American biologists from the University of California at Davis studied how domestic cats use bacteria to communicate with their relatives through scent. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Scientific Reports (SciRep).
Experts found that cat odor comes from a mixture of volatile organic compounds such as aldehydes, alcohols, esters and ketones. In most cases, a person cannot determine what exactly his pet smells, but these substances are important for the social life of animals – with the help of scent marks they mark their territory, attract partners and scare away rivals.
To better understand these mechanisms, scientists analyzed the anal gland secretions of 23 domestic cats using DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, and microbial culture.
Biologists concluded that the cat microbiome is dominated by five bacterial species: Corynebacterium, Bacteroides, Proteus, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus. However, their composition varied significantly between individuals and depended on the pet’s age, diet and weight.
Researchers have discovered hundreds of organic compounds in the secretions of the anal glands, the diversity of which is determined by the dominant bacteria.
The paper’s authors say their work adds to a growing body of scientific work on the relationship between microbes and smell in mammals, including dogs, foxes, pandas, hyenas and humans.
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