Transitioning your cat to a fresh, raw food diet can be a bit tricky. They are known as “imprint feeders,” meaning cats develop a strong preference to the type of food they were fed as a young kitten from 3-8 weeks old. However, cats are also obligate carnivores, with a biological requirement for a high meat, low carbohydrate diet. This makes balanced raw food the ideal diet for cats, so it’s worth the switch if you have some patience and willingness to try!
Cats can also experience serious health issues if they do not eat for more than 24 hours, and unlike dogs, cats will starve themselves. Transitioning them to a new diet must be done slowly and with great care to ensure no negative side effects. First, it’s important to get your cat on a regular feeding schedule. If your cat is used to free feeding, start decreasing their access to food to teach them to eat when food is presented. Begin with offering meals 3-4 times a day, and once they are consistently eating, decrease to 2 meals a day. Offer the food for 15min at a time, then pick up the bowl. Teaching your cat to eat what is presented when it is presented will help them recognize raw food as a “safe” food for them to consume.
The next step would be transitioning your cat from dry to wet food, which more closely resembles the moisture and texture of raw food. Over the course of about a week, slowly start incorporating wet food into your cat’s meals. Start with 25% wet food and 75% dry, feeding for a few days. Then proceed to 50% wet food and 50% dry food. After a few days, feed 75% wet food and 25% dry food. Finally, offer meals of entirely wet food. We would suggest starting with pate, and having a few flavors on hand in case your cat turns their nose up at certain proteins.
Once your cat is consistently eating wet food, you can begin incorporating raw food into their meals. Starting with a ground diet, without large chunks, will likely result in the smoothest transition. Follow the percentages you did with the dry to wet transition, over the course of about a week. If necessary, you may have to take things even slower for your cat to accept the raw food. Don’t rush things, and be observant as to how your cat is reacting each time you increase the amount of raw food each meal.
A few tips and tricks for troubleshooting:
Warm up the food: Some cats struggle with raw food being cold, right out of the fridge. Instead try warming up the food for a few seconds in the microwave to make it more palatable.
Take advantage of variety: There are many wonderful brands of pre-made, balanced raw food available. If your cat is struggling with one brand or protein, don’t give up! Try various brands and proteins as they all have unique textures, smells, and tastes.
Stay consistent: Be patient and stay consistent with the process. Continue feeding in the same location, at the same time of day, using the same routine. With cats being imprint feeders, they can struggle recognizing novel foods as food for them to eat. Following the same feeding habits can help them be more willing to eat something new.
Incorporate toppers: Raw feeding is not all or nothing. Any amount of fresh food can have incredible impacts on your cat’s health. You might find that your cat needs a small amount of crunchy dry food mixed in for them to eat raw, and that is okay! Anything is better than nothing.
Try freeze dried raw: Although freeze dried can be a bit more expensive, given cats eat smaller meals it can be a great option and relatively affordable. Freeze dried more closely mimics dry food, so your cat might be more inclined to eat it. If you are not successful with switching your cat to fresh raw food, give freeze dried diets a try!
Switching your cat to a raw food diet can be a bit of a puzzle, but if you’re willing to give it a try we can assure you the results will be overwhelmingly positive. Cats often struggle with obesity, urinary issues, and dental disease which can all be improved with a balanced fresh food diet. If you’re looking for help, please ask! Our team would love to assist you in finding something your cat enjoys.
