home Calculators When and how to switch a kitten to dry food? Transferring a cat to a new food and vitamins Changing food for cats: when needed

When and how to switch a kitten to dry food? Transferring a cat to a new food and vitamins Changing food for cats: when needed

Changing cat food- this is a process that, sooner or later, every owner of a mustachioed tabby will have to face. And, alas, things are such that simply pouring new food into a bowl will not work; a more thorough and serious approach is needed.

Changing food for cats: when is it necessary?

Veterinarians disagree on how often cat food should be changed. Most believe that you should feed your pet the same type, flavor, and brand of food for as long as possible, changing it only when necessary. However, some modern Western veterinarians believe that food (or rather, the main source of protein, meat\poultry\fish) is not only possible, but also necessary, about 3-4 times a year in order to prevent the occurrence of food allergies and provide a more balanced diet.

However, there are a number of situations when a change of food is inevitable:

1. Growing up

During the period of active growth (up to 1-1.5 years), kittens need high-calorie food with a large amount of micro- and macroelements. When a cat stops growing, the need for such a rich diet disappears and extra calories, as well as “extra” vitamins, can be harmful rather than beneficial.

2. Aging

In the case of older cats, there is no consensus on whether their food should be changed? Which one? And when? Most senior cat foods are designed for cats over 7 years of age and are low in calories and low in protein. Indeed, cats aged 7-10 years are most susceptible to obesity and related diseases, as well as kidney problems, but after 10 years the need for protein and calories increases, because... food is less digestible, and therefore some veterinarians recommend switching cats aged 10+ to kitten food.

3. Pregnancy

Pregnant cats need a reinforced, high-protein, high-quality diet. They are typically fed kitten food or special food for pregnant cats.

4. Castration

In fact, it is necessary to switch a castrated animal to special food only if it is naturally prone to laziness and a sedentary lifestyle. But even under such conditions, you can get by with reducing portions and feeding according to a schedule, especially since food for castrates is, as a rule, of low quality.

5. Obesity

If your cat has gained or is rapidly gaining excess weight, then she simply needs a special diet, although here everything can be reduced to a regimen and reducing portions, especially if the case is not advanced.

6. Allergies

7. Individual intolerance to food components

For one reason or another, your specific cat cannot digest individual components or a component of a specific food (flavor), which results in diarrhea/constipation and/or vomiting. The main thing here is to distinguish intolerance from allergies and other diseases.

8. Disease

There are a number of diseases that require special diets: endocrine (diabetes, hyperthyroidism), urinary tract (cystitis, urolithiasis, chronic renal failure), pancreatitis, hepatitis, etc. Some involve switching to medicinal food, others - a specifically balanced natural diet. Also, medicinal food can be prescribed for prophylaxis, after surgery or during an acute course of the disease.

9. Negative reaction to food

Roughly speaking, you don’t like the way the cat looks (droopy eyes, dull and/or brittle fur, etc.), or you don’t like the smell from the mouth/tray. Here, as in the case of intolerance, it is important not to miss a serious illness by wasting everything on food.

10. Feed has been discontinued\not imported\not supplied

Whether you like it or not, you have to change it, there are no options.

Changing food for cats: general principles

1. In most cases, food should be changed gradually over 7 days for a healthy, adult cat and over 10 days for picky\old cats and kittens. The transition from dry food to natural/canned food and vice versa can take up to a month.

2. Immediately, sharply changing food can and should be done in cases of transfer to medicinal food/exclusion diet, when food intolerance is detected and when switching from homemade food (cabbage soup, borscht, porridge) to balanced food, because A gradual change in this case will do more harm than a sudden transition.

3. During the process of changing food, the cat can fast (refuse new food) for no more than 24 hours; after 48 hours of fasting, cats begin to develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) - a deadly condition, which, however, is reversible in the early stages.

4. Cats may find dry food unattractive after wet food or even after improper home feeding; cats especially do not like medicated food. To attract the attention of such picky eaters to the new food, you can sprinkle it with chicken/fish broth or tuna juice (these substances can be called natural attractants). You can also try hand-feeding your cat - this way the new product will inspire more confidence in her.

