Age-specific cat food accounts for changing tastes across life stages

Cat owners are becoming more interested in understanding how flavor preferences change throughout a cat’s life.

May 5, 2025

Cats Kittens

MVolodymyr | BigStock.com

As cat ownership rises globally, cat owners are becoming more interested in understanding how flavor preferences change throughout a cat’s life, making this an important factor in developing successful pet food products.

Research presented by Ana Rita Monforte, Ph.D., flavor and data manager at AFB International, at Petfood Forum 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., reveals that age-specific nutrition stands out as the leading factor influencing pet owner purchasing decisions. According to Monforte, 22% of dog and cat owners are influenced by products customized for their pet’s age, and half of respondents reported purchasing pet food tailored to their pet’s age within the past year.

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