Research overview: the genomic basis of hypercarnivory in cats

Cats are obligate carnivores, physiologically dependent on a meat diet, and comparative genomics has uncovered the molecular underpinnings of this specialization. This overview surveys findings that feline genomes are enriched for genes supporting protein and fat metabolism, fast-twitch muscle performance, and acute predatory senses, while showing losses or reductions in genes for digesting carbohydrates and synthesizing nutrients that meat supplies. It discusses the inactivation of sweet-taste perception, the dietary requirement for taurine and preformed vitamin A, and how these genomic signatures, shared across the cat family from house cats to tigers, reflect tens of millions of years of evolution toward strict carnivory.