Glossary

Scent marking

How a cat leaves chemical messages on objects, people and places using glands in its face, paws and body, and in its urine.

Also called: marking, scent communication, territory marking, rubbing

Scent marking is how cats talk through smell. Cats have scent glands on the cheeks, chin, forehead, between the toes, at the base of the tail and along the flanks. They leave their odour by rubbing, scratching and, in some cases, spraying urine or leaving droppings in an obvious place. Other cats read these messages with the nose and the vomeronasal organ.

Most marking is quiet and reassuring. A cat that rubs on the door frame or kneads a blanket is making its surroundings smell like home, which helps it feel secure. Bunting on you does the same. Scratching combines a visual mark, a stretch and the scent from paw glands.

Marking increases when a cat is stressed, for example after a house move, a new pet, a visitor or conflict with another cat. Urine marking is the form owners notice most, see spraying. Avoid cleaning with strong chemical products that wipe away the cat's own comforting scent from favourite spots. If marking changes suddenly, talk to your vet, who may check for a medical cause and can refer you to a behaviourist.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Bunting A cat pressing its head, cheeks or chin against a person, object or another cat to leave scent and say hello. Spraying When a cat stands, backs up to a vertical surface and squirts small amounts of urine to leave a scent message. Scratching The natural habit of raking claws against a surface to shed claw sheaths, stretch, mark territory and relax. Pheromones Chemical signals that cats release from glands and in urine to communicate with other cats, sensed through the nose and a special organ. Vomeronasal organ A small scent-analysing organ in the roof of a cat's mouth that reads chemical signals such as pheromones.

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