Cats
Changing Diet
There are many reasons to change a cats diet, including hairball control, allergies, age, oral care or because they have decided they no longer like the food they used to love.
Changing a diet too quickly can cause digestive issues, especially if they have eaten the same thing for a long time. There are ways to change the diet, with minimal effects on the digestive system.
Slower is Better
It is better to transition them slowly from their old food to their new food. This means that you start out with adding only 10% new, mixed into their old. Over a period of 10 days, you can gradually increase by 10% each day, until you are feeding entirely their new food. So on the second day you would be feeding 20% new and 80% old, and so on.
Stop if You Have To
If the cat begins to show signs of digestive upset, such as vomiting or diarrhoea, then don’t move on to the next level of new food until it has resolved itself. If they have symptoms (diarrhoea and/or vomiting) for more than a couple of days, consult your vet.
Helping with Tummy Troubles
If they do begin to show signs of digestive discomfort, offer smaller meals several times a day, instead of one or two large meals. Alternatively, mash some cooked pumpkin or rice into the food. Both will help to harden their stools.