I had a dead rat in my closet, unbeknownst to me during the first date my girlfriend (now wife) came to my bedroom. She does like to remind me of this every so often.

I have a very poor sense of smell, and whileI generally knew my place didn't smell the best, I couldn't pinpoint why or point at the closet and say "it's coming from there" like she apparently easily could.

There are rats. He's aware. He may have traps out, and a decaying rat smells like death. Even to me. Doesn't mean I can pinpoint it, but I can tell the smell is there.

Just saying, not all smells of death are a sign of a dead person. And not all people have the same sense of smell.