social
Sniffing Another Cat's Rear in Greeting
A normal feline greeting — cats read identity, health and mood from each other's scent, much as we read a face
Two cats meet, touch noses, then circle round to sniff each other's rear ends. To us it looks undignified; to them it is a proper introduction, exchanging a wealth of information no glance could carry.
A handshake in scent
Cats live in a world built of smell, and the rear end is where much of a cat's personal information is stored. Glands around the anus and tail base, together with the scent of the cat itself, carry a detailed chemical signature: who this cat is, its sex and reproductive state, what it has been eating, and even something of its mood and health. A rear-end sniff is how one cat reads all of that at once — the feline equivalent of a name, a handshake and a quick catch-up rolled together.
The etiquette of the greeting
A full greeting usually begins politely with a nose-to-nose touch, then moves to the rear. There is an etiquette to it: a confident cat may present its rear for inspection, while a nervous or lower-ranking cat may cut the exchange short and tuck its tail away, declining to be read. When both cats consent to the full sniff, it is a sign the meeting is going well.
Why it matters
This is entirely normal, healthy social behaviour and not something to discourage — it is how cats recognise familiar companions and assess newcomers. Interrupting it can actually make introductions harder, since you are cutting off the conversation before it is finished.
🐾 Most common in
Confident, socially comfortable cats greeting a familiar housemate or being introduced to a new cat. Well-socialised cats do it readily; timid ones may avoid the full exchange.