they detect the changes your body is going through, they won’t really understand what’s going on. However, this doesn’t mean their behavior won’t change around you during this time. Depending on your pet, you may find your kitty is clingier than is typical when you’re on your period or even more protective of you. We say enjoy your purring heating pad as they cozy up to you!
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Featured Image Credit: U__Photo, Shuterstock
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Misty Layne lives out in the woods in small-town Alabama with her two Siamese cats —Serafina and Jasper. She also has an array of stray cats, raccoons, and opossums who like to call her front porch home. When she’s not writing about animals, you’ll find her writing poetry, stories, and film reviews (cats, by far, her favorite writing topic, though!). In her free time, Misty enjoys chilling with her cats, playing piano, watching indie and foreign films, photographing abandoned places, and catching up on her never-ending TBR list.
