Food choices Quote by Mary Roach
![“The feline passion for pyrophosphates might explain the animal’s reputation as a picky eater. “We make [pet food] choices based on what we like,” says Reed, “and then when they don’t like it, we call them finicky.” There is no way to know or imagine what the taste of pyrophosphate is like for…” quote by Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2db/mary-roach-635_food-choices_the-feline-passion-for-pyrophosphates-mi_1356632.jpg)
““The feline passion for pyrophosphates might explain the animal’s reputation as a picky eater. “We make [pet food] choices based on what we like,” says Reed, “and then when they don’t like it, we call them finicky.” There is no way to know or imagine what the taste of pyrophosphate is like for cats. It’s like a cat trying to imagine the taste of sugar. Cats, unlike dogs and other omnivores, can’t taste sweetness. There’s no need, since the cat’s diet in the wild contains almost nothing in the way of carbohydrates (which include simple sugars). Either cats never had the gene for detecting sweet, or they lost it somewhere down the evolutionary road. Rodents,””
About This Quote
Source Book: Gulp: Adventures of a Food Scientist, Mary Roach, 2013
Cats lack sweet receptors, so they cannot taste sugar, making them seem picky when presented with sweet foods.
In simple terms: Cats can’t taste sweet, so they avoid sugary foods.
Key Takeaway
Consider cats’ natural diet when choosing pet food.
Themes
nutrition
evolution
animal behavior
Mood
curious
informative
scientific
Type
explanatory
educational
When to use this quote
- feeding pets
- product development
- vet nutrition
- consumer education
Key Concepts
gustation
dietary adaptation
evolutionary loss
Questions to Reflect On
- How does a cat’s lack of sweet taste affect its food preferences?
- What other sensory factors influence cat feeding?
A Different Perspective
Cats may still reject foods for texture or smell, not just taste.
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