* The type of food: Strong, pungent smells like fish or cooked meat will be easier for cats to detect from further away.
* The wind conditions: Wind can carry smells farther, making it easier for cats to detect them.
* The cat's individual sense of smell: Some cats have a stronger sense of smell than others.
However, research suggests that cats have a very strong sense of smell, potentially 14 times stronger than humans. This means they can detect odors from significantly farther away than we can.
Some estimates suggest cats can smell food from up to several miles away under ideal conditions. However, this is likely an exaggeration.
A more realistic estimate is that cats can easily smell food from several hundred feet away, and possibly even up to a mile, depending on the factors mentioned above.
While it's impossible to give a precise distance, it's safe to say that cats have an incredible ability to detect food smells from a considerable distance.