5. When switching to another food, especially if the type changes (dry-wet), you can use pro- and prebiotics, as well as food enzymes (it is better to consult a veterinarian before use)

6. You should constantly monitor the cat’s condition and see how it reacts to the new food (feces, appearance, absence/presence of itching/vomiting, etc.); If negative reactions are detected, you need to stop the transition process and contact a veterinarian.

7. When changing food, especially when switching between types of food (dry-wet), an imbalance of nutrition, calcium\phosphorus, vitamins and minerals is almost inevitable; consult a veterinarian on this issue.

How to switch a cat to another food?

The easiest way is to transfer a cat from one dry food to another; to do this, it is enough to gradually mix the new food with the old one over 7-10 days.

As a rule, serious problems (diarrhea) can arise when switching a cat from a low-class food (high in carbohydrates and fiber) to a high-class food (grain-free). In this case, it is recommended to make the transition even smoother - between the original and the desired food, you should place 1-2 “transitional” foods with an average content of carbohydrates and fiber, and first switch to the first, then to the second, and only then to the desired one. The number of transitional feeds should be approximately equal to the number of classes separating the initial feed from the desired one.

Without a smooth transition, you can change different tastes within the same brand line (chicken-beef-fish).

How to switch a cat to dry food?

If your cat ate natural/canned food, then for a competent transition you need to calculate the daily calorie intake for your pet. And break this norm into 2-3 doses, give natural/canned food at one time, and dry food at another. Gradually, the proportion of drying needs to be increased and the “moistening” portion reduced. The bowl with new food should be available for no more than 30 minutes. If the cat does not touch it during this time, it is necessary to offer new food again no earlier than after 6-8 hours. Forward

A furry pet that appears in the house very quickly becomes a member of the family. And, of course, I want him to be healthy and delight his family with his purring for as long as possible. Each owner chooses for himself how and what to feed his cat. But there are situations when, for one reason or another, you have to switch your cat to a new food. First, let's figure out why there may be a need to change your diet.

The reasons for switching a cat to a new food can be very diverse. Let's look at the main ones.
1. Age of the cat. A kitten, an adult and an older animal need different amounts of nutrients. Kittens move a lot and grow quickly, but in an older pet, activity, on the contrary, decreases. Accordingly, feed should be selected taking into account the age and energy costs of the animal.
2. Pregnancy and feeding period in a cat. During this period, your pet needs more vitamins and minerals, as well as more calories.
3. Obesity or underweight. In this situation, it is necessary to adjust the caloric content of food, the amount of food consumed by the animal, or transfer the pet to special food that can solve weight problems.
4. Castration and sterilization. Having lost one of its basic instincts, the cat directs its interest towards food and rest, and the cat’s activity decreases sharply. Moreover, there is a pattern between castration and an increased risk of developing urolithiasis in cats and cats , in this regard, it is recommended to transfer your furry to a special diet for castrated and sterilized cats and female cats.
5. Diseases of the urinary system. Frequent cystitis, urolithiasis and kidney failure can become a real problem for the cat owner. Moreover, not only older animals, but also fairly young cats are susceptible to these ailments. It is easier to prevent the exacerbation of these diseases if you switch your cat to food specially designed for such animals, since going to the veterinarian not only takes a lot of time, but is also not a cheap pleasure.
6. Previous operations on internal organs and digestive organs. After surgery, it may be difficult for the animal’s body to digest its usual food. In this regard, it is worth considering the option of transferring your pet to a special diet until complete rehabilitation.

Transferring the cat to a new diet

You need to gradually switch your cat to a new diet, replacing one food with another, since a sudden change in food can have an extremely negative impact on the health and quality of life of your pet. It is best to change your diet over 10 to 15 days. In the first 3 - 5 days we give approximately 75% of the old food and about 25% of the new. In the next 3 - 5 days, old and new food should be given equally. Then for another 3 - 5 days we feed in the proportion of 25% of the old diet and 75% of the new food. And only then do we completely switch the cat to a new food.

