Have you eaten cat food? Seriously.

[Amethyst]

Then, why were mine so crazy about ice cream? They were just OK about milk, so the answer wasn't "because ice cream has milk in it."

I heard they cannot taste sweet. That is utterly tragic.

 

[tmm99]

Then, why were mine so crazy about ice cream? They were just OK about milk, so the answer wasn't "because ice cream has milk in it."

Interesting...I have no idea why your cats are crazy about ice cream while not crazy about milk. I was watching Cats from Hell and they give quizzes and one of them was about what taste cats cannot taste and the answer was sweet (if I remember it correctly.)

I just google it to make sure and there are lots of articles about cats having no sweet taste buds.

It has been known for a while (2005) that all cat species lack a functional Tas1R2 protein, one part of the sweet receptor (other part is Tas1R3). Cats happen to be obligate carnivores – they only eat meat – so they don’t need to crave carbohydrates – they get enough from metabolizing the compounds in the meat.

 

[Sasset]

I interviewed at Hills Science Diet plant years ago. They had a taste panel set-up that they said they tested everyday for quality, so I guess that brand is ok for humans?

I never worked there, so never tried it

 

[tmm99]

I interviewed at Hills Science Diet plant years ago. They had a taste panel set-up that they said they tested everyday for quality..

WOW. Really? A human taste panel?

 

[mpeirce]

I just google it to make sure and there are lots of articles about cats having no sweet taste buds.

It makes sense. Think about what cats eat in the wild - not much in the way of sweet there. So why bother with sweet taste buds.

 

[Texas Proud]

Non-catfood tuna is really awful to feed cats as anything more than an occasional treat. Besides the fact that it is lacking in essential nutrients, it can cause serious health issues:

Tuna doesn’t have adequate amounts of vitamin E and this may lead to a condition called steatitis (also known as yellow fat disease). Tuna has a very strong taste and smell so many cats can become addicted to it. Veterinarians refer to them as “tuna junkies.” The problem can be serious because these tuna junkies may refuse to eat anything else. The other problem with a steady diet of tuna is that there’s a risk of mercury poisoning.

But as far as the OP's question, I ate dry catfood when I was 6 years old. I remember thinking my cat was crazy because it tasted really gross.

It is interesting that one of my cats will NOT eat any human tuna at all...

The other one might eat a small amount, but what she wants is the water it is packed with....

 

[zedd]

I doubt you would get sick. However, I am sure the pet food is not made from the prime cuts, it is all the leftovers and organs. Not so appetizing to me.

<shrug> Sounds like the recipe for bologna

 

[Fermion]

Looked at a Wiki and IAMS was not listed... are you sure they were part of the problem?

Yes, it was the IAMS wet food in the little foil pouches that was contaminated with the melamine. We also fed them IAMS dry food (which was not contaminated to my knowledge). My wife was even more upset because she felt she had personally poisoned our cats (2 and 4 years old) by feeding them the wet food even as they were starting to seem ill (she thought it would cheer them up).

Didn't mean to divert the original topic. It has been a long time now but we have not been able to have cats since.

 

[redduck]

I tried a taste of it once, and now know why cats lick their genitals. It's to take away the taste of the cat food.

And, you know this how?

 

[misshathaway]

All the major American companies use human tasters. I read this book on animal behavior "Zoobiquity: What Animals Can Teach Us About Health and the Science of Healing", which was really interesting. They test the food on expert human tasters so the tasters can identify little taste nuances with the ingredients they put in to get them. The animals can only tell the company in general whether they will eat it or not, but not WHAT makes it tasty. Also the smell and look of the food is for the human feeder, not the pet. The smell --- LOL --- I hold my nose every day when I spoon that stuff out.

The book said the same thing about cats not tasting sweet.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

This is really too far out for me.

I remember a 60 Minutes where an industry spokesman told us that mice were the perfect food for cats. Our cats loved mice and birds and would present us with rats with great pride.

I have also seen feral cats ignore hot dogs. Maybe I should, too.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[unclemick]

Seriously, no.

There are reasons why canned cat food is labeled "not for human consumption". Or at least it was 50 years ago, the last time I had a cat.

I don't know what those reasons are but I'm not planning to be a test case.

NO! Yesterday took our 'rescue cat' to the vet - his liver infection has cleared up so now he loves really grotty looking and smelling K/D Science Diet cans of fish food.

