Cats distinguish owner's smell from stranger's, study finds

A new study from Tokyo University of Agriculture suggests that domestic cats can distinguish between their owner's smell and that of a stranger. Researchers found that cats spent more time sniffing tubes with unknown people's odors compared to their owner's scent, indicating they can differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar humans based on smell. The study highlights cats' ability to use their strong sense of smell for social interactions and suggests they may have the capacity to recognize specific individuals based on their scent.