We give old and new food at different times of the day. It is highly not recommended to mix different types of feed, as this increases the load on the kidneys. You also cannot mix different types of diet. For example, you can’t feed him natural food in the morning and dry food in the evening. It is acceptable to feed wet food from bags and dry food at different meals if there is no need for a strict diet on a specialized diet.
A faster transition of a cat from one food to another is allowed only if these foods belong to the same line or the same manufacturer and are similar in composition. In emergency cases, a quick transition can be made if the pet’s health requires it, but this should only be done after consulting with a veterinarian.A cat and a cat have paralysis and atony of the bladder

What consequences can a cat experience when changing its diet?

It’s worth saying right away that if negative side effects occur when introducing a new food, you need to immediately remove it from your pet’s menu.
1. Since cats have a very sensitive digestive system, you may encounter various negative reactions. Diarrhea or, less commonly, vomiting may occur.
2. Various allergic reactions may also appear in the form of skin rashes, hair loss and dullness, and purulent eyes.
3. Complete lack of interest in new food. A cat can go on a hunger strike for several days and not even go near the bowl. Or, on the contrary, an increase in appetite, when your pet will literally sweep food off the plate and diligently demand more.

Changing the diet in a cat's life is always associated with a risk to the pet's health, especially if the animal owner is not aware of the nuances of the change. The situation is not fundamentally different from that of a person, as if he had to take unfamiliar food from exotic countries: this is always fraught with complications in the digestive system.

Often, pets do not want to eat unfamiliar food and even go on hunger strikes. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to approach changing the diet with an understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships of the cat’s relationship with food.

How to properly switch a cat to dry food

Sometimes, due to objective or subjective reasons, the owner can no longer feed the cat homemade food. Switching to industrially produced diets is usually more difficult than switching from dry food to natural products. The reason for this is the food itself, which is so similar to what cats eat in natural conditions. There is nothing better than feeding a predator meat, provided that the daily diet is generally balanced and made up of quality ingredients.

Food reflexes in animals are fixed, their body produces the necessary amino acids to digest one type of food, so when transferring it is very important to be careful and consistent in actions: too sudden a change in diet will inevitably negatively affect health.

The principle of nutrition change

Changing eating habits is carried out as follows:

1. Changes in the feeding system are carried out gradually.
2. The total translation time is usually about two weeks.
3. New food should be introduced in the smallest doses, since cats are suspicious and picky people, and new food in large quantities can make them wary.
4. Every day the amount of new food is increased, cutting back portions of the previous diet until it is completely replaced.
5. Dry food pellets are camouflaged by soaking them in water or broth because of their hard texture: cats are unfamiliar with food that requires chewing unless they have been given bones. Even in this case, dry food has nothing in common with natural diets.
6. It is worth buying several small packs of dry food: the cat may not like one, but it will prefer the other.
7. Industrial diets are selected based on the reasons that prompted the owner to change the cat’s diet: for daily feeding, diet, food for pets with health problems. In addition, there is an age gradation, as well as nutrition for castrated animals. The best advice on choosing a product will be provided by a veterinarian, but this will require an examination of the animal.
8. In the lines of industrial diets there are also wet products: pouches and canned food. They are convenient to combine in a cat’s daily diet, but should be given separately.
9. Upon completion of the transition to factory food, it is necessary to stop feeding the cat natural food. Good industrial diets are balanced in composition and combining them with meat or fish can lead to various complications.

Dry food is a dehydrated product; its consumption is always accompanied by increased fluid intake. When transferring a cat from natural food to a new regime, you must ensure that the pet always has clean water freely available.

Diet

The daily diet that was present when feeding natural products is maintained even after switching to a dry diet. Only the age of the pet matters:

Kittens under 2 months of age should be fed up to 6 times a day (kids under 2 weeks of age are fed around the clock, with equal breaks between meals).
Pets from 2 to 4 months old are offered four meals a day.
At the age of 6 months, kittens eat 3-4 times a day.
By the age of one year, babies become adults and switch to two feedings a day.

Some owners prefer to feed their pets using the buffet principle: food is left in a bowl for the whole day and the cat eats it whenever it wants.

The daily food intake is indicated on any pack of food; you must carefully consider this information to prevent your pet from undereating or overfeeding.

A kitten appeared in the house - what and how to feed it?

