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Our cats are everything to us, so we want to make sure they are always eating a healthy diet so they can live long and happy lives. Throughout the course of their lives you may have to switch their foods to make sure they are getting the best nutrition. There are natural transitions like from kitten food to adult food and adult food to senior food. Other times you may need to make the switch because you have found a higher quality, more nutritious cat food. You also made need to switch their food because they have developed an illness or allergy. These transitions can be a difficult change for your cat, so it’s important that you know how to make the switch without complications. Here is our guide to changing your cat’s food from one type to another.
Talk To Your Veterinarian
Before making any changes to your cat’s diet, it is essential you talk to your veterinarian. They will make specific recommendations to accommodate the health needs of your cat and can guide you through the process. Also while making the switch, you need to observe your cat’s behavior and note any changes. Then routinely check in with your veterinarian and report how the transition is going. If there are any difficulties, your veterinarian needs to know about them so they can monitor your cat’s health. If you’d like to be really diligent, you can also have your cat tested for allergies so that you can make sure that any new foods don’t trigger an allergic reaction. Veterinarian guidance is essential to helping your cat make the transition to a new food.
Do Your Research
Another thing you need to do before switching your cat’s food is to do research on the new food. Start by doing a cat food comparison by reading the labels and understanding all the ingredients. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a couple of good brands based on the ingredients, you’ll want to read some online reviews and see how other people’s cats have responded to the food. You can talk to other cat owners or even local cat shelters and see what their experiences have been with different foods. Once you have an idea of which foods to try, you should go to the Food and Drug Administration website at http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/recallswithdrawals/ and search the brand name to see their recall history. If it has great ingredients, good reviews, and hasn’t had any major recalls, then it’s a great food to consider introducing to your cat.
Establish A Routine
Before transitioning your cat onto their new food, you want to first start by making sure your cat has a good eating routine. This is important so you can really monitor their responses to the new food. If your cat isn’t already on a routine schedule, a week or two before beginning the transition, establish their feeding schedule. Cats should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Make sure you feed them the exact serving size of the food. This is very important for doing a measured transition. You want to feed them somewhere quiet and private. You should also always feed cats in a flat dish or a saucer with low sides so their whiskers don’t brush against the sides of the dish and they can more easily get at the food. Once you have the routine worked out, you can begin the transition.
Making The Switch To A New Cat Food
Typically you will need at least seven days to make the switch. However, if you are making the switch because your cat is facing a severe illness or allergy, you should follow your veterinarian’s recommendations on the duration of the switch. Here is the seven day routine for switching your cat to a new food:
- Day One: Mix 25% new food to 75% old food.
- Day Two: Mix 30% new food to 70% old food.
- Day Three: Mix 60% new food to 40% old food.
- Day Four: Mix 50% new food to 50% old food.
- Day Five: Mix 40% new food to 60% old food.
- Day Six: Mix 25% new food to 75% old food.
- Day Seven: 100% new food.
While making the switch monitor for any unusual changes in behavior such as:
- Disinterest in food
- Lethargy
- Moodiness, disinterest in activities
- Bloated midsection
- Itching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dull coat, flaky skin
- Coughing or sneezing
- Difficulty breathing
If any of these symptoms are present you need to stop the switch and consult your veterinarian immediately.
In The Case Of An Immediate Transition
Sometimes there are cases where we have to make an immediate switch. Times like when a food is discontinued by the manufacturer or when there’s been a recall, we may not have the chance to make a slow transition. So you may have to make the switch quicker than recommended. In these cases there are a few things you can do to ease the transition. First try to find a similar food. Compare cat foods and look for a food with a similar formula, similar ingredients, and similar nutrients on the guaranteed analysis panel. If you cannot find a similar food, you can look for a food designed specifically for easy digestion. These foods will not be as hard on your cat’s digestion. Once you have picked a new food, feed your cat in small meals to gage their interest and see their reactions. If they do not adapt well to the food, contact your veterinarian for recommendations on what to do.
There are points in your cat’s life where you will need to transition them to a new food. Whether you are making the transition because of a life stage or you are trying to offer a higher quality food to your cat, you need to be careful making the switch. Transitioning food can impact the health of your cat so make sure that you pick a good quality food, make the transition slowly, monitor their reactions, and talk to your veterinarian through each step of the process. If you follow these basic guidelines, your cat will adapt well to a new food. Don’t forget if you are looking for some great cat food recommendations to check out our reviews at Cat Food Insider. We’ll give you the real scoop on what cat foods you should check out for your companion pet.
