How you can Transition Your Cat to a Uncooked Meals Food regimen (4 Straightforward Steps)


Final Up to date on: March 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys

Uncooked meals could be a very pure strategy to feed your cat. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply that every one cats take to it simply. Switching your cat instantly to a uncooked meals weight loss plan could cause abdomen upset—in case your cat even eats it in any respect. When you could also be excited in your cat to change to a uncooked meals weight loss plan, it’s very important that you just slowly switch your cat to uncooked meals.

Fortunately, this isn’t too difficult. The principle concept is to go slowly and backtrack in case your cat experiences any damaging indicators of discomfort. The period of time this transition takes is dependent upon the cat. Some will take to it effectively and be capable of eat 100% uncooked meals in solely a few weeks, whereas others could require a month-long transition.

Comply with the steps beneath to assist your cat transition to uncooked meals.


The 4 Steps to Transition Your Cat to a Uncooked Meals Food regimen:

1. Adjusting from Dry to Canned

Transitioning from canned to uncooked meals is far simpler than from dry to canned. Due to this fact, in case your cat is presently on dry meals, we suggest switching them to canned meals, first. Most canned meals packages have transition directions. Often, this includes beginning with 25% canned and 75% dry, after which slowly rising the quantity of canned meals as your cat tolerates it.

Once more, this transition can take fairly some time. Older cats which have at all times eaten dry meals could discover this transition tougher. Due to this fact, you ought to be very affected person with older cats.

That doesn’t essentially imply that youthful cats will transition quick, although. Some cats merely have a tougher time with meals transitions. Including a probiotic could assist your felines throughout this era, however it’s best to communicate along with your vet earlier than including any dietary supplements to your pet’s weight loss plan.

As soon as your cat is fortunately on canned cat meals, you may start the transition to uncooked meals.

Cat is eating canned food from ceramic plate placed
Picture Credit score: Veera, Shutterstock

2. Get on a Feeding Schedule

In case your feline was beforehand free-fed, you’ll want to start out a feeding schedule earlier than you transition to uncooked meals. Cats usually aren’t used to consuming all at one time when free-fed. Nonetheless, you can’t depart uncooked meals out, or it rapidly goes dangerous.

To stop your cat from getting too overwhelmed by switching a bunch of feeding elements without delay, we suggest beginning a feeding schedule first.

Begin by feeding your cat no less than 4 instances a day. Portion out the cat’s meals into 4 equal parts in line with how a lot they should eat. Your cat could complain so much on the primary day. Nonetheless, after just a few days, the feline ought to begin to anticipate meals at sure instances. Then, you may start lowering the variety of meals till you discover one thing that works for you.

We suggest feeding grownup cats no less than twice a day. Kittens might have three meals to forestall blood sugar points attributable to their smaller dimension.

cat waiting for food next to bowl
Picture Credit score: Lightspruch, Shutterstock

3. Add Uncooked Meals

Transitioning your cat to uncooked meals could take wherever from 10 days to three months.

Begin by mixing 25% uncooked meals with 75% of your cat’s regular weight loss plan. Be sure you calculate the quantity based mostly on the variety of energy. In case your cat wants a cup of dry meals however solely half a cup of uncooked meals, then you ought to be feeding ¾ cup of dry meals and 1/8 cup of uncooked meals.

Do that for 3 days. Reactions on the primary day are frequent, however they shouldn’t be extreme. (Diarrhea as soon as is okay, but when your cat is having accidents all around the home, it’s best to scale back the quantity of uncooked meals.) Ideally, your cat shouldn’t have any extra indicators of discomfort after 3 days, and minimal reactions throughout this era. In case your cat is clearly in lots of discomfort, scale back the uncooked meals by half no less than.

In case your cat will get by way of this era tremendous, then begin mixing their meals 50/50. As soon as once more, some reactions proper after the primary mealtime is regular however scale back the quantity of meals in case your cats’ indicators of discomfort are extreme. You will have to return to the earlier ratio for a time earlier than attempting once more. Most cats with out problem would require one other 3 days of this ratio.

