Cats can often be picky eaters, and many will like routine and sticking to what they are used to. But as a result, this can sometimes mean that a cat won’t eat anything other than the cheap brand of food that isn’t really good for them. There are many benefits to switching your cat to a more nutritious diet including weight control, better coat, more energy, and better breath – but your cat might not be as thrilled as you are. If you are considering switching your cat over to different food but aren’t sure how they’re going to react to it or even if they will actually eat it, then it’s going to pay to be prepared. Keep these tips in mind to help your cat adjust to a new diet and get all the benefits of eating a healthier and more balanced diet.
Choose a High-Quality Cat Food
Bear in mind that routine changes can be stressful for cats, so you’ll want to try and get your choice of cat food right straight away. Do your research and opt for high-quality, nutritious cat food that you know is going to provide your pet with the right nutrients for their health and wellbeing. You may want to consider raw cat food, which is made up of ingredients that cats would be eating in the wild and does not contain as many grains, carbs, and other filler ingredients that are often present in many commercial pet food brands. Raw cat food is high in protein and healthy fats and is often difficult for a cat to resist. Bella & Duke offer plenty of advice on switching to raw food for cats, and their subscription food is the ideal way to ensure that your pet is getting a balanced diet with minimal effort. They also sell raw food for dogs if you have a multi-pet household.
Take it Slow
Unless your cat loves his food and is happy to eat anything that you put in his bowl, most cats will do better when you gradually switch them over from their old food to a new diet, taking a couple of weeks at the most. Mixing your cat’s new food in with their old food and gradually increasing the ratio will allow her to get a taste for her new diet while still being able to eat the food that she is familiar with. Begin with around seventy-five percent of the old food to twenty-five percent of the new food and slowly increase this until it’s a half and half mixture. Keep that up for a little while and gradually increase the amount of the new food until your cat’s bowl is full of it and they’re happily eating it. If your cat is very fussy, mix the foods together before serving to make it harder for her to pick out the old food and leave the new.
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Tempt Your Cat to Try It
Cats are creatures of habits, so they might turn up their nose at a food that they’re not used to. Cats don’t often like change, and they are usually quite aware of what they like, especially when it comes to their meals. However, if you suspect that your cat might be turning up his nose at a new food because he’s not used to it, there are several things that you can try to make it more irresistible to your pet and tempt them to give it a try. Cats have a strong sense of smell, so you might want to consider drizzling some fish oil over the top of their food or a meaty broth that they will immediately want to try out. You can also get cat food toppers to place on the top of their meal to make it more tempting, or some foods can be warmed gently to give it a more appealing aroma.
Try a Different Food Bowl
In some cases, it might not be the food at all that your cat is rejecting, but the bowl that you are feeding them out of. Cats can be very sensitive to smell and taste so if their food bowl tastes or smells weird when they are eating, it could be enough to get them to refuse to eat altogether. Try offering your cat some of the food from your hand and if they happily eat it, it might be that their food bowl is to blame. Plastic and metal food bowls will often give off a smell, especially when food is placed into them, so it’s worth switching to ceramic bowls, which tend to be more suitable for cats. Raising and tilting the food bowl slightly can also make it easier for your cat to eat and may help with digestion.
Try Different Flavours
Some cats will prefer certain flavours of food than others, so it’s worth trying a few different options of your new choice of diet to see whether your cat is more likely to eat one type of food over another. For example, your cat might be turning up their nose at chicken but happily eating tuna or salmon, so give them a few different options to see if there is one that they prefer, so you know which one you’re likely to have the most success in the future.
Be Patient
Many cats don’t eat until they are hungry, so if you’re trying out a new food and your cat isn’t interested, it might not be anything to do with the food – they could still be full from their last meal. Avoid free-feeding your cat or leaving kibble out throughout the day for them to graze on since this is likely to affect their appetite and could mean that they’re not interested in having a meal when you come to try out the new food. Leave the food out for a while to see if your cat shows an interest in it when they are hungry. Also, bear in mind that cats can safely go for at least a couple of days without eating, so if your cat is being stubborn, don’t worry too much as long as she has water. She may decide to eat the food once she is really hungry.
Watch Your Cat Closely
In some cases, changes to your cat’s diet could lead to stomach upset and other health issues, even if your cat was happy to try out the new food. Eating a different diet after getting used to another one could cause your cat to experience some vomiting, diarrhoea, or constipation, so keep a close eye on your cat to make sure that you are aware of how the new diet is affecting them and if any changes need to be made as a result. In most cases, these issues will only last for a short while and will usually go away quickly as your cat adjusts to their new food, but it’s worth speaking to your vet if you are worried. If your cat is vomiting or has diarrhoea, make sure that they have plenty of clean water available to rehydrate. Some cats will find drinking from a running source such as a water fountain easier.
In some cases, it might be necessary to change your cat’s diet for their health and wellbeing. Since many cats are not the biggest fans of changes to their routine, having a plan in place for a successful switch is essential.
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