Accustoming kittens to dry diets

Introducing dry food into a kitten's diet is easier than making changes to the feeding of an adult cat, because feeding behavior in babies has not yet been formed and the habit of eating one food has not been fixed over the years. When taking a baby from its mother, it is worth finding out what type of food was offered to the cat. If she has consumed industrially produced food, this greatly simplifies the matter - you need to buy food for the kitten of the same brand. Experienced breeders often feed the nursing mother and kittens the same food (provided the kittens are old enough to do so).

If the baby is still too small, then training should be carried out according to the following scheme:

You need to purchase any brand of cat milk replacer from a specialized store. This food for kittens is adapted to mother's milk.
From the age of three weeks, kittens can already be given food from the “first feeding” series or food for pregnant cats.
The food granules are soaked in water or cat milk: kittens are still unfamiliar with rough food and are more willing to eat semi-soft food.
Gradually, the food is left dry in order to develop the chewing and gnawing reflex in babies.
Some brands offer wet food for kittens in their line. Pouches and canned food are given in the morning and evening feedings and are not mixed with dry food. Soft textured foods are a great way to introduce your kitten to commercial diets.

When switching to industrial feeding, any animal must consume a large amount of liquid, but for kittens this principle is especially important. It is impossible to force a baby to drink, so wet food must be present in his diet, or attempts to introduce dry food should be stopped.

Stop trying

Sometimes no tricks or tricks can help switch a cat to dry food: the animal categorically refuses to eat it. With a subtle sense, the pet recognizes unfamiliar food in its usual diet, and then simply moves away from the bowl. Some owners prefer to stand to the end, believing that hunger will overcome stubbornness.

Cats do not tend to show character in the case of satisfying natural needs: they do not starve on purpose!

There are quite strict training methods when, when transferring a pet to dry food, natural food is not initially offered under any pretext. This is fraught with negative consequences:

1. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract: even if a pet eats unfamiliar food, its body has not yet produced the enzymes necessary for digestion and proper assimilation. The owner risks the cat's health.
2. Hunger strikes: cats refuse food for a long time. Three days of fasting are considered dangerous.

Prolonged fasting contributes to the development of liver lipidosis in cats. This is a disease in which excess fatty tissue is deposited in the liver, resulting in liver failure, leading to the death of the animal. This pathology characteristic of cats and anorexia are special cases of its development.

Practice shows that most often lipidosis occurs when trying to put an obese animal on a diet. People are increasingly faced with the problem of pet obesity, being, in fact, the culprits of this problem. Bringing your pet back to graceful shape and health is not as easy as it seems. The cat is prescribed a diet (often with dry food), but the animal refuses to eat. It is losing weight, but the price of such thinness is a severe pathology. It is possible to save your pet's life, but treatment must begin at an early stage of the disease.

Lethargy, exhaustion, refusal to eat - these symptoms are enough to stop torturing the animal and immediately consult with specialists!

It is necessary to transfer to the previous diet with caution. If the animal has been starving for several days, feeding is done in fractions (up to 10 times a day), giving small portions of low-fat food, trying to get the cat to drink a lot.

There is no point in forcibly weaning a cat onto dry food if the attempts are unsuccessful. You can create a diet for your pet from natural products for any diagnosis: it’s all about the owner’s desire to have a healthy and active animal.

How to switch a cat to another food and why might this be necessary? It often happens that the food we buy for our cat is not suitable for her. There can be a lot of reasons: allergies, lack of nutrients and trace elements, or intolerance to any of the ingredients. In the end, it also happens that a loving owner can no longer afford to provide the pet with the usual diet and is forced to look for alternatives, which is especially important during various kinds of crises. But such changes do not always go smoothly.

Any animal gradually gets used to what it eats. Here we can draw an analogy: if a person loves junk food, it is difficult for him to give it up, even when he understands that we are talking about his own health. If it’s difficult for us to force ourselves to do the right thing, then it’s even harder with our smaller brothers. Try to explain to the noble and proud descendant of ferocious saber-toothed tigers that he will no longer be given his favorite food. This is a mortal insult! That's why the first thing you need to do is be patient.

All members of the cat family have an innate cunning that they will certainly use to sabotage your plans for replacing food. You will most likely be waiting for a trick with “burying”, which clearly compares the new diet with litter for the tray. Let’s not forget the pained expression on his face, sad glances and heart-rending meows - your pet will do everything to elicit pity and create the impression of a poor and starving creature. But you can’t give in to provocations! Reluctantly, we stand our ground and switch the cat to another food.

