Cats are unique as mammals in that they are genetically incapable of tasting sweetness. Unlike other mammals, cats lack the ability to produce the amino acids necessary to create the "sweet" taste awareness in the brain, making sweetness a foreign concept to them.
More facts about cats:
- Though cats cannot taste sweetness, they do have the ability to taste adenosine triphosphate, a compound found in meat, which humans do not.
- Some scientists speculate that the reason so many cats get diabetes is because they also lack the ability to metabolize sugar properly, and many cat foods are made of corn or other sweet grains.
- The inability to taste sweet things applies to both big and small cats — from a lion to a house cat. However, even close relatives such as mongooses and hyenas can taste sweet things easily.
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Discuss this Article
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anon159196
Post 5 |
I don't give my cats sweets, but I didn't know they couldn't taste anything sweet. Have to tell everyone I know that has cats. You learn something new every day. |
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anon159010
Post 4 |
My cat eats sugar. Just sugar. I came home one day to find her with her face the sugar bowl, licking everything up. How's that? |
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anon158977
Post 3 |
My cat likes cheese cake and ice cream. |
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anon158954
Post 2 |
I have a cat that loves chocolate, caramel, snowballs (chocolate cake covered in marshmallow and coconut). She only gets small amounts as I know chocolate is bad for pets, but she loves this stuff and always comes running when I eat it. |
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anon158895
Post 1 |
My cat loves to lick the juice from lightly sweetened canned peaches. She likes to lick cookies, cake, etc. Don't know if she can taste sweet or not but she does like these items. |
