Mary Allen
New ingredients, an unfamiliar consistency, and, of course, a different taste: A change in feed involves many changes for a cat. To make the change as easy as possible for them, you should therefore take it as slowly as possible.
A minor food change – for example from one cat food brand to another – is unproblematic for most cats. That’s a good thing because it’s a good idea to offer cats a varied diet with different types of food. On the other hand, house tigers find it somewhat more difficult to switch from dry food to wet food or from a product with a low meat content to one with high meat content. Such a change takes a little time.
Tips for a Slow Feed Change
Cats are creatures of habit – also when it comes to their food. If the smell, texture, and taste are unfamiliar to them, they often prefer to avoid the new food. To prevent this, start by mixing a small amount of the new cat food with your cat’s regular meal each day. Get your velvet paw used to it step by step by increasing the amount of the new food a little every day while adding less and less of the old food. You can also mix a few treats with cat food to make the new food palatable to your house tiger. By the way, if your cat doesn’t like their new food at all, it can help to warm it up a bit. Many velvet paws then prefer to eat it.
Dangers of Changing Feed Too Quickly
If your cat is struggling to change food and won’t eat, you should make sure it doesn’t go hungry for too long, as that can be dangerous. The metabolism of a velvet paw is designed to eat small portions several times a day. Longer periods of fasting can lead to health problems and should never be accepted when changing the diet. You can offer your cat the new food a couple of times—always fresh, of course—but if she doesn’t eat it at all, it’s always better to go back to the old food, or try a different kind.