For cats that don’t have a lot discomfort from the elevated uncooked meals, change to 75%/25%. At this level, your cat will probably be consuming extra uncooked meals than canned meals. Generally, cats change into extra finicky at this stage, so it isn’t odd for it to take longer. As soon as once more, feed this quantity for no less than 3 days, keeping track of your cat for indicators of discomfort.

Lastly, on the tenth day, many cats will probably be consuming 100% uncooked meals.

This course of could seem quite simple, however it hardly works out this fashion in follow. In lots of circumstances, your feline could require sticking to 1 stage longer—the times we gave had been minimums, in spite of everything. Due to this fact, it not often really takes 10 days.

raw cat food
Picture Credit score: stockcreations, Shutterstock

4. When Issues Come up

There are lots of events when issues could not go as deliberate. Usually, choosy cats, kittens, and seniors have a tougher time adjusting to a brand new meals. Due to this fact, you’ll have to regulate your plan to accommodate these difficulties.

Some cats additionally simply appear to have a tougher time with uncooked meals than others. This doesn’t essentially imply they’ll by no means modify to uncooked meals, however it could possibly point out that you must go slower.

Listed here are some ideas that will allow you to when issues don’t go as deliberate:

  • Gently prepare dinner the uncooked meals. In case your cat doesn’t take effectively to the uncooked meals, contemplate cooking it gently, no less than for now. Very younger kittens or immune-compromised cats could significantly want this further security step to forestall parasites and food-borne sicknesses. Past security, although, cooking the meals could make it gentler in your cat’s abdomen and extra like what they’re used to consuming.
  • Serve your cat’s meals someplace “secure”. Ideally, this needs to be an space that’s out of the way in which, and even on a small desk. Stress attributable to meals site visitors could make cats reject meals extra usually.
  • Hand-feeding. In case your cat received’t attempt the uncooked meals, you may attempt hand-feeding—simply be certain that to clean your fingers earlier than and after. Many cats usually tend to devour meals after they assume it’s a deal with.
  • Get rid of treats. Choosy cats could refill on treats between meals, after which not really feel hungry sufficient to offer uncooked meals an opportunity. Get rid of treats to forestall this downside. You’ll be able to add them again in after your cat adjusts to the brand new weight loss plan.
  • Use a flat meals dish. Uncooked meals could require extra effort to eat, and a raised bowl could complicate this. Due to this fact, contemplate getting a flat dish in your cat’s meals, particularly if they’re younger or have mobility points.

What’s Regular?

Adjusting to uncooked meals could be a bit anxious. Some indicators of discomfort are regular elements of the transition. Nonetheless, others could be troublesome. The most typical modifications are diarrhea and elevated gasoline. These indicators are merely associated to your cat’s dietary modifications and will clear up inside an inexpensive period of time. Correct transitions can forestall digestive discomfort, however it doesn’t at all times result in them being fully eradicated.

Extreme shedding, dry pores and skin, and power well being points could briefly worsen. Often, the cat experiences some quantity of stress in the course of the transition, so the physique will react accordingly. Every part ought to resolve inside just a few days. If issues persist for every week or extra, we suggest taking your cat to the vet.


Conclusion

Uncooked meals could be a wholesome meal possibility in your cat. Nonetheless, most cats aren’t used to consuming uncooked meals, so they might expertise some issues when first attempting this new weight loss plan. Slowly transitioning your feline is the most suitable choice. You don’t wish to abruptly change their meals, as this may trigger worse digestive upset and comparable indicators of discomfort.

Many cats will transition inside 10 days for those who observe the steps above. Minor abdomen upset could happen, like free stools. Nonetheless, these indicators ought to disappear inside a few days.


Featured Picture Credit score: ophiecat, Shutterstock

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