Cats likely identify one another by fatty acids in urine: research
By JIJI PRESS
Published Aug 20, 2026 11:14 am
A cat displaying the Flehmen response, typically shown by feline species when they smell urine and other odorous substances with their mouths half-open (Courtesy of Iwate University professor Masao Miyazaki)
TOKYO, Aug. 20 (Jiji Press) -- An international group of researchers, including those from Japan's Iwate University, has said that cats likely identify one another by distinguishing the unique types and ratios of fatty acids when they smell their urine.
The team's findings were published in the online edition of U.S. scientific journal Current Biology on Wednesday.
Masao Miyazaki, a professor at the Japanese university, and other members of the team focused on the Flehmen response, shown by cats when they smell urine and other odorous substances with their mouths half-open.
Observing that this response usually comes when cats encounter smells of unfamiliar peers, the team discovered 13 types of branched-chain fatty acids and found that the types and ratios of the acids in urine vary among individuals.
As these fatty acids are semi-volatile, the informative urine odors remain detectable for an extended period.
The researchers also discovered that lipids, including the fatty acids, are stored as lipid droplets in kidneys.
Similar urine fatty acids and renal lipid droplets were found in other feline species, including lions, tigers, leopards and Iriomote cats, an animal indigenous to Japan.
Fatty acid compositions differ among the feline species, and the diversity likely developed in the course of their evolution.