###### Abstract  
Olive extract (OE) has been used in human foods for its nutraceutical effects, making it a product of interest for pet food. However, OE's effect on palatability has not been examined. The study objective was to evaluate the palatability of dry cat foods with OE applied at differing inclusions within liquid or dry palatants. Twenty-seven volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for a potentially earthy or fruit-like flavor profile. Liquid palatants were formulated to supply 0 (control), 15, 30, 50, 75, and 150 ppm OE, and dry palatants were formulated to provide 0, 100, 200, 400, and 600 ppm OE when coated onto kibble. Palatability was evaluated using two-day, two-bowl testing of OE-containing versus control rations in adult cats (\(n=20\)) with two-tailed \(t\)-tests to determine if OE affected intake ratio (IR). The observed IR of rations with OE were 0.45 to 0.56. The only preference was the 200 ppm treatment (IR = 0.56; \(p=0.01\)) while the other OE rations were not different from the control (\(p\geq 0.05\)). These findings indicate that palatant formulations can supply kibble diets with up to 150 ppm OE for liquid and 600 ppm for dry applications without negatively impacting cat food palatability.  
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addition to cathip, anecdotal reports from veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists suggest that some cats readily consume olives, which may be offered in small amounts as treats in homes or veterinary clinics. Although olives do not specifically contain nepetalactone, they have several similar isoprenoid compounds that may contribute to cats' selection of them as an attractant [6].  
An internal study conducted in 2019 provided cat owners with various types of olives and olive oil to assess cats' willingness to approach and consume olive products in their home environment. To determine potential links between olive acceptance and cathip responsiveness, cats were initially screened for positive or negative responses to cathip oil, with 26 of 39 participants being identified as positive responders. While over 70% of the cats approached the olive products, 19% and 24% consumed olives and olive oil, respectively, with no patterns attributed to cathip responsiveness [7]. These results indicated that olive acceptance varied between supplementation forms (whole fruit versus oil), thus supporting the evaluation of other olive products as a flavor component in palatants for cat diets. Olive extract (OE) has been used to improve the nutritional content of human food but has been scarcely evaluated in pet food [8]. A recent publication showed no adverse effects based on hematological profiles when feeding an OE to senior cats at 1000 ppm; however, there was no data assessing the effects of OE on diet palatability [9]. As adequate food consumption is needed to obtain the benefits of bioactive plant compounds, palatability assessment is an important first step when developing new products for cat food. The purpose of this study was to determine feline preference and consumption of kibble diets coated with liquid or dry palatants containing various concentrations of a natural OE.