She smell checks almost every ingredient and never tastes. Best cat. Then she smells the end product and we're both like 'that's that done, then'.
Not to make them feel included, but to kill their curiosity. I always offer a smell of my food to my cat and then take it away. She gets to smell it and realize it's something she isn't interested in. I think that's the reason she doesn't bother people while they're eating. She knows she isn't interested in "people food."