Cats are well-known for being the picky eaters of the pet world. But some foods just aren’t that good for your cat, no matter how much he loves it. If you want to switch your cat to a different food, the good news is that there are plenty of tips to help you introduce it and make the switch successfully without any protests. According to Cat Food Point, upgrading your cat’s diet is the best way to ensure that he is getting all the nutrients that he needs to look and feel his best, and as more pet parents realise the ingredients in many commercial cat foods, it’s no surprise that they are looking for more high-quality meals for their beloved cat. If you want to switch your cat onto a better diet, taking things slowly is important since this will give your cat’s body time to adjust and reduce the risk of stomach upset.
Take Your Time:
Unless you have a cat who’s happy to eat anything, most cats will benefit from a gradual transition from their old diet to a new diet over the course of around 7-10 days. If you want to switch to raw cat food, for example, then mixing it with her old food gradually will allow her to get a taste of it while still getting some of the food that she’s used to, so it’s less of a shock to the system. Begin with a mix of around 75% of the old food and 25% of the new food and slowly increase the amount of new food until the mix is around 50/50. Keep that up for a little while longer until eventually, your cat is happily eating a full bowl of her new food. You can make it easier for your cat by completely mixing the old and new foods together so that your cat can’t just pick out the old food and leave the new one. If you’re starting out with raw feeding, this raw cat food feeding guide from Bella & Duke can be very helpful. Bella and Duke offer pre-made, packaged raw cat food meals designed to be irresistible to your cat.
Keep a Close Eye:
Switching diets can lead to stomach upset so be sure to keep a close eye out for any issues that the switch could be causing for your cat. Any digestive problems like vomiting, gas, diarrhoea or constipation tend to be common during a diet transition, so be wary of these and slow the switch down if they occur. Remember that every pet is different, and it may just be that your cat needs a little longer to get used to their new diet. Problems will usually go away by themselves after a short time but if they persist, it’s worth contacting your vet.
Make it Irresistible:
Cats tend to be creatures of habit so they can be a little put out if you try to give them food that they are not used to. After all, cats don’t really like change and they do know what they like, especially when it comes to what they are eating. But, some things are just too good for a cat to resist and you can use these to your advantage when encouraging your cat to eat a different food. A moist treat can be added to the top of the meal to get her interested or add some freeze-dried salmon or chicken that your cat won’t be able to say no to. Drizzling tuna juice over the new food can also help to get your cat more interested in it. Gently warming the food to room temperature or slightly above can also make it more appealing to your cat by giving off more aromas.
Try Different Foods:
Bear in mind that some cats develop an attraction to certain flavours and textures of food, which is based on her preferences that have developed over time since she was a kitten. If your cat is straight out refusing to eat any of her new food, it may just be that she needs a little more time to get used to it – or she could simply be averse to the change, and will settle down after a while. However, don’t be afraid of trying out new foods that you think your cat might prefer. If you have switched from wet food sachets to raw feeding and know that your cat preferred fishy to meaty flavours of wet food, do both of you a favour by continuing to opt for fish dishes now rather than trying to add meat. Sticking with what you know your cat prefers will make the transition easier.
Cats are notorious for knowing exactly what food they like but encouraging your cat to eat a better diet can be done with the right strategies and some patience.
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