Like most cat parents, you want more for your cats today. You want your cats to thrive, not just survive, from better environments (such as cat rooms and cat walks) to constant nutritional advancements that target specific feline health conditions.
Many cat food manufacturers are aware of this and produce foods that prevent and/or target such conditions as diabetes, urinary tract disease, osteoarthritis, sensitive stomachs, obesity and chronic hairballs.
Potentially more intriguing is the future application of genomics to pet food products. Human research has identified certain genes that signal whether antioxidants will be effective in deterring heart disease, for example, in individuals who have that gene. Similar work is now being done with dogs. The upshot is that sometime in the future, pet owners will be able to get a thorough genetic analysis of their pet and will buy products customized to optimize the genetic potential of that individual animal. For example, a cat with a predisposition toward obesity could be steered toward a weight control diet and exercise plan.
In addition to condition targeting diets, there are cat foods for all ages - kitten, adult and senior. There are cat foods that focus on the cat's fur for a healthy, beautiful and glowing coat. Some cat foods now focus on heart health and boosting immune systems. Some focus on the needs of cats that live indoors. For whatever your cat's needs, there may be a cat food specially formulated to meet them.
The more educated you become about what's available, the better the quality of life you can provide for your cat no matter what her condition.