Can cats have sweets - how do they feel and why do they want chocolate?

Sweets for cats

Most pets' tongues contain taste buds on the cell surface that bind to ingested substances. When something sweet enters the mouth, information about it goes to the brain, mainly because sweetness is a sign of rich carbohydrates. The answer to the question whether cats can have sweets is a definite no.

Cats can't detect sugar in sweet foods.

The benefits or harms of chocolate

Chocolate is very dangerous for cats. An overdose causes intoxication, which often leads to death. We can say that chocolate is not only useless for pets, but also has a harmful effect on their body. This is the reason why cats cannot have sweets.

The toxicity of theobromine and caffeine in chocolate leads to the following consequences when answering the question, can cats eat chocolate:

• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• increased heart rate progresses to a dangerous heart rhythm disorder;
• elevated temperature;
• seizures;
• coma;
• death.

Important! Chocolate products contain varying amounts of cocoa, which affects the amount of theobromine contained in these products. Unsweetened baking chocolate contains the most theobromine, followed by dark chocolate, milk chocolate last, and white chocolate.

If you think about whether cats can have chocolate, you should calculate the dosage. The lethal dose is calculated based on the cat’s body weight and the amount of theobromine in the product that was eaten.

Chocolate does a lot of harm to pets

Reasons why not

Constant consumption of sweets causes diarrhea, lethargy, refusal to eat, vomiting, and stomach upset in pets. Sugary snacks are especially dangerous for aging and chronically ill animals, kittens and pregnant cats. Even a slight taste of sugar in a weakened animal's body can cause hair loss, itching, blurred vision, mouth disease, aggression or panic, tooth loss and a weakened immune system.

Too many sweets when feeding causes thinning of the capillaries, deterioration of the pancreas, adrenal dysfunction, a significant decrease in the digestibility of proteins by the body, early cell death, which subsequently leads to rapid aging.

Important! Eating sweets increases the risk of pancreatitis.

Sweets should be prohibited in a cat's diet

Is it possible to give sugar?

Technically, yes. Sugar is not poisonous to cats in small doses. However, it is considered a food that may be harmful to health in the long term. Added sugar should be kept to a minimum in a cat's diet.

Most adult cats only need a couple hundred calories a day, which means empty calories like sugar can add up very quickly. Feeding cats table sugar on a regular basis tends to promote obesity, which in turn leads to other health problems.

Sugar in large doses can be poisonous to cats

Do cats smell sweets?

Do cats taste sweets? Pets do not taste sweets. This can be explained by the fact that cats' DNA lacks the Tas1r2 gene, which is responsible for the sensation of sweetness. Due to this, the pet cannot control the amount of sugar entering its body, which can lead to poisoning.

Important! Artificial sweeteners seem bitter to cats, so they refuse such food. It becomes quite clear why cats can’t have sweets.

Salt or pepper - what tastes do cats taste?

It turns out that they feel it, although not as keenly as people do. For example: owners have nine thousand taste buds, while pets have less than five hundred. At the same time, there is an opinion that the palette of taste sensations in cats is richer than in humans. Thus, they feel much better the so-called meat taste, or “umami”, for which the receptor of the same name is responsible - this helps them distinguish between types of meat, its fat content and the freshness of the product.

Umami receptor

The umami receptor recognizes glutamic acid salts in food, which are found in any animal protein and are a natural substance synthesized in the body. But this receptor is very easy to deceive if a salt of glutamic acid, known as monosodium glutamate, is added to food in its pure form.

Food with it will seem tastier and richer to the cat, even if there is no meat in it at all. By the way, monosodium glutamate has the same effect on humans, since we also have an umami receptor.

Taste of water and salt

But only cats have special receptors that help them distinguish the taste of water. That is why many animals prefer a stream from a tap to water from a bowl - the life-giving moisture does not stagnate there.

Can cats taste bitter? Yes, and I must say, they categorically do not like it, because their sensitivity to bitterness is higher than that of many other mammals.

But cats like salty food, although they feel the taste somewhat weaker. Some even advise adding salt to the water for pets who are at risk of dehydration to encourage them to drink more. However, in this matter it is important not to overdo it, or rather, not to overdo it.

Sour things also attract tailed ones - most cats respect both kefir and sour cream. Only a large amount of acid is harmful to the cat’s health - owners need to remember this.

