Most people end up here for the same reason: a cat turns its nose up at dinner, ignores a new brand, or suddenly refuses a food it ate yesterday. It can look like fussiness, but a cat’s “taste” is really a blend of taste-bud chemistry, a powerful nose, and a strong sensitivity to texture.
Cats don’t taste food the way humans do. They have far fewer taste buds, they can’t taste sweetness, and much of what they “taste” arrives through smell and mouthfeel. Understanding that makes everyday feeding decisions simpler—and can help you spot when pickiness is normal and when it’s a quiet hint that something isn’t right.
The science of a cat’s sense of taste
A cat’s tongue carries only a few hundred taste buds—often quoted at around 470—compared with thousands in people. Fewer taste buds doesn’t mean cats don’t care about food; it means their priorities are different, and smell does more of the heavy lifting. 1
Cats still detect several core taste qualities (including salty, sour, and bitter), but their taste system is tuned for an obligate carnivore. One important pathway is “umami”, which helps animals recognise savoury, meat-like cues. In cats, the umami receptor (Tas1r1–Tas1r3) responds strongly to certain nucleotides, and amino acids can amplify that signal when paired with a nucleotide—an elegant fit for a meat-based diet. 2
Cats can’t taste sweet—and that’s normal
If your cat ignores sugary foods, it isn’t being contrary. Domestic cats (and other felids) have a broken sweet-receptor gene (Tas1r2), so the usual sweet receptor can’t form properly. In plain terms: sweetness isn’t a flavour they can reliably perceive. 3, 4
When cats seem interested in foods like ice cream, it’s usually the fat, the aroma, the temperature, or the texture drawing them in—not the sugar itself. 5
Smell does most of the “tasting”
For cats, aroma is often the deciding factor. They have vastly more odour-sensing cells than humans, and many sources estimate their sense of smell at roughly 9–16 times stronger than ours. That advantage helps them assess food before it touches the tongue. 6, 7
This is why warmed wet food (which releases more aroma) can suddenly become “acceptable”, and why a slightly stale bowl can be ignored even though it looks fine to you.
Pheromones aren’t in the food—cats detect chemical signals around it
The original draft suggested cats “detect pheromones in their food” and are therefore drawn to certain brands. Pheromones are chemical signals animals produce and detect, mostly for communication. Cats do detect pheromones using a special structure called the vomeronasal organ (VNO), sometimes noticed when they make a Flehmen face (lips parted, mouth slightly open). 8
But pheromones are not a standard feature of commercial cat food. What varies between foods is aroma (from fats, proteins, and processing), texture, moisture, temperature, and how those cues combine for that individual cat.
Texture and moisture: the quiet deal-breakers
Many “picky” cats are responding to mouthfeel rather than flavour. Crunch size, gravy thickness, pâté smoothness, and how the food sticks to the teeth can all matter.
Moisture is also part of the appeal. Wet foods carry more aroma and water, which can help some cats eat more readily—especially cats that don’t drink much. If you’re mixing wet and dry, keep bowls clean and remove leftovers promptly so smells don’t turn sour.
Why cats reject food (common, non-dramatic reasons)
- The smell has changed: a different batch, a new storage container, food left out too long, or a fridge odour absorbed by uncovered wet food.
- The texture isn’t right: a reformulation, a different kibble size, or a switch from chunks to pâté.
- Stress and environment: a new pet, visitors, loud noise near the feeding area, or a bowl placed beside the litter tray.
- Learned aversion: if a cat felt unwell after eating something, it may avoid that smell/texture later (even if the food didn’t cause the illness).
Practical feeding approach (without turning dinner into a negotiation)
- Change foods slowly: blend the new food in over several days to reduce gut upset and sudden “this isn’t my food” rejection.
- Use aroma to your advantage: warm wet food slightly (not hot), or add a small spoon of warm water to lift the smell.
- Offer choice carefully: rotating a small set of tolerated textures can prevent rigid preferences, but constant novelty can also create fussiness in some cats.
- Keep the feeding spot calm: quiet corner, consistent routine, clean bowls.
When “picky” is a health flag
In cats, reduced appetite can move from “a bit off food” to a genuine problem quickly, especially in overweight cats. If your cat eats significantly less than normal, stops eating, or shows other changes (vomiting, diarrhoea, hiding, drooling, weight loss, bad breath), it’s worth checking in with a veterinarian.
Nutrition matters more than flavour
Even though taste and smell guide what a cat will accept, the food still needs to meet feline nutritional requirements. One well-known example is taurine: cats can’t make enough of it themselves, so it must be supplied in adequate amounts in the diet. 9
If you’re feeding a complete commercial diet, look for an “adult maintenance” or “growth” claim against a recognised standard, and be cautious about home-made diets unless they’re formulated with a veterinary nutritionist.
Final thoughts
Cats aren’t tiny connoisseurs judging dinner for novelty. Their world is built from scent, texture, and a taste system shaped for meat. They have relatively few taste buds, they can’t taste sweet, and they lean heavily on smell to decide what is safe and worth eating. 1, 3, 6
Once you treat food as a bundle of cues—aroma, moisture, temperature, mouthfeel—most “pickiness” becomes easier to interpret, and feeding becomes calmer for both cat and human.
References
- Taste preferences and diet palatability in cats (Curvetpet; cites Davis et al., 1979, and related studies)
- Umami taste perception and preferences of the domestic cat (Felis catus), an obligate carnivore (Chemical Senses, Oxford Academic)
- Pseudogenization of a sweet-receptor gene accounts for cats’ indifference toward sugar (Nature, 2005; PubMed)
- Why Cats Taste No Sweets (Scientific American)
- Why Cats Cannot Detect Sweet Tastes (Britannica video; Monell Chemical Senses Center explanation)
- Cat Senses: Smell (PAWS Chicago)
- How Much Better Is a Cat’s Smell Than a Human’s? (Biology Insights)
- What are Cat Pheromones and What Do They Do? (American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior)
- Cat Nutrition (Pet Food Institute; discusses essential amino acids and taurine)
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom