Got a cat? Then you've probably faced the eternal feline mystery: why do they always leave a little food in the bowl, or take a couple of bites and walk away? It makes you wonder if your furry overlord is just being picky or plain sassy.
Well, Professor Masao Miyazaki from Iwate University's Faculty of Agriculture recently published some fascinating behavioral research, diving deep into the very question of "Why do cats leave food uneaten?"
The study found that when cats were fed the exact same food for every meal, their intake significantly dropped. But here's the kicker: introduce a new food, and their appetite bounced right back.
To dig deeper into this phenomenon, Professor Miyazaki designed a clever "double-layered food bowl." This ingenious contraption allowed the scent from the bottom layer to waft upwards, while the cats could only physically eat the food from the top layer. 
In the experiment, cats were divided into two groups. Both groups started with identical food in both layers of their double bowls. As expected, over time, both groups showed a gradual decline in food consumption.
Then came the twist: the "bottom layer food" for one group was secretly swapped out for a different type, changing the scent wafting up. Lo and behold, this group's appetite gradually recovered after sniffing the new aroma. 
Crucially, both groups were still eating the exact same food from the top layer. This result confirmed that simply changing the scent a cat perceives while eating, even without altering the actual food, can combat the "two bites and done" syndrome.
Professor Miyazaki explained that cats are naturally prone to "olfactory adaptation." Once they get used to a particular food's smell, even if their bellies aren't full, they lose interest. A fresh scent stimulus, however, can reignite their culinary curiosity.
This discovery could be a game-changer, especially for sick cats who are restricted to specific prescription diets due to health issues. Professor Miyazaki noted that if applied, this finding could potentially encourage these cats to eat simply by altering the scent they encounter.
So, next time your feline friend snubs their meal, try a little scent-sational trick! We're definitely looking forward to more of Professor Miyazaki's insights into the fascinating world of cat behavior!
via： テレビ岩手新聞