Which taste is not experienced by cats?

Unlike other mammals, cats lack the proper genetic coding to experience sweet tastes. Cats have a mutant chemoreceptor in their taste buds that prevents them from tasting sweet things. It is actually a trait shared by all cats big and small, not just domestic ones.

In 2005, scientists from the Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, clearly discovered that a genetic deficiency deletes the sugar detectors on the taste buds of a cat. In other words, cats do not possess the genetic “hardware” needed to taste sweets.

Consequently, scientists found that cats are alone among mammals in lacking the sweet gene. Even among meat-eaters like hyenas and mongooses who are close relatives of cats, these animals also have the sweet gene like human beings.

More Info: www.petful.com

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88 Comments

Sandy Coughlan

Be aware that xylotol (sugar supplement very popular these days) is poisonous to all animals and will kill them if ingested

Sarah65

My cat's favorite treat is a bite of Little Debbie Dunkin Stix.

mlnred

I worked for a Cat Only Vet, for 10 years. Cats know sweet, most just don’t like it like many other things. I had 3 cats that would not eat seafood of any kind, one liked sweet. My current rescue loves seafood. Most cats can’t tolerate milk, some can. (Wouldn’t advise, Goats Milk is best).

Coral

One of my cats loves the left over sweetened milk after it has been mixed with sweet cereal and the other cat won't touch it. Neither cat will touch unsweetened milk though.

Armadillo

Carol Gilmore, I like jam too.

Armadillo

Syed Hussain, that is curious.

Armadillo

David Orme, I like Saint Bernards, though I've never met one.

illonabird

I get it. I love cats, but not a big fan of dogs. No one should think any less of you.

Amy Miller

Incidentally, since all the tastebuds taste all four flavors, to a greater or lesser degree, how do cats not taste sweet, anyway? Oh, wait, that was decided by scientists, too

maidofstardust

Then why do my kitties choose sweetened milk over plain ?

Amy Miller

Curious, any male cats that liked cantaloupe? All my female cats have loved cantaloupe, but none of my male cats ever showed any interest at all in cantaloupe. Not important, just curious.

Amy Miller

I know what scientists claim about cats not being able to taste sweet, so I got the answer right, but the scientists are wrong. My cats love sweet things, including things that don’t have dairy in them. I had one cat who absolutely adored all fruit. I had another who would knock me down fir my own favorite white grape peach juice and he’d drink the juice from my mother’s peaches. That juice is very sweet! He also liked yogurt, lime lemon and peach