Life must be so vivid!
New research shows that cats can detect a far wider range of sensory information than we ever suspected. Not only can they see ultraviolet colors, they can also detect bitter flavors in food.
The cat's ability to taste (and be put off by) bitter flavors may account for why they can be such picky eaters when it comes to manufactured cat food. Many processed cat foods have vitamins and minerals added in, which could taste bitter and put off cats who are sensitive to the taste.
The discovery about bitter flavors throws into question the standard evolutionary biology answer to why humans can taste bitter. It has always been said that we can taste bitter because it helps protect us against eating toxic plants. However, cats, which are obligate carnivores, have no need for this kind of protection.
The cat's world is also a lot more colorful than ours. Research has determined that cats can see well into the ultraviolet spectrum, which means they can spot things which are hidden to us, including stripes on flowers, patterns on birds' wings, and splashes of urine - both from prey, and from other cats marking their territory.
No word yet on why cats are so fond of boxes, though.