What about the sweet taste?

Whether cats feel sweet taste is a question so controversial that a whole group of American researchers from the Monel Center for Chemical Senses was looking for the answer. Scientists have come to the conclusion that cats do not have sweet taste receptors - not only in domestic cats, but also in their wild counterparts.

Reasons why cats desire chocolate

It is very unusual to see a situation where a cat eats sweets. If this happens, it may be due to several reasons:

• nutritional deficiency of substances;
• health problems;
• genetic predisposition;
• environmental factors;
• compulsive disorder.

Some cats prefer sweets because of the smell.

Healthy vitamins in chocolate

There are no beneficial vitamins for pets in chocolate. The only need may arise when the animal is experiencing a calorie deficit. This is where chocolate comes to the rescue. Instinctively, the pet feels that it needs additional calories (for example, when it is active), and eats sweets.

Before giving chocolate to your cat, you should consider certain rules:

• calculate the safe amount of chocolate;
• a dangerous dose is considered to be 20 mg of theobromine per 0.5 kg of weight;
• Give chocolate rarely;
• At the same time, you should drink water.

Important! If your pet loves chocolate, you should give him white as it is the safest option for his health.

Nice smell

Cats love delicious smells. Everyone has their own preferences in smell. Some of them love the smell of chocolate, which can make them want to eat it.

List of sweets that should not be given to cats

There is a certain list of products that are strictly prohibited for cats:

• sweets containing sugar substitute: xylitol;
• chocolate. The explanation for why cats can't eat chocolate is that it contains a lot of theobromine;
• ice cream;
• condensed milk;
• fermented milk products with sweeteners and artificial additives.

Sugar in dairy products is very harmful

List of products that you can eat a little at a time

A list of products has been established that an animal can consume in small doses. They contain natural fructose (glucose):

• apples contain many minerals, vitamins and fiber;
• pears also contain minerals, vitamins and fiber;
• Apricots and plums are recommended to be consumed in small quantities;
• melons are used with caution;
• figs, dates, dried apricots;
• raspberries, blackberries, blueberries in the absence of allergies.

The owner decides which option is best for the pet.

Options for replacing sweets

The best substitute for sweets for your pet is natural fruits and vegetables. They contain fructose, glucose and are a source of large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are very beneficial for the animal.

Important! In pet stores you can buy specially made sweet cookies for cats. It is enriched with vitamins A, E, D3. Made without GMOs, preservatives and dyes.

You can please your pet by purchasing a special packaged pudding in the form of a dairy product.

The most important sugar substitute may be honey. But you need to be especially careful with it, as it causes allergic reactions. Literally a drop of honey is added to cat food, which adds sweetness to the product and is not harmful to health.

There are many natural sugar substitutes for pets

You can replace sweets with the following crops:

Important! Seeds, nuts, almonds, and sesame have a certain sweetness after processing.

Giving your cat sugar will not poison it, but it can cause many long-term health problems. Sugar is a waste food that contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. It should be excluded from the pet’s diet or replaced, if necessary, with natural products.

Cats were domesticated more than 10 thousand years ago. Since then, they have become man's favorite animal companions, helpers and friends. According to statistics, 58% of people have owned a cat at least once in their life. However, the majority do not know their pets at all and are not aware of how they hear, see, feel, what signs they give with their eyes and tail.

conclusions

“The results of our work will pleasantly please cats and their caring owners,” says study participant Jiang Peihua, “We were able to find out that cats can taste different types of bitter foods. This knowledge will help improve the composition of dry cat food and remove unnecessary ingredients from it.”

The results of the study showed that cats are absolutely indifferent to various sweets. The capriciousness in food in cats is explained by the presence of various receptors for the sensation of bitter taste on their tongue. Also, thanks to the results of the study, cat owners will be able to choose a diet that satisfies the demanding taste of their pet, and cat food manufacturers will improve the quality of their products.

Translation by O. V. Ryndina

Reasons for the popularity of cats

A century ago, cats were bred mainly to hunt mice and rats. Now, for this purpose, a cat is taken into the house only in 10% of cases. The main reason why people now decide to adopt a kitten is the opportunity to interact with the animal.

It is important for people that someone is waiting for them and meeting them, that they need them, that they show affection.

