Confessions of a Cat Sniffer

A few weeks ago, while answering questions in an internet cat community, one in particular jumped off the page since I so strongly identified with the asker. Her question: "I like the smell of my cat; please tell me I'm not the only one". I had to chuckle and reminisce for awhile before I could answer. So once again I am going "public". For years I had been keeping a deep dark secret! I was far too embarrassed to share about what I considered to be a very strange habit. I was hiding the fact that I secretly sniffed my cats. Now you may think that this is a bit bizarre, but once I discovered that our Oriental Shorthairs, Hush Puppy and Hubble, have a "nutty" scent, quite different and unique from other cats I have sniffed, I was doomed. I am a habituated "sniffer." I carefully hid this truth for ages concerning my sniffing addiction. But one night, when my cat Hubble seriously injured himself and needed an immediate trip to a veterinary emergency clinic, while the doc was treating him, we started to talk about our cats. I felt sufficiently comfortable to bite the bullet and I shyly shared that I sniff my cats and how much I enjoyed their scent. She laughed and told me that she preferred chewing her cat's ears to sniffing. Since I had never considered that possibility, the next day, I sneakily nibbled on Hush Puppy's ears, and discovered that his ears were in fact, "tasty". But I must warn readers there is a downside to gentle ear chewing; they may become rather soggy if one overindulges. "Moderation in all things", is my motto. Emboldened, since my "confession" was not ridiculed by the ER vet, I became more courageous. It was about time for me to take the next step; checking out with other cat people if they also indulged in cat sniffing. Initially cautious at first, I began asking my cat-loving buddies if they ever sniffed their cats or nibbled on their ears. I was rather amazed and felt totally liberated when I learned that lots of folks enjoyed sniffing and nibbling. Since people were forthcoming and honest, sharing little tidbits of information comparing our sniffing and nibbling techniques, a group of online friends who were avid sniffers and nibblers began networking. It was rewarding to watch how this group was growing, as folks freely admitted how much they enjoyed these small acts of love directed toward their cats. It soon became evident that there was a need to organize a cat sniffer's chat where folks who might still be "closet" sniffers could gather and feel less isolated. One of the most ardent sniffers and I decided to initiate a Friday evening "Sniffer" chat. We were astounded by the number of folks who showed up in the room, with most everyone attending in a "sniffer" screen name. Of course I took the name "Troublesniffer." The chat was a huge hit! I wish there was another Sniffer chat available. Who "nose" though...? Someone might just jump on in and start gathering a group of devoted sniffers and nibblers again. I sure hope that an enthusiastic cat sniffing purrson may be sufficiently inspired to step up to the plate. How do you feel about cat sniffing and nibbling? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts.