Smooth Transition: How to Change Your Cat's Diet Succes

Cats Under Four Months Old

Young kittens under four months of age typically have an insatiable appetite for meat, making the transition to solid food a breeze. Their love for raw food is as natural as a duck gliding through water.

After weaning, the diet of kittens is quite similar to that of adult cats, with the only difference being that kittens have smaller stomachs and need to eat more frequently, usually every 46 hours.

If you're planning to adopt a kitten, introduce the food you want them to eat later on right away, so you won't have to worry about any future transitions.

In addition, offering your kitten some raw, bonein food can help them learn to eat bones from a young age.

If you have adult cats in the household that eat raw or wet food, it's even better. Encourage the kitten to learn from the older cats, as kittens will mimic the behaviors of their surrounding carnivorous animals.

Cats Over Four Months Old and Adult Cats

The key to any transition is patience, and the pace of the food change can vary. No matter how long it takes, persistence is always worthwhile.

The process should be gradual, and this approach usually works. However, some cats may refuse to eat no matter what. Try different methods and don't give up easily.

While some pet parents may resort to forcing their cats to eat by making them hungry, this is not recommended. If a cat refuses to eat, the risk of fatty liver disease increases significantly. A cat should not go without eating for more than 24 hours.

Only Eating Dry Kibble

Some cats are so addicted to dry kibble that they refuse to eat anything else, which is an extremely unhealthy eating habit. This can significantly increase the risk of kidney and urinary tract diseases.

Here's a reference process for dealing with such cats:

1. Stop freefeeding and switch to mealtime feeding.

2. Create a feeding schedule with 34 meals a day, spaced at least four hours apart. If the cat doesn't finish the food within 30 minutes of being served, take it away to teach them that not eating means going hungry.

3. Once the cat is accustomed to mealtime, start offering canned food. Avoid seafood cans, especially tuna, as they can be addictive and not suitable for frequent consumption.

This method usually works for most cats, and it may take about a week for the transition to be successful.

If this method doesn't work for your cat, try the following:

1. Sprinkle dry kibble on wet food to help the cat gradually adapt to the wet food.

2. Offer a variety of brands and flavors of canned food to see if your cat prefers a different brand.

3. Try using baby food with meat, and if your cat likes it, you can place it on top of the canned food as an appetizer.

4. Use fish slices, freezedried treats, or snacks as appetizers to pique the cat's interest in wet food.

Why Not Just Soak Dry Kibble in Water?

Dry kibble has a high bacteria content, and mold can easily grow in it. Many cats and dogs have died from consuming mycotoxins, vomitoxins, and aflatoxins. If you must soak dry kibble in water, ensure that any leftover food is discarded within 30 minutes, as the rate of reproduction of these toxins in water is astonishing.

Transitioning from Canned Food to Raw Meat

Start by offering chopped raw chicken, duck, chicken liver, and duck liver. Some cats may love them, which can help them get used to raw meat. The younger the cat, the easier it is for them to adapt to a diet change.

If they won't eat raw food right away, try the following methods:

1. Make sure the food is warm, similar to the temperature of a mouse. However, do not use a microwave, as it can destroy the nutritional value of the food. Instead, you can soak the food in warm water in a sealed bag for 515 minutes or gently fry it in a nonstick pan.

2. Place the food in a dish and put some raw food next to it. You don't have to make them eat it; the purpose is to get them accustomed to the smell and associate it with food. The smell of raw food is much lighter than that of canned food, and cats may not even realize it's edible at first.

3. Sprinkle some food that can entice the cat to eat raw food, such as mackerel slices, Parmesan cheese, brewer's yeast, catnip, dehydrated freezedried snacks, and the juices of salmon, tuna, or salmon.

If your cat starts eating raw food, congratulations! You can now introduce larger pieces of meat to allow your cat's jaw and teeth to fully engage.

Raw Meat with Bones

Adding bones to raw meat, also known as bonein meat, such as whole or cutup chicken wings, quail, and other birds, can be very helpful during this transition period. Cats that are accustomed to canned and dry food may have weak bite strength, and it takes time to recover. Tendons in the meat can be very effective in this stage.

Once your cat can easily eat bonein meat, you can start giving them chicken wings, separating them at the joints, and then offering whole pieces of bonein meat.