According to statistics, the main cat lovers are pensioners over 60 years of age (43%) and single women (36%).

Most pensioners keep cats at home

Interestingly, only 25% of cat owners preferred purebred and rare animals - in this case, when choosing an animal, cat owners are guided not only by the desire to find a friend, but also to confirm their status or start a business selling kittens.

Interesting facts about cats and cats

Pet owners tend to humanize their pets, and this is their big mistake. Domestic cats, despite their long history of living side by side with people, have not lost their special animal habits. They do everything differently, and even hear, see and taste differently than you and I.

The difference between how a person and a cat sees the world around them is obvious

Taste perception

People have 9 thousand receptors on their tongue, but cats have only 473. Our meowing friends distinguish tastes, but their palette will not be as bright as ours, without the ability to distinguish taste “halftones” (for an animal there will be several variations of hot or sour united). The only taste that a cat does not feel at all is sweet. Any sugary dessert for a cat will be tasteless.

A cat may try sweets, but not because of the taste, but because of curiosity or an interesting smell for them

They have little discernment of salty taste, so they will easily eat a very salty dish, and this is unsafe. But cats secrete bitterness better than us - this is a protective mechanism that protects the animal from possible poisoning.

Do cats sweat?

Cats have 10 times fewer sebaceous glands than humans, so they sweat very little. This is due to the fact that cats rarely run for a long time (in their nature they lie in wait for their prey, and do not catch up), moreover, the copious secretion of odorous sweat would prevent them from hunting. If cats need to lower their temperature, they try to lie on a cold surface, use changes in the frequency and depth of breathing, and wet their fur with saliva, which will increase heat transfer.

Research on taste buds in animals

Researchers have proven that our domestic cats cannot taste the sweet tastes of different foods. Although cats nominally have sweet receptors on their tongues, they have lost their function as a result of a mutation in the T1R2 gene. Scientists believe this happened because cats primarily eat meat. Wild cats also do not sense sweet tastes: cheetahs, lions, spotted hyenas, tigers. Also, seals and sea lions do not taste sweets on their tongues. But cats and other carnivorous animals are able to distinguish among themselves other tastes: sour, salty, bitter and umami.

Monosodium glutamate provides the umami taste sensation. This substance is found in pork, beef, chicken and other products. As many as 12 genes were found in domestic purrs that are responsible for the functioning of bitter taste receptors. Scientists decided to test the reaction of these genes to bitter substances. To do this, they transplanted these genes into artificially grown cells. The experiment showed that at least seven genes are responsible for the perception of bitter taste in cats. Unfortunately, scientists did not have enough artificially grown cells to test the operation of the remaining five genes.

Peculiarities of bitter taste perception

The researchers then compared the perception of bitterness in cats and cats with other carnivores, as well as omnivores and herbivores. 15 receptors were found in dogs, 14 in ferrets and 13 in polar bears. And the herbivorous giant panda has slightly more bitter taste receptors on its tongue than domestic whiskers, namely 16. This part of the study clearly showed that the sensation of bitterness has nothing to do with the amount of plant food the animals eat.

Feedback from cat owners

My cats are fans of hiding. They choose not only boxes, but also all small spaces. We hold the shelves in our closets in special esteem - in the morning I often find someone’s fluffy tails or ears sticking out of a stack of clothes. I think this is due to the instinct of self-preservation - in nature, cats rarely sleep just on the road, but look for some secluded places.

Pitchezz https://mainecoon-forum.ru/archive/index.php/t-20953.html

I have always dreamed of a snow-white cat. I started it, but she turned out to be deaf in both ears. My observations: 1) deaf cats scream very loudly; 2) they have a manic passion for cleanliness, for example, it takes 1.5 hours to bury the tray with a terrible roar; 3) a deaf cat hides all the time or climbs up, trying to lie with her back to the wall - it’s clear that she doesn’t hear footsteps and is afraid that someone will sneak up on her unnoticed. And deaf cats not only love their owners, they are dependent on us, which they value very much.

Katarina1619 https://pikabu.ru/story/glukhaya_koshka_i_kak_ee_vospityivat_5297034

There are features that are common to all representatives of the cat world. And you need to know these features of the behavior and attitude of pets, then you can try to understand your cat and become true friends.