Serious Question: Can My Cat Taste Spicy or Sweet Food?

Cats have many heightened senses compared to humans, but taste is not one of them. They can sense spicy foods, but they’re not good for them, so limit their chili intake. Their bowels will thank you. One remarkable fact regarding their taste is that cats are the only mammal (that we know of) who lack receptors for sweetness. It’s thought that since they survive almost solely on meat, their ability to sense sugar never developed. Other animals need to be able to sense starches and carbs for survival, but not cats.

They do take temperature and texture into account at mealtime. Bitterness and saltiness receptors are factors as well. So there’s no need to zest up their foods. Bland and canned is preferred … well, fresh kill is probably preferred, but that is for another blog post.

“Sugar and Spice” by Sarah Donner

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SOURCES: Scientific American, ASPCA

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