Cats and dogs both have strong olfactory abilities shaped by their unique evolution. Dogs possess 100-300 million olfactory receptors, making them exceptional at scent tracking. Cats, while having olfactory receptors at 200 million, which is slightly fewer than certain breeds of dogs, have more V1R receptors, allowing them to distinguish scents more effectively.

Dogs primarily use their sense of smell for tracking, which makes them valuable in search and rescue operations. In contrast, cats use their sense of smell to evaluate potential prey, especially in low-light conditions where their vision is limited. Although dogs are better at detecting faint odors, cats excel in distinguishing subtle scent differences.

When it comes to trainability, dogs are more responsive due to their social nature and desire to please humans, making them easier to train for detection tasks. Cats, being more independent, are harder to train but exhibit a unique Flehmen response, enhancing their ability to analyze scents.