Mar. 18, 2008 Tuesday

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Hunky: .Have you ever noticed a cat with its mouth partly opened like it's sneering and seemingly in a momentary trance?

Dorie: ..It's using what's known as its vomero-nasal organ. It's in the roof of the mouth and senses a combination of smell and taste.

Hunky: .The sneer is not a registration of something foul or unpleasant. Instead they're studying what they are sensing.

Dorie: ..Humans have them too, but they've kinda evolved into uselessness after years of ignoring the chemical sense in favor of the visual one.

Hunky: .Cats use them to detect the presence of other animals, changes in the environment, or to assess anything new around them. It could be a new recipe cooking or a garment that brought in some scents from outdoors.

Dorie: ..So the next time your favorite feline appears to be sneering at something, look around. There's something new in your territory.