In honor of my wife's impending contemplation of starting a 'Weight Watcher's' type diet , I bought some Mirlitons and made some Stuffed Mirlitons with Buffalo instead of shrimp. Of course I used the holy trinity, Tonys, Panko, and egg white.

heh heh heh - The cat stuff smells/looks so bad I dread to open the can.

 

[modhatter]

Well, I guess I'm the odd one out. Not having cats, but lots of dogs, I have to say I have sampled a taste or two out of curiosity. After all, if your feeding it to you best friend, you want to make sure it's good.

 

[Totoro]

Anybody ever tried just a little bit of cat food? Would it make one sick? Is it supposed to be food grade for humans? It is canned so I'm sure it's pasteurized... Would it hurt to have a tiny little 1/2 teaspoon bite and spit it out?

Have tried it a long time ago. Tastes like paté indeed, a bit coarser in texture. If I remember correctly the brand was Whiskas. Not bad but not tasty enough to eat the whole can.

It is not dangerous for humans. In fact most pet foods get tested by humans.

Cat food smells so strong because they have a rather poor sense of smell I've been told.

Your mileage may vary ...

 

[LauAnn]

I always thought cats had a tremendous sense of smell. I had a cat that could be in another room when I used a can opener to crack the seal on a can of tuna. That cat appeared by my feet in under two seconds thinking it was for him. It was uncanny how he knew.

 

[Marita40]

LauAnn, that's a common occurrence. Despite still being semi-feral, cats have radar for the can opener. Mine appear immediately no matter what can is being opened. More often than not it is tomato paste or the like; I left them sniff it and the crestfallen look on their faces is precious.

 

[zedd]

This is really too far out for me.

I remember a 60 Minutes where an industry spokesman told us that mice were the perfect food for cats. Our cats loved mice and birds and would present us with rats with great pride.

I have also seen feral cats ignore hot dogs. Maybe I should, too.

I remember a TV special about an Indian ethic group, perhaps cast is the correct distinction, that ate rats. Grain-fed rats.

Yummo? Oh I don't know. It would depend on the sauce.

 

[HFWR]

I remember a TV special about an Indian ethic group, perhaps cast is the correct distinction, that ate rats. Grain-fed rats.

Yummo? Oh I don't know. It would depend on the sauce.

Ratatouille?

 

[tmm99]

I remember a TV special about an Indian ethic group, perhaps cast is the correct distinction, that ate rats. Grain-fed rats.

Yummo? Oh I don't know. It would depend on the sauce.

I have eaten a guinea pig in a nice restaurant in Peru once. Although called a pig, guinea pigs are rodents and they look like rats. I've been told they eat a lot of guinea pigs in Peru, so I am sure they are being farmed just like chickens. It tasted like chicken meat to me. It was served split in half... Kind of like this....

 

[zedd]

I have eaten a guinea pig in a nice restaurant in Peru once. Although called a pig, guinea pigs are rodents and they look like rats. I've been told they eat a lot of guinea pigs in Peru, so I am sure they are being farmed just like chickens. It tasted like chicken meat to me. It was served split in half... Kind of like this....

Hmmm. Served sans sauce?

 

[tmm99]

Hmmm. Served sans sauce?

No, no sauce. I'm sure it was seasoned though...

 

[travelover]

......... I've been told they eat a lot of guinea pigs in Peru, so I am sure they are being farmed just like chickens.

On a trip to Peru we visited a village and were allowed to view inside a typical rural home. I asked why the high door sill and they pointed out that the guinea pigs were running loose in the house.

 

[Music Lover]

I tried a taste of it once, and now know why cats lick their genitals. It's to take away the taste of the cat food.

I used to have a cat, but I have no idea what cat food or cat genitals taste like...

 

[travelover]

I used to have a cat, but I have no idea what ......... cat genitals taste like...

Probably depends on how they are cooked.

 

[FUEGO]

I ate some solid cat treats one night back in high school. At a friends house, probably intoxicated to some degree. I remember it not tasting as good as the package claimed it would. It also didn't leave my teeth shiny and sparkling nor was my breath clean and refreshing. It just tasted like a gross fish-flavored cracker with a metallic after taste (vitamins perhaps??).

Never been tempted to try the wet cat food. The smell. It's also about the same price as canned tuna so no reason to skimp in that regard (but makes me wonder what's in canned tuna... ).