So, ask yourself if your cat eats like every meal is a Michelin-starred tasting menu. And yes, I can almost hear the collective sigh of cat parents worldwide.
Transferring your recalcitrant cat from the beloved bag of kibble to a raw diet might sound like explaining taxes to a three-year-old — but trust me, it is possible.
Cats: The Picky, Imprinted Eaters
Cats are habitual eaters, and the first food we see of them is literally etched into our tiny feline brains. If they didn’t eat it between kitten nap #23-67 (roughly the first 6 months of life), they may not even recognize it as food.
Offering a raw chicken thigh to your kibble-loving cat? To them, it’s like an alien giving you a wrench and saying lunch. Disguised, at best, appalling at worst.
The Raw Transition: Tailored to Your Feline Diva
Let’s be clear: the easiest candidates for switching to a raw diet are the kittens and outdoor adventurers/hunters.
Serve them a raw lunch, and they’ll be eating your brain faster than you say “organic turkey neck.” Days, maybe a week and you’re good to go.
When Should You Consider Switching Cat to Raw Diet?
As mentioned, kittens (until 6 months) and ex-hunters are the easiest.
You can switch your cat to a raw food diet if they belong to one of these groups within a week or two. But what about cats that are older than 6 months?
Well, there are three methods we are going to talk about.
But before you decide if your cat needs this diet, you must understand your cat’s nutritional needs.
Raw food can be a life-changing diet for your cat. Here’s when it is worths considering:
Food Sensitivities: If your cat’s been scratching, sneezing, or swatting shade at his bowl, he has food sensitivities. Raw diets don’t have the add-ons and fillers that cause reactions.
Digestive Drama: Raw food might soothe upset stomachs or messy litter box routines. Consult with a veterinarian to determine if raw feeding is the best option.
The Main 3 Methods for Switching Cat to a Raw Diet
Method 1: Slow and Steady
It is really slow process but it works like wonder.
Meal Scheduling:
Start by scheduling your cat’s meals and apply the “no more snack bar” law. When your cat grazes all day, they are having a buffet fantasy. Establish meal times — wait 30 minutes and remove their food. It’s easy for them to understand that food is a “now or never” moment.
The Kibble-to-Canned Phase:
Transitioning from kibble to canned food could be the most challenging and time-consuming part. And if your cat has been eating the supermarket’s cheap pet food kibble, she may well have gotten mildly niched by all those tasty ingredients. You will want to start with a 90/10 ratio of kibble to canned food and gradually add the canned food over weeks.
The Canned-to-Raw Finale
At the point when canned cat food is okay, eat a little raw food: 90% canned, 10% raw. Increase the ratio gradually until your cat teaches him/her that raw food is canned food’s cooler cousin.
Method 2: The Freeze-Dried Hack
Cats also like crunchy stuff, so freeze-dried raw can be transformative. Add it to their kibble and drink or broth to hydrate them. Substitute frozen raw in bits and pieces when they get hooked on it.
Method 3: “Rip Off the Band-Aid” Strategy.
Note: don’t try this method before asking your vet.
Offer plain and simple raw meat; if your cat refuses it, substitute a handful of their regular food. Hunger could be victorious by meal three — but don’t be fooled by hunger pangs! Cats can be very dramatic when they want, and liver lipidosis (a serious liver disease) is no joke.
Safety and Hygiene Practices
When choosing your cat’s diet, it’s essential to follow safe and hygienic practices to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination and foodborne illness.
Here are some key tips to ensure your cat’s raw food diet is safe:
Wash your hands, cutting boards, and work surfaces regularly before and after you handle raw food. Clear the cutting boards and countertops so you do not spread contamination.
Frozen food until needed in the refrigerator. Don’t leave any food over which your cat will drink (to avoid dupes and contamination).
Serve raw food slightly chilled (not room temperature). Discard any leftovers 30 minutes later to reduce the growth of bacteria.
Dispose of special utensils and bowls for raw food so it isn’t cross-contaminated with human food. Wash your cat’s bowls frequently with hot, soapy water after every meal.
To make your cat eat raw meat, use good meat from reputable sources and inform yourself about potential disease organisms such as Salmonella.
How to Choose the Right Raw Food?
