My cat goes nuts whenever I put on vicks vapo rub or carmex. She goes all wacky on me. She's even tried to bite me. Why does the smell of those things do that to her?
by 
Nikkie737
ANSWERS: 1
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A cat's nose is much more sensitive than yours or mine. My cat used to have a similar reaction to Vicks Vapo Rub, and our vet said that it was probably because the strong odor hurt her nose (in the same way a particularly loud sound hurts your ears). She "goes wacky" because she is uncomfortable and confused by the strange odor. While carmex does not have an exceptionally strong smell, it might be enough to affect her. If it's a problem, you might try switching from carmex to a product with a more neutral odor (such as the excellent balm from Burt's Bees). Vapo Rub, however, is irreplacable. We compromised by putting the Vapo Rub on a warm, damp flannel rather than directly on the skin. It's equally therapeutic, and it enables you to keep the smell away from Kitty.
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