Can Cats Smell Cancer?

Studies have concluded that dogs can detect cancer, but only anecdotal evidence exists that cats can smell cancer. There is currently no scientific evidence to prove this ability definitively. It’s worth noting that cats have an incredibly keen sense of smell, allowing them to pick up on subtle odor changes that we might miss. Some researchers think these changes in scent could be linked to certain types of cancer.

How is it possible for a cat to smell cancer?

If it turns out that cats can actually detect cancer, it will likely have something to do with their sense of smell. While dogs have a far superior sense of smell than cats, a cat’s is nothing to sneeze at — it far surpasses that of a human.

One theory is that this keen sense of smell allows them to detect changes in the body. Some experts believe cats could be trained to detect cancer and use their powerful noses in other useful ways, as well.  

My cat keeps pawing at a spot on my body — should I worry? 

Probably not, but if your cat (or dog) seems particularly interested in one side of your chest on more than one occasion, it wouldn’t hurt to mention it to your doctor. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a cat helped save their owner’s life by alerting them to a tumor.