Here are a few things to pay attention to:
Consider a commercially prepared raw food diet that meets AAFCO guidelines. The ready-to-eat raw foods are designed to be nutritionally complete so your cat has everything he/she needs without having to prepare it from scratch.
Raw cat food is supposed to be high in protein and low in carbs.
Take a diet rich in various raw meaty bones for extra nutrients.
Tips for Making the Transition Process Easier
Feed your cat at the same time and place you were feeding kibble or wet food.
Take kibble bags out of your house so your cat won’t smell and refuse raw food.
Info: Raw meat doesn’t smell like kibbles (that have been designed to be addictive for a cat).
Apply freeze-dried chicken treats as a bribe to entice your cat to sample new foods, being mindful of your cat’s digestive system.
If you have a picky cat, be flexible, but don’t give up.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Refusal to eat raw bones
Do you know that some cats will consume raw meat but won’t consume raw meaty bones? Yes, Some cats don’t like to eat raw, meaty bones.
What to do: replace with a good calcium supplement to satisfy their nutritional requirements.
Digestive upsets during the transition your cat
Cats can have gastrointestinal issues once they become used to eating raw.
What to do: check your cat’s condition and hold off the transition if you must – ask a vet.
Overweight cats require extra care
Switching your cat to a raw cat food diet might not be easy if she/he is an overweight cat.
What to do: be patient and talk to a vet about a custom diet for your beloved without debilitating their health.
Picky cat with special eating habits
New food might get those cats in trouble.
What to do: play around with the presentation, for example, by mincing or heating the food just a little bit or serving it with a favorite topping. Make sure your cat is okay with that, and for better results, consult a vet.
Allergy to the protein
Yes, there are even some cats that have allergies to certain proteins.
What to do: change to a different protein (turkey, duck, rabbit, etc.) and talk to your vet about safe alternatives.
Tips and Tricks: Getting Your Cat To A Raw
Here are some secret tips from cat parents who’ve been there:
The Paw Smear: place some raw food on your cat’s paw. At some point, they’ll spit it out and say, Well, okay.
Hide-and-Seek Dinner: put some raw food behind the couch or under a chair. Your cat’s hunter instincts may strike at the “game.”
Flavor Bombs: sprinkle raw foods with tuna water or bone broth to make them close to wet food.
Bowl Swap: some cats hate narrow bowls. Use a flat plate to prevent whisker pain.
Warm It Up: the cats might also be food lovers. Raw food can be fragrant and more appealing if slightly heated (just don’t cook it).
Budgeting for a Raw Diet
Raw feeding for your cat can feel like a luxury, but it doesn’t need to wipe out your pocketbook. Even with a bit of forethought, you can high-quality cat food and a nutritious diet that’s reasonably affordable. Here are some practical steps to budget for raw food:
Buy in Bulk
Meat can be cheaper if you buy it in bulk from your neighborhood butcher, wholesaler, or farmer’s market. Find a meat sale or coupon, and save the rest for later.
Utilize Less Expensive Cuts
Cats don’t need filet mignon! Buy the cheapest cuts of meat like chicken thighs, turkey necks, or organ meats, which aren’t only cheap but rich in nutrients and have a lot of health benefits.
Prepare Meals at Home
Pre-prepared raw food is convenient but could be expensive. You save money when you prepare your own meals at home and the food has all the nutrition that your cat requires.
Partner with Other Pet Owners
Join a pet food co-op or find other raw-feeding pet parents to shop bulk and pay one price together.
Keep It Simple
Such a cat food diet may seem much, but be basic, raw-balanced, and doesn’t add many costly ingredients to recipes. Your cat doesn’t need fancy food. A raw cat food diet should offer many health benefits in the end.
Reduce Food Waste
Dish out proper servings so you don’t have leftovers that won’t be eaten. Save individual portions to preserve and not spoil.
More Tips for a Successful Raw Cat Food Diet
Offer three or four Scheduled meals throughout the day to make your cat feel comfortable with the new raw food diet.
Switching from regular food to a raw diet is hard, but offering scheduled meals can help your cat adjust to the new diet.
Let your cat dictate the flow; cats are different, and transitions are different.
Do not force your cat to eat the new food.
Keep it slow and steady, and remember it’s a new way of life for you and your cat.