In addition, an important point is that cats, unlike dogs, are natural gourmets; most of them simply need a constant change in their taste rations. And some of the most fastidious ones are even ready to starve for a change in food.

Step-by-step rule for switching to another food

How to properly switch a cat to another food? Switching to a new food for an animal is always stressful. How to do this correctly without harming the animal?

The most effective translation technique

The procedure for replacing food is extremely simple. Ideally, about ten days should be enough for the transition, during which you will slowly accustom your cat to the new food. In the first days, we add 25% of the new diet to the old diet. If everything goes smoothly, then we gradually increase the ratio to 50/50. At the last stage, you can give 3 quarters of the new food. And so on until the bitter end. If this period drags on or, worse, the purring bandit completely decides to ignore your efforts, then you should resort to more radical measures.

Here we will immediately make a reservation that all owners love their cats. But love is not only about pampering and stroking, sometimes it means once again making a difficult decision and taking responsibility. And this is exactly the case here.

We take starvation or beneficial fasting

If a smooth replacement does not work out: your cat eats up the granules of the old food and leaves the new one in the bowl, or flatly refuses to approach the food in principle, then you will have to starve it out. The most effective way is to give your cat preventative fasting. And no, we are not monsters or sadists: this is not done with the goal of torturing the pet, but for the sake of his health.

If suddenly seditious thoughts arise in your head, pushing you to capitulate into the clutches of a tailed tyrant, then remember - not a single cat has ever died from exhaustion in front of a bowl full of food.

Remind yourself often that cats, especially indoor and sterilized ones, even benefit from fasting fasting days - they will help control the problem of excess weight.

The essence of the procedure is simple: you remove the bowl for a day and do not give the cat anything to eat (even if he really asks and is offended), and the next day you put a bowl with new food. Many advise not to embarrass the animal and not to stand around the bowl with the whole family waiting for a miracle - a proud tailed cat may not like public admission of defeat in the war for food, which can only prolong the procedure for transferring the cat to a new type of food.

In general, the period depends on the stubbornness of a particular representative of the cat family, but should not exceed three days - then this will definitely be harmful. Remember that during this period the starving person must be provided with water, otherwise it will truly become torture.

In the end, the result is the same - your pet will carefree eat the new food, despite the fact that before this he showed fierce hatred and disapproval in every possible way. The only thing is that when switching to a new diet (especially if this is done for reasons of economy), you should not ignore the issue of quality.

Firstly, the diet should contain a lot of meat, because the cat is a predator.
Secondly, look for probiotics in the composition, they will help with digestion. Phytocomponents (fennel, Yucca Schidigera) will help eliminate toxins, and the vitamin-mineral complex will provide your animal with the correct ratio of microelements. In this vein, the line of cat food from Blitz shows itself very well, where diets with chicken, dietary turkey and hypoallergenic lamb are presented.

When a small kitten appears in the house, its owner gains not only positive emotions, but also responsibility. If you don’t want to prepare food for him separately and choose the right and balanced diet, it is better to give preference to ready-made foods. However, you need to know the rules on how to switch a kitten to dry food without harming its developing body.

Benefit or harm

Many breeders still have the opinion that “drying” can cause urolithiasis in animals. However, as practice shows, many cats grew up healthy, eating exclusively dry food, and feel great even in old age.

Considering that ready-made food has a number of listed advantages, many breeders choose them for the main diet of their pets. Not surprising. The main thing is, before purchasing a package, find out how to switch the kitten to dry food if it previously received food from the table. Or maybe he just fed on his mother’s milk.

Feed composition

It should be understood that the ready-made menu for cats is made from hydrolyzed meat. In addition to this, the composition must include:

dried vegetables;
mixture of cereals;
medicinal herbs;
mineral supplements;
complex of vitamins.

It is clear that it is impossible to provide such variety by feeding a pet from a common table. The kitten may refuse vegetables, turn away from cereals, and he doesn’t like medicinal herbs at all.

Dry food has a pleasant taste and aroma. It will provide your pet with everything necessary for full development and growth. It is important to purchase only premium packaging.

