It’s true of both cats and humans: as they age, their senses of
smell and taste both become less acute. Many older adults lose their appetite because they just don’t derive as much pleasure from the taste of
food any more, and this is also true for older cats. For this reason cat food manufacturers produce foods especially for “senior cats,” foods with intensified smell and taste to appeal to the older pets.
The flip side of aging is that some cats eat enough but exercise little, resulting in obesity, so the manufacturers now offer “light” cat foods that promise all the nutritional value with fewer calories. (A more sensible alternative: simply feed the older cat less if the cat shows signs of getting chubby.)
