If the idea of switching your cat from his favorite bag of dry food to a healthier can of wet food makes you cringe, just relax. It’s possible to make the change without too much upset to your cat. The change will result in a healthier animal, not just now but in the future as your cat ages. Many cat nutritionists are leading a trend towards feeding less dry cat food to help prevent chronic kidney problems in a cat's elderly years (see link below). Since its so difficult to gauge just how much water your cat drinks every day, making the switch to wet food helps ensure more water in the cat’s diet.In the wild, cats hunt for prey. After making their catch, cats will eat almost every part of the animal. What many cat owners don’t realize is that cats absorb almost all the water they need for survival from their prey. The perfect combination of protein, water, fats, and nutrients are found in outdoor prey. It’s not quite so simple with a can or bag of cat food.Cats are obligate carnivores which means they require muscle-based meats in their diet. In an optimum situation, a cat would be obtaining water from this meat. When we take a cat out of the wild and put them inside, we remove a main water source. We need to replace it. Many vets and nutritionists are now considering whether dry cat chow has contributed to the increase in kidney failure in older cats. It’s definitely something to consider. In addition, it’s important to consider the ingredients in cat chow. Dry cat food contains carbohydrates galore, which often leads to an obese kitty. You will be aiming to completely stop free feeding dry food and regulating your cat on a 2-times-a-day wet food schedule. You must change their food gradually. Cats cannot tolerate starvation so if your cat is very unwilling to make a change, make the change at a slower pace until he accepts the new food. Remember that wet food cannot stay out for longer than an hour. Unused portions should be covered and refrigerated.
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- 3-4 flavors of canned cat food
- Cat chow
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Instructions
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How to Switch a Cat from Dry to Wet food
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1
Begin by feeding a tablespoon of wet food as a treat for 3-4 days. Make a big deal of this event. Your cat will quickly begin looking forward to it!
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2
Make sure that you spread the wet food across the bottom of the cat food dish. Mash it flat with a fork. You’re trying to teach your cat to eat slowly and this usually encourages them to take their time during their meal. Many cats gulp down this new “treat” and end up vomiting from eating too quickly.
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3
Decrease the volume of dry cat food by ¼ and provide a wet food serving in the morning (try 1/4 can). Do this for 3-4 days. Remember not to top off that dry food bowl. You’re trying to teach your cat to eat just twice a day, not whenever he wants.
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4
Decrease the volume of dry food by ½ for the next 3-4 days. Feed ¼ can of wet food in the morning and begin your ¼ can evening feeding.
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5
Decrease the volume of dry cat food by ¾ for the next 3-4 days and increase the morning feeding to a half can of wet food. Continue with your ¼ can feeding at night.
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6
Stop the dry cat food completely. Feed ½ can of wet food in the morning and ½ can in the evening. If your cat is being extremely pitiful over the loss of his crunchy dry food, try giving him just 4 tablespoons every few days. Your aim is to move the cat to a healthier diet that consists mainly of wet food. If you can’t get there, roughly 20 percent dry food and 80 percent wet food is great for your kitty.