Basic principles

Many people are interested in the question of when can a kitten be switched to dry food. The main indicators are fully formed teeth and a desire to chew on something. This usually occurs at the age of 2-2.5 months.

The convenience of dry food is obvious. It is easy to dose, it does not stain the kitten’s face or the space near the bowl, and it does not deteriorate during the day.

Kittens require special food. The granules are not only smaller in size, but their composition also varies. It is important to immediately choose an extra or premium brand.

You should study the packaging before purchasing. The manufacturer indicates what age the food is intended for and gives recommendations on dosage and feeding regimen.

The main thing is patience

How to properly switch a kitten to dry food depends on its previous diet. In any case, the transition should be gradual and carried out within two weeks. Some pets immediately pounce on the offered treat, while others need time to get used to it.

If the kitten has already appreciated the food from the table, in the first days of transfer you should add a few granules from the pack to the usual food. Slowly, day after day, the amount of ready-made food increases and completely replaces the previous diet.

It happens that the pet simply leaves the “drying” and eats its usual food. In this case, experienced breeders recommend slightly moistening the granules.

How to switch a kitten to dry food?

You should wait until the kitten is two months old. Until this time, the pet is simply not ready to chew hard pieces due to underdeveloped jaws and teeth.
There is no need to rush and suddenly switch from one diet to another. Veterinarians and experienced breeders have experimentally found that it takes about two weeks to painlessly transfer a kitten to drying.
If your pet has already appreciated the taste of food from the table, you should gradually add dry food to his bowl.
If the kitten is put on food, you should not spoil it with tidbits. So the pet will quickly pity the owner, and all the work will go down the drain.
The animal must have constant access to clean and fresh water. The amount required is slightly greater than when feeding soft food.

It is advisable to immediately decide on the brand of food. You should not purchase the economy option. These foods contain a lot of bone meal, and contain dyes and flavors.

It is recommended to feed the animal one type of food. But it is necessary to change its varieties, depending on the age of the animal and its state of health. If, despite all the efforts and patience of the breeder, the kitten still refuses dry food, or eats it reluctantly, you can try changing the brand.

Change of manufacturer

Next question. When changing brands, the question arises of how to switch the kitten to another dry food. Sometimes breeders choose an economical option, and the animal refuses such a menu. Inexpensive food contains many dyes. The animal acutely senses fraud and may refuse junk food. In this case, it is recommended to purchase high-quality food, which is based on natural meat and does not use flavorings.

But there may be a different situation. The owner initially purchased economical packages, and the kitten consumed them with pleasure. On the recommendation of a veterinarian, the breeder decides to feed the pet with more balanced food and buys an extra-class brand.

In this case, the animal may flatly refuse the proposed replacement. The fact is that more expensive samples are completely devoid of flavorings. And the baby lacks the usual taste and smell.

How to properly transfer a kitten to dry food in this case? It is necessary to act as during the initial training. Gradually add a brand of more suitable ones to the usual granules. Within two weeks, the kitten should completely switch to balanced and healthy dry food.

Important points

When accustoming an animal to drying, you should carefully monitor it. It is important, before transferring a kitten to dry food, to consult with a veterinarian and find out that the pet is healthy and can chew hard food.

During training, it is necessary to observe the behavior of the kitten. The main indicator of good digestibility is the animal's stool. If there is no diarrhea and no difficulties are observed, then everything is in order.

Ready-made dry food is enriched with all necessary vitamins and minerals. Therefore, without the advice of a veterinarian, there is no need to offer your pet various supplements.

The reasons why a specialist may recommend additional nutrition may be related to the health of the pet and its developmental characteristics. In any case, if the kitten is accustomed to dry food, it is necessary to deny him tasty morsels from the table. This can lead not only to the refusal of ready-made diets, but also cause stomach upset and problems with stool.

Any change in a pet’s life, including a change in diet, is stressful for the animal. It is necessary to surround him with care and attention.

Conclusion

The question of how to switch a kitten to dry food is not so difficult if you follow the recommendations given and be patient. The main thing is that the brand is of high quality, and that the animal always has clean water freely available. An indicator of good digestion and a well-chosen diet will be the kitten’s grateful face and its cheerfulness.