Senior cat losing appetite and smell?

A 10-year-old Domestic Shorthair losing interest in food is something worth taking seriously — and the smell connection is a really important clue. Cats rely on scent far more than taste to decide whether food is worth eating, so when that fades, appetite often follows. This is especially common in senior cats, who are also at the age where kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and dental pain start showing up. Any one of those could be making food less appealing too. Has your cat had a vet check recently, and do you know whether the appetite drop has been gradual or more sudden in the last few weeks?

That pattern — eating a little then walking away, gradual decline over months — really does point to smell being the main driver rather than nausea or pain. Six-month-old bloodwork is reasonably reassuring, though kidney values in particular can shift quickly in this age group, so it's worth a recheck if this continues. In the meantime, the most practical thing you can do is make the food itself more aromatic and intensely flavoured. What is she currently eating — wet food, dry, or a mix of both?

Warming is exactly the right instinct and the fact it helped at all confirms smell is the issue. The next step is upgrading the food itself to something with a much stronger natural scent and higher meat density. I'd point you toward Ziwi Peak wet cat food — it's made from 92% whole meat, organs, and bone with no fillers, and the smell when you open a pouch is noticeably more intense than standard wet foods. Cats with declining olfactory function tend to respond to it when they've gone off blander options. It's not cheap, but because the nutrition is so concentrated, portions are smaller than you'd expect. Start with one or two flavours — the mackerel and lamb versions tend to get the strongest responses — and serve it at room temperature or very slightly warmed. Does she have any known food sensitivities or ingredients you've had to avoid?

Either works, but given she's eating less overall, I'd use it as her main meal for now rather than a topper — you want every bite to count nutritionally. The high protein and moisture content is actually well-suited to senior cats, particularly for kidney support. If she eats it well you can keep it as her staple; if she responds but you want to manage cost, mixing it with her current wet food at roughly half and half is a reasonable middle ground and still gives you that aromatic pull. The key thing is to also book a vet recheck in the next few weeks if her intake doesn't improve — gradual appetite decline in a 10-year-old is worth monitoring even when bloods looked fine recently.

Good plan. Mackerel is the one I'd start with — it tends to be the most aromatic. Give it three or four days before drawing conclusions, and if she picks up again you'll know you've found something that works. Hope she's back to eating well very soon.