Research overview: the feline olfactory epithelium and receptor genes

Smell is a major sense for cats, supported by an olfactory epithelium lined with sensory neurons expressing a large family of odorant receptor genes. This overview surveys what is known about the feline olfactory system's scale, including the area of sensory epithelium and the size of the odorant receptor gene repertoire, which is substantial though smaller than the dog's. These receptors detect a vast range of volatile chemicals, underpinning the cat's use of smell in hunting, feeding, navigation, and social life. The survey relates the molecular machinery of olfaction to behavioral evidence of keen feline scent perception. It introduces themes elaborated in related entries, such as the vomeronasal organ and pheromone detection. Understanding the olfactory epithelium establishes the foundation of feline smell, showing that beneath the cat's familiar behaviors lies a large, genetically encoded apparatus for sensing the chemical world.