Is it true that cats cannot taste sweetness?

Question

If so, why does my new kitten love maple syrup so much?

It's 100% real maple syrup. I would never touch "maple-flavored corn syrup" in a million years. And neither will my kitten! Because she'll never get close enough to a bottle of Mrs. Buttersworth to try it. :D

I'm very much a maple syrup snob.

Answer 1

That's interesting! I wonder why he likes it.

There has been recent scientific research that came to the conclusion that cats did not have the same receptors, or less of them, for sweetness on itheir tongues and mouth that humans do.

It is my experience that kittens are so curious and they want to sample anything edible. Fortunately they are not like dogs who can have a propensity to consume ANYTHING and end up in veterinary emergency clinics with stomach full of rocks, or bottles of human pills (bottle and all).

Answer 2

You know, I've heard that before, and I think it's a load of bull. My cousin's cat Patty is a sugar junkie. She will go for cookies, donuts, cake, pie, danish, etc. While I lived there, I had to help my cousin hide some foods because Patty would chew through the wrapper to get to the sweet stuff. Patty also loved bread. She would maul a loaf of bread if we left it out. She also loved bagels. It eventually got to where we would cater a little bit to her sugary craving, and the attacks on our food became less and less. She never stopped mauling the food if we left it out, but she wouldn't maul it as bad. We never gave her anything chocolate, though. That stuff is bad for both dogs and kitties.

Answer 3

A ot of cat experts say this. How do they know? Were they a cat in a past life?

My cat shows no interst in anything sweet. Except suger cookie dough. He will sit and beg for a little round piece of dough. (I know, its bad. But it is a real little ball.) I think he got the idea from the dog. He (the dog) was obsessed with sugar cookie dough.

Answer 4

Not completely...they just don't have a highly refined sense of "sweet." It's there, but it's secondary to their other senses. Sweet items are not important to a cat's diet.

My cats will suck down my bowl of ice cream if I take my eye off it for a second...but the won't touch a bowl of sugar or a cookie. They're attracted to the fat...not the sweet. It's the same reason they like chocolate...for the fat content...not the sweetness.

Answer 5

ive never heard that but if its true it likes the syrup because of the corn syrup in it

Answer 6

Yes, I think so, generally, cats' and dogs' stomaches aren't ready to eat sweets, it could make them to get them sick, I have read that in some cases a lot of sugar or chocolate can provocate cancer on them. So, better don't give them candy

Answer 7

Yes it is, cats can taste salty, bitter and sour, but not sweet. This is a taste that carnivores have little need for.

Answer 8

That's what I've read, and from experience, my cat refuses anything that is candyish and all sweet. So yeah, i guess it's true.

Answer 9

Ive never heard of that before

Answer 10

where did you hear that/??