taste...

Mary wrote:
(...)

We have no idea of what things taste like to them, look like to
them, or even smell like to them. Simple fact, no
"IMO" about it.

Well, not entirely. Given the structure of their physiology and
responses to stimuli (sensory receptors, projections to brain,
structure of brain, sensory thresholds, etc.) we can gain some idea of
what they perceive. For example, we know that the cat cannot see fine
detail (high spatial frequencies) as well as a human can, be they can
perceive less fine detail (low spatial frequencies) better than us. A
huge amount of work has taken place looking at how the cat's vision
works (yes, that's lots of drilling holes in cat skulls and sticking
electrodes into the grey matter, alas).

However, we'll probably never know what their perceptions 'mean' to
them.

Steve.

On 2005-02-22, Mary penned:

Meanwhile, just because the cat eats it does not mean it tastes great. You
eat stuff you don't think tastes great every day. We have no idea of what
things taste like to them, look like to them, or even smell like to them.
Simple fact, no "IMO" about it.

Mostly I eat stuff that tastes great to me. Maybe that's the problem =P

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Mary wrote:
(...)

Run into the scrapings from Satan's sausage often, do you?

Yes, literally. I was out for a run in the woods just t'other day when
lo! I found myself face first in the mud. I looked back, and what
should I see but Satan with sausage held aloft. Bugger had tripped me
up with his meaty stick. Again. Third time this week. I wish he was
vegetarian - but then I suppose he'd just shred me with his celery
instead.

Steve.

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2005-02-22, Mary penned:

Meanwhile, just because the cat eats it does not mean it tastes great. You
eat stuff you don't think tastes great every day. We have no idea of what
things taste like to them, look like to them, or even smell like to them.
Simple fact, no "IMO" about it.


Mostly I eat stuff that tastes great to me. Maybe that's the problem =P


That is *definitely* my problem. 100%

"Steve G" wrote in message
ups.com...

Mary wrote:
(...)

We have no idea of what things taste like to them, look like to
them, or even smell like to them. Simple fact, no
"IMO" about it.

Well, not entirely. Given the structure of their physiology and
responses to stimuli (sensory receptors, projections to brain,
structure of brain, sensory thresholds, etc.) we can gain some idea of
what they perceive. For example, we know that the cat cannot see fine
detail (high spatial frequencies) as well as a human can, be they can
perceive less fine detail (low spatial frequencies) better than us.

I've heard this, too, & personally fins that I doubt it. Because... how
come my cats can see an itsy-bitsy insect, way, way up on a wall - from
perhaps 10 - 15 feet away, that I can't notice till I get within 3 - 5 feet
of it? Can't just be the motion thing, considering the teensiness factor...

Cathy


A
huge amount of work has taken place looking at how the cat's vision
works (yes, that's lots of drilling holes in cat skulls and sticking
electrodes into the grey matter, alas).

However, we'll probably never know what their perceptions 'mean' to
them.

Steve.

"kitkat" wrote in message
om...
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2005-02-22, Mary penned:

Meanwhile, just because the cat eats it does not mean it tastes great.
You
eat stuff you don't think tastes great every day. We have no idea of
what
things taste like to them, look like to them, or even smell like to
them.
Simple fact, no "IMO" about it.


Mostly I eat stuff that tastes great to me. Maybe that's the problem =P


That is *definitely* my problem. 100%

Yeah, I know lima beans are good for me, but somehow they never even make it
into my grocery cart, much less into my mouth!

Cathy

On 2005-02-22, Steve G penned:

Mary wrote: (...)

Run into the scrapings from Satan's sausage often, do you?

Yes, literally. I was out for a run in the woods just t'other day when lo! I
found myself face first in the mud. I looked back, and what should I see but
Satan with sausage held aloft. Bugger had tripped me up with his meaty
stick. Again. Third time this week. I wish he was vegetarian - but then I
suppose he'd just shred me with his celery instead.

Steve.

Phew! Apparently "satan's sausage" has a much more innocuous meaning than I'd
first, er, envisioned.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Mary wrote:
"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...

"Mary" wrote in message
news:1109029800.a8c47e7f6b7add5804a2ed66c287a41d @teranews...

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...

"Mary" wrote in message
news:1109024922.e6836d289166a9c2ee4d34cdef0b62 c3@teranews...

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...

"Joe Canuck" wrote in message
...

Just brought another bag of Science Diet home and noticed this

text

"...great taste..." on the bag.

How are we to know it tastes great?

Has anyone here ever been so brave as to taste the stuff?

If so, did it taste great?

Do you think your cat will agree with your assessement of the

taste?

Not necessarily (depends, after all - some cats love human food &

some

don't), but then I have to assume that the "great taste" is in

light

of

a

cat's idea of taste, not necessarily a human's...

How would a human ever know that? Think about it.

Know it, to a human, or to a cat?

You said "the great taste is in light of a cat's idea of taste... "

Yeah, well.. I think it's pretty obvious that the cat food company doesn't
expect the humans who are buying the food to think it tastes delicious!
Just a marketing strategy.


No human has any clue of what that is.

As I explained: if one's cat gobbles it up, one has to _assume_ that it
tastes gfreat to the cat, but if not, then...

Jeez, IMO this is a weird thing to debate/argue about!



You use the word "weird" as if that is a bad thing.

Meanwhile, just because the cat eats it does not mean it
tastes great. You eat stuff you don't think tastes great every day.


I don't go out of my way to eat bad tasting food, on the other hand I
will go out of my way to eat great tasting food.

Hence the reason for "great taste" being plastered on the bag, an appeal
to the human to be good to our pet.


We have no idea of what things taste like to them, look like to
them, or even smell like to them. Simple fact, no
"IMO" about it.

"Joe Canuck" wrote
I don't go out of my way to eat bad tasting food, on the other hand I
will go out of my way to eat great tasting food.

Hence the reason for "great taste" being plastered on the bag, an appeal
to the human to be good to our pet.


And I bet it works, too, though we have no idea what tastes great to them.

"Steve G" wrote in message
ups.com...

Mary wrote:
(...)

We have no idea of what things taste like to them, look like to
them, or even smell like to them. Simple fact, no
"IMO" about it.

Well, not entirely. Given the structure of their physiology and
responses to stimuli (sensory receptors, projections to brain,
structure of brain, sensory thresholds, etc.) we can gain some idea of
what they perceive. For example, we know that the cat cannot see fine
detail (high spatial frequencies) as well as a human can, be they can
perceive less fine detail (low spatial frequencies) better than us. A
huge amount of work has taken place looking at how the cat's vision
works (yes, that's lots of drilling holes in cat skulls and sticking
electrodes into the grey matter, alas).

However, we'll probably never know what their perceptions 'mean' to
them.



Agreed. We can have "some idea" but we can never know.