An old animal, whatever it may be, is nearing the end of its active life, and in the case of predators, this is less convenient because they often depend on their strength, speed, or agility to survive.
Nature is unforgiving, and even the king of the jungle meets his end. This old lion died of starvation after being driven from his pride in South Africa.
Sometimes, a large predator like a tiger, a leopard, or a cheetah gets injured for some reason, such as a fight or encounter with another aggressive species, like this other lion injured by a buffalo attack.
But as long as the injury or discomfort is not too serious, they can adapt and survive on smaller, easier-to-catch prey, as is the case with wolves who, although they prefer large prey, can also hunt rabbits, beavers or mice, or lions who can survive thanks to the hunts of their pack.
Small mammals like mongooses or civets are also very adaptable and can eat a variety of foods.
In 2017, this injured snow leopard was rescued in Qinghai province (northwest China); it had a lower back injury, so it couldn't defend itself and would almost certainly have starved to death.
Due to the eye injury, this cheetah cannot perceive distance and depth, so it is less efficient at hunting large prey. Healthy cheetahs already have a higher percentage of failure than success in hunting (50% or less successful hunt, compare with the African wild dog percentage of 70 to 90%).
Among wild felines, the small African black-footed cat is said to be the most efficient hunter, and it's not hard to imagine why, considering the lethality of our domestic cats, which are known to decimate wildlife in the wild when they become feral or semi-feral.
For birds of prey, any serious injury to the beak or wings can be catastrophic because they depend on them to hunt; this bald eagle, struck by a car on a Vancouver road, has no choice but to wait for human assistance.
The same is true for other large predators, such as crocodiles or large boas and pythons. Crocodiles sometimes have brutal encounters and end up with mutilated body parts or broken jaws.
This crocodile at the Chennai Zoo in India got into a fight with a companion and lost half of its upper jaw...
In general, reptiles are known to endure long periods without food: in this case, the captive animal did not eat and for a month received minced meat which it tasted occasionally (it was fed inadequately due to pain), unlike normal food where it receives large pieces of meat. A month and a half after the accident, it had fully recovered, and its deformity did not prevent it from living happily and comfortably in its enclosure.