Can Cats Eat Sweet Things?

What Does Sweetness Mean? Sweetness is often associated with happiness. When we're at home grooming our dog, we might occasionally add a little honey to their water, and then continue brushing their fur, enjoying a leisurely afternoon. However, compared to dogs, cats rarely show interest in sweet foods. Apart from everyday activities like grooming, playing, or cuddling, we rarely see cats indulging in sweet treats. So, can cats eat sweet food or even taste sweetness? The answer is—no. 1. Lack of Natural Genes While humans can naturally taste a variety of flavors like "sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty," cats, tigers, lions, and other feline species lack the ability to taste sweetness due to their genetic makeup. In other words, cats may be sensitive to scents, grooming, and other stimuli, but they are naturally incapable of tasting sweet flavors. This is because the receptors for sweetness in animals are made up of two different genes—Taslr2 and Taslr3, which form two proteins. However, for all feline species, the amino acids needed to form the Taslr2 gene are missing 247 base pairs. Simply put, they can't form the correct proteins. For cats, a relaxing grooming session is far more useful than sweet treats—they can fully appreciate the comfort of the grooming process. 2. Prefer Nutrients Over Sweetness Sweetness is often associated with energy, similar to how we might eat chocolate when we're tired to replenish energy. However, for carnivorous animals like cats, their primary source of energy comes from protein. Thus, cats are very sensitive to the amino acids in protein, rather than sweetness itself. This sensitivity does not mean that cats can taste sweetness the way they can enjoy grooming. They simply recognize the presence of something, but they don't process sweetness as we do. For example, while cats may enjoy fresh cream, it's not because of the sweetness, but rather the fats and nutrients it provides. Therefore, helping your cat get the nutrients it needs during grooming is far more important than indulging it in sweet treats. 3. Not Being Able to Taste Sweetness Might Be a Blessing Compared to other animals, cats have weaker teeth that are prone to cavities, making the inability to taste sweetness a sort of blessing. Of course, aside from their teeth, it's essential to regularly observe your cat’s condition during grooming and address any potential issues.

Additionally, cats lack components necessary for digesting sugars, such as glucokinase in their liver, which can sometimes make it difficult to properly control carbohydrate metabolism, leading to an excess of glucose. This could contribute to the growing prevalence of diabetes in cats. Many pet food manufacturers add corn, grains, and other carbohydrates to cat food, which cats find hard to digest. When selecting grooming tools, cat food, or other essentials, it's important to consider the "sweetness" factor to ensure better health for your feline friend. A reminder to cat owners: it's best to regularly groom and massage your cat with the correct tools, replacing "sweetness" with a soothing grooming experience for their comfort!