Question: I recently inherited my older sister’s cat. The cat is friendly enough but distant. The cat never sits on my lap, but one evening, the cat was all over me, being very affectionate. Some time passed, and then, once again, on a random night, the cat was all over me again.

Then, I put two and two together: on both occasions I had been wearing the same perfume I had sampled in a store that I can’t recall, a vanilla fragrance. My sister was nuts about vanilla and this was attracting the cat! I find this unbelievable, but it’s as if it’s aromatherapy.

Is there a such thing as aromatherapy for cats? Are cats that smart? Second, non-pet related question: Do you know any good vanilla scents?

Aromatherapy for Cats

Answer: The cat is an extremely sensitive animal, and its sense of smell is superior to those of humans. Cats also have a memory that is about 200 times more retentive than a dog’s. But it’s a selective memory.

So it is possible that your cat is associating the vanilla scent with its previous owner, but also it may be that the cat is simply getting more comfortable around you and its new environment.

One terrific scent is vanilla oil from Kiehl’s here. It’s delicious, and a little goes a long way. Also be sure to check out Kiehl’s “For Your Dog,” a grooming line.

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