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…
Go beyond reading about wild cats
The Felid Wiki is free for everyone, always. Chasing Cats Club members also get monthly live talks with researchers, self-paced fieldcraft courses, and AMAs with working wildlife photographers — the skills to find and photograph these cats yourself.
Explore membership · from $15/month