Research library
🧬 The Felid Wiki — 3,000 research summaries
AI-curated summaries for the pride’s library — verify citations independently before citing.
4 summaries in Sensory Biology on tiger
Major taste loss in carnivorous mammals
PaperThis comparative study examined taste-receptor genes across a range of carnivorous mammals and found widespread loss of taste capabilities tied to diet. Building on the earlier discovery that cats lac…
Peihua Jiang, Jesusa Josue, Xia Li, et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2012
Pseudogenization of a sweet-receptor gene accounts for cats' indifference to sugar
PaperThis landmark genetic study explained the long-noted fact that cats show little interest in sweet foods. The researchers found that cats carry a defective, non-functional version of Tas1r2, one of the…
Xia Li, Weihua Li, Hong Wang, et al. · PLoS Genetics · 2005
Research overview: iridoid responses in big cats and wild felids
OverviewThe response to catnip and related iridoids is not unique to domestic cats; various wild felids also react. This overview surveys reports that some big cats, such as lions and others, show interest in…
Research overview: why big cats have round pupils and small cats have slits
OverviewAlthough domestic cats have vertical-slit pupils, large felids such as lions and tigers have round pupils, a contrast that has attracted scientific attention. This overview surveys the explanation tie…