Posted by Brittany on Nov 6th 2015
Transitioning Your Pet's Food
Are you interested in trying a new food for your dog or cat, but you're worried about the potential consequences of changing their diet? Well, now you don't have to worry! We're bringing you the most important tips and tricks to prepare you for the big transition.
KIBBLE
No matter what you're currently feeding your furry friend, or what you're planning to switch them to, it is important to introduce a brand of kibble gradually. This is helpful because most of our cats & dogs have been eating the same food at every meal, every single day. If an abrupt change is made, it is more likely the new food will not sit well with them.
- Start with 75% of the old food + 25% of the new food for the first couple feedings
- Gradually add in more of the new and use less of the old food
- By day 5-7, your pet should be fully transitioned and on their new food!
Here's a handy image to help guide you in transitioning your pet from one kibble to another:
*Be very sure to read the label on your pet's new food! Not every food is made the same and it may be that the old food called for a higher daily feeding amount, but the new food calls for far less. That is OKAY! Just make sure when you look at these percentages, that you are taking them from each brand's serving size to prevent any over feeding!
If you don't have enough of the old kibble to do a gradual transition:
- Try adding in some canned pumpkin to aid in digesting the new stuff properly.
- We love the Nummy Tum Tum and Weruva brands, but as long as you make sure the ingredients are solely pumpkin and in some cases a little water for processing, it will be safe to give to your cat and/or dog.
RAW
The biggest difference that raw food companies, like Vital Essentials suggest for your transition is to plan on stretching the process out to be around 10-14 days. Some pets will take to the new food right away, which is great! If however, your pet is not so sure about the raw, it will be best to continue the transition from above spread out over 10-14 days!
Take a look at the updated guide for a transition from non-raw to raw feeding below.
A note on Cats - They are, as we all know, very finicky eaters. So if they haven't fully transitioned in 2 weeks, the best thing for you is to have patience.
- We do not recommend starving your cats into compliance.
- Instead, try adding hot water and mixing it into the raw food.
- This *trick* may help simulate the warmth of a fresh kill your kitty would have been eating in the wild. (In the wild, cats target smaller prey and this gives them just the right amount of meat for a full meal.)
There are many opinions out there regarding pet food, and especially raw pet food. We agree that if you are going to feed raw, to just feed raw. However, we are fullly aware that feeding a 100% raw diet can be a costly option.
Here's a scenario that many of our customers (and actually a few of our employees) follow:
- Tesla and Stormageddon are 2 year-old cats each weighing 10lbs, Stormy will eat anything anytime and Tes will feign fullness if it's not quite the meal she had 'ordered'.
- To keep Stormy from feasting on two meals twice a day and to keep Tes interested, their parents have developed a raw/am kibble/pm feeding schedule.
- Sometimes it works, sometimes Stormy gains a pound in a week..
- But at the very least these two cats are getting all of the benefits of a raw diet combined with the (in some instances) more palatable option :)
Ready to get going on a new food for your pet? Click on the button below and fill out our Nutrition Consult form and we will schedule a time to talk to you about the brands we carry and even send you some samples!
Still have questions? Comment below and let us know what we missed! Otherwise, you can also fill out a Nutrition Consult form and we can speak with you directly via phone or email.
Don't forget to check out all of our favorite pet foods! You can find all kibbles, canned foods and freeze-dried raw options here on the site! At this time, we are not able to sell the frozen raw options online, but we always have a wide selection in the store on NW 23rd Ave!
Paws & Kisses,
The Hip Hound Team