A Beautiful Day
The little cat, Duoduo, had lost weight.
“You’re too picky with food. I’m different—I think everything tastes good,” said Xiaoguai, the golden retriever, while happily munching on a delicious cake.
“That’s not true! Our little owner always prepares food you like but never considers my tastes,” Duoduo angrily retorted as she ran off.
Duoduo ran back to her little bed but felt more and more upset. She decided to confront the little owner. Since it was Saturday, the little owner didn’t have school. He wasn’t in his room, so he was probably outside in the garden. Without delay, Duoduo immediately ran towards the garden.
It was a sunny summer morning, with a gentle breeze, and crickets were singing in the grass. Duoduo wandered around the garden and finally found the little boy tending to the flowers. The roses, lovingly cared for by the boy, emitted a fragrant aroma, and the dewdrops on the petals made the flowers appear even more delicate and elegant in the sunlight.
“Meow—” Duoduo ran to the boy and rubbed against his leg.
“Oh, it’s Duoduo! Did you come to find me?” The little boy put down his watering can and crouched down to pet Duoduo’s head.
Under his soothing touch, Duoduo felt some of her grievances melt away. She hesitated for a moment, but then firmly voiced her thoughts, whispering, “Little owner, I think you’re being a bit unfair.”
“Unfair? What happened? Did Xiaoguai bully you?” the little boy asked curiously.
Duoduo, with a hint of complaint in her voice, said, “No, it’s not that! What I mean is, whenever you prepare food for Xiaoguai and me, you only consider his preferences and never think about mine. Do you not like me anymore?”
The little boy opened his mouth in surprise. “You don’t like the food I prepare? Today I made you both my favorite cake. Duoduo, don’t you like it?”
Duoduo sighed. “Little owner, do you know? A cat’s sense of taste is different from a human’s. Human tongues have taste receptors—taste buds—that allow them to experience various flavors. Humans have about 9,000 taste buds, dogs have around 1,700, but cats only have 800. So, I usually smell the food before tasting it. Also, cats have a natural defect—we don’t have ‘sweet receptors,’ so we can’t detect sweetness. That’s why, unlike Xiaoguai, I can’t taste the sweetness of cake, and I don’t find it delicious!”
The little boy suddenly understood. “Oh, I see! I’m so sorry, Duoduo. I’ll definitely pay attention from now on.”
At that moment, a shadow flashed by, startling Duoduo, who quickly hid behind the boy. The little boy took a closer look and saw it was Xiaoguai. “What are you two talking about so intently? I came over, and you didn’t even notice,” Xiaoguai asked curiously.
“We were talking about cake!” The little boy petted Xiaoguai’s head. “I just learned today that Duoduo can’t taste sweetness, so the sweet treats we enjoy aren’t appealing to her. If Duoduo hadn’t told me, I’d never have known. Now I’m feeling a mix of emotions!”
Xiaoguai asked, “Five tastes? Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and…?”
Duoduo shook her head and explained, “Spiciness is detected by the tongue, but it’s not a taste—it’s a sensation triggered by irritants in food that cause pain. That’s why, when you touch chili peppers, your hands can feel hot and tingly. It’s the same principle.”
Hearing this, the little boy patted Duoduo’s head again. “Duoduo, you’re so smart! How do you know so much? Xiaoguai and I should really learn from you. To make it up to you, and to reward you, I’m going to treat you both to a feast! Duoduo, Xiaoguai, tell me—what’s your favorite food?”
“Fish snacks!”
“Meaty bones!”
“So, you both prefer meat!” The little boy laughed heartily. “Actually, I love eating meat too! Haha!” The three of them burst into laughter, their joyful sounds filling the garden.
The little boy sent Duoduo and Xiaoguai back to the house, then dashed off. After a short while, he returned carrying a big bag. He called Duoduo and Xiaoguai over and pulled out fish snacks for Duoduo and meaty bones for Xiaoguai. Of course, he also had fried chicken for himself.
“Let’s dig in!” the little boy said with a smile, and the three of them happily enjoyed their feast together.
What a beautiful day!
