MAMEWorld Forums - The Loony Bin - Re: 911! Help! My cat...

> > My cat smells the water
>
> Do you think that's true? Can water actually be smelled?

Throughout the internet (aka intrawebs, aka enterwow) you'll find answers that say animals can't smell water because it's odorless. Just partially true.

Water is not an odorant for humans, in other words, the olfactory (sp?) system doesn't have receptors for the water chemical compound (evaporated H2O). We do not smell water because we can't.

But many, many animals do smell water. Actually, humans seem to be in the exception side. That is understandable because compared to most animals, humans have a very very weak smell sense. Most mammals, including cats, dogs and cows, can smell water at a distance. Camels and other desert-dwelling animals, including insects, can smell water at very long distances, and follow the wind to the water source easily.

Just so you can compare, humans have about five to six millions receptors, and of those there are about 400 (four hundred only) different receptors for odorants (one kind of receptor can detect more than one chemical compound). Dogs have between 125 to 220 million! Including receptors for chemicals we don't have, since they have almost one thousand different receptors. Dogs know who we are and what clothes are we wearing and were have we been with those clothes.

Professor Pi at your service.

Wound up, can't sleep, can't do anything right, little honey / Oh, since I set my eyes on you. / I tell you the truth.
I can't get it right / Get it right / Since I met you...