Can cats smell cancer or injuries/infection?

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katwoman - 26 Jul 2006 19:13 GMT

I was wondering if anyone has info on whether cats can detect cancer as
well as dogs. My dog sammy had cancer of the nose and skin, and my two
cats were constantly going up to him and smelling the affected areas
even before we knew he had cancer- in fact - that is what led us to go
to the vet to get him checked. He was a cat-magnet and every cat in
the neighborhood would come over and buddy up to him- he was constantly
being followed and loved up on by strays. I think they sensed
something was wrong and were looking out for him.

We even had a stray that showed up out of nowhere that would hold him
up when he was too weak to stand, and guide him around the lawn so he
would not bump into anything. As soon as Sammy passed away- the cat
disappeared.

I've noticed that my cats have been smelling my leg ever since I
started having symptoms of DVT. The "CAT" scans came up negative, but
my doc's say that I have all the signs and symptoms of it- Maybe my
little "cat-scans" are better that the ones at the hospital. :)

Has anyone else had this experience?

If dogs can smell cancer and disease...why not cats?

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Barb - 27 Jul 2006 00:26 GMT

I had written to this group about a case I read about where this woman had
her neighbor's cat hanging around her every time she worked in her garden.
Eventually the neighbor said she could have the cat since the cat seemed to
prefer her.

After a while the woman noticed whenever she lay down the cat would start
sniffing one of her breasts. She did go to the doctor and was diagnosed
with early breast cancer in that breast. She credits the cat with saving
her life!

--
Barb
Of course I don't look busy,
I did it right the first time.

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cybercat - 27 Jul 2006 00:41 GMT

> I was wondering if anyone has info on whether cats can detect cancer as
> well as dogs. My dog sammy had cancer of the nose and skin, and my two
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> If dogs can smell cancer and disease...why not cats?

a good question. Of course they can. I hesitate to be graphic about
something
so heartrending, but anyone who has ever been close to someone who has a bad
case of cancer can tell you that it has a distinct smell, somewhere between
feces
and decay. I humans can smell this in a bad case, both cats and dogs, who
have
much more sensitive noses, almost certainly can smell less severe cases.

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angel - 27 Jul 2006 03:27 GMT

> I was wondering if anyone has info on whether cats can detect cancer as

I say yes they can

why not.

I don't know if it's fast growing cells they smell as much as they seem
to live in a 7th sense

what do you think

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