Why Cats Are More Fussy Eaters than Dogs

Posted by Nabin Shaw on December 30th, 2019

Anyone who’s owned a cat and a dog, whether at the same time or at different times in their life, will know that cats are very fussy eaters, especially when compared with dogs. But are there reasons for this? While your dog will eat every scrap of food within reach, finding a food that your cat will consistently be happy to consume is often one of your most difficult tasks in life, find out more below.

It’s in the Genes

New research has found that the gene that makes it possible for vegetarian animals to pick up on dangerous toxins are possessed by cats too. This means that they’re able to taste things that other animals won’t necessary taste. And it’s believed that these genes are the reason why cats tend to be quite fussy when it comes to the food they eat.

Bitter tastes tell cats that the thing they’re tasting is potentially dangerous to them. Humans also have the ability to taste bitterness in plants that contain certain toxins. It’s essentially one of the body’s defense mechanisms and it’s actually very intelligent. As animals evolve, so do their taste buds to help them avoid certain dangerous toxins.

How Cats and Dogs Differ

So, why does this make cats and dogs different when it comes to their eating habits and their fussiness? It’s true that dogs can also detect toxins via bitter tastes, and this was discovered during the same research. However, it’s not quite the same as in cats. Cats have a stronger ability to detect these bitter tastes and can detect a wider range of them.

Cats’ taste receptors are particularly receptive to bitter tastes. That’s why something that might taste boring or bland to a dog or even a human might taste bitter and completely unappetizing to cats. As a result, there are things cats will refuse to eat and it’s likely down to their taste buds.

Finding the Right Food for Your Pets

If you’ve reached this page because you’re the owner of a fussy pet, you’re probably wondering what you should do about that. There’s not necessarily an easy answer to that question, but trial and error tends to be the best approach to take. You need to try different foods until you find the balance between good nutrition and an option your cat enjoys.

There are plenty of pet food uk companies that offer a range of high-quality foods for your pet to try. If you keep searching, you’ll find a healthy and suitable option that your dog will be happy to eat sooner or later.

So, it seems that the reason for cats fussiness when it comes to food is their taste buds. It’s believed they’re able to detect a wider range of bitter tastes, making them much more wary of the things they consume. Dogs, on the other hand, aren’t as receptive to bitter tastes that might suggest danger, so they’ll eat whatever’s on offer.