How to wean a cat off dry food

It can be difficult to switch a cat from dry food, particularly if they have been consuming it for a long time. Cats frequently become accustomed to a taste or texture, so it can be challenging to introduce different options. But they can alter their diet without going through too much stress if they take the proper approach.

Making the switch easier for your cat means knowing why he prefers dry food. While some cats are just fussy eaters, others might be attracted to the ease of having dry food available all day. Regardless, the transition must be made gradually to prevent disrupting your cat’s eating or sleeping schedule.

This post will discuss useful strategies and tactics to help you wean your cat off of dry food while making sure they continue to receive all the nutrients they require for good health and happiness.

Step	Description
Gradual Reduction	Slowly reduce the amount of dry food while introducing wet food or homemade meals.
Mix with Wet Food	Start mixing a small portion of wet food with the dry food to get your cat used to the new texture.
Increase Wet Food	Gradually increase the amount of wet food, reducing the dry food until it"s completely replaced.
Consistency	Stick to the routine, even if your cat resists at first. They will adapt over time.
Patience	Give your cat time to adjust. It may take a few weeks for them to fully switch over.

In search of an alternative to dry food

Usually, when a pet owner is eager to drastically alter their diet, they consider the mix of dry food and natural food. The term "homemade food" can occasionally take the place of natural food, but the essence always stays the same. Switching cats from dry food to wet canned food is generally simpler and occurs less frequently.

The decision between natural food and dry food is not as cut and dry as it might seem.

Thus, we will focus on analyzing two "opposites" at this point. Most often, the owner starts with the dyad "dry food – natural products" in an effort to transition their pet to a nutritious, high-quality diet. This stance can occasionally be characterized by a faint maximalism.

The danger of dry food

• Dry food is filled with dyes, flavors and other "chemicals" that are incompatible with the pet"s stomach;
• Having once tried food with flavor enhancers (all foods without exception contain such, of course), the cat will get used to it like a drug, and will be hooked for life;
• Under the beautiful word "by-products" manufacturers hide waste from slaughterhouses, which it was a pity to throw away;
• Dry food is like fast food – it quickly fills the cat"s stomach, without giving it any nutrients.

There are instances where a slow-acting poison is linked to dry food.

Our sick, dying cat has acquired obesity, tumors, and liver failure as a result. But is that really the case?

Naturally, beneath all of these arguments’ sentimentality and gullibility, there is a kernel of truth. For instance, low-cost food brands often use inferior ingredients, but their alluring artificial scent manages to attract cats’ attention. It is true that giving your pet cheap food for a long time can have negative effects.

Saving money on animal feed won’t produce beneficial outcomes.

But it’s at least contradictory to apply these extreme claims to all dry food producers in general. Veterinarians’ references to statistical studies and practice serve as the primary evidence of the fallacy of such strategies. Studies have shown no connection between the ingestion of specific foods and kidney issues in animals. We’ll talk more about this misconception later.

These investigations are carried out by independent research organizations as well as by the laboratories of the food manufacturers themselves.

A patient and methodical approach is needed to wean a cat off dry food; small amounts of homemade or wet food should be introduced while gradually cutting back on the amount of dry kibble. Provide your cat with a variety of flavors and textures to help them get used to the new diet. It’s crucial to ensure your cat has a smooth and stress-free transition while making sure they continue to receive all the nutrients they require.

Dry food: myths and reality

If you are the only one who feels the need to wean your cat off of well-known granules, consider the following before you begin your pet’s re-education: what made you consider the dangers of dry food?

It is debatable if all dry food contributes to cats’ ill health and ailments.

This kind of food is the subject of numerous myths, some of which are even propagated by veterinarians. We’ll talk about these false but widely held beliefs now:

Myth 1. There is no benefit from dry food

Crackers are often associated with dry food. They draw the conclusion that dry granules are incredibly worthless based on this identification. A conclusion like this might be drawn from a distinct scent coming from the whiskey bags, which people might mistake for well-known flavorings.

It’s common to compare dry food to crackers or chips.

This misconception stems from utter incompetence when it comes to dry feed composition. Compressed offal is used to make cat chow granules. Regarding the benefit of the line, it might also encounter fully developed dried meat chunks that maintain their nutritional value.

The structure of crackers is unrelated to the structure of dry granules.

Vitamins can be found in high-quality dry stern along with the essential fats, fiber, and cats. Sukhari are only abundant in meaningless carbohydrates. Granules and crackers are remarkably similar on the surface, but this has no bearing on the composition.

Myth 2. Dry food consists of unnatural and harmful components

With years of exposure to the compositions, the contemporary buyer has formed a negative, prejudiced opinion of them. When it comes to cat food, the typical consumer’s complaint that "they write on the packaging whatever the manufacturer wants" is also applicable. Naturally, there are valid reasons for this mistrust, but it can also lead to complete skepticism and the accusation of lying by all producers of cat food.

Reputable producers of cat food won’t want to lose their standing in the industry.

Businesses commit to meeting certain standards both domestically and internationally.The majority of manufacturers merely have no interest in taking their reputation through painful trials or experiments. But every cat owner will benefit from his ability to read the composition and understand it correctly.

Myth 3. Dry food leads to the formation of stones

This is true in certain situations, but its failure calls for a closer examination of the statement. The most frequent causes of urolithiasis are untreated viral infections, hormonal imbalances (caused, for example, by castration), and vitamin deficiencies. The distinctive structure of each person’s urethral canal also has a big impact, but it doesn’t stop or restrict the body’s ability to excrete pee.

One of the primary causes of urolithiasis is not necessarily dry food.

• The food is of poor quality, consists of harmful ingredients, is saturated with flavorings;
• With dry food, the cat"s body does not receive enough water;
• The cat"s diet is not balanced – dry food is combined with raw meat or canned food;

In each of the aforementioned situations, crystals build up in the urine and cause genitourinary system diseases.

Myth 4. No dry food can compare with a full piece of meat

Those who maintain this belief still harbor a naive belief in the superiority of all things "natural." But these days, unless we are talking about cultivating fruits and vegetables in your own garden, the definition of "natural" and healthy is being called into question more and more.

It’s a pipe dream to find natural, unspoiled raw meat on the shelves.

Everything you buy in a hypermarket, from ripe tomatoes to raw beef, has been chemically processed in some way. Preservatives, insecticides, and antibiotics have long been the unseen partners of the organic, pure, and natural.

The term "farm products" is frequently used in a commercial manner to mislead consumers.

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule, but farm "exclusives" are more costly and harder to come by. Furthermore, meat—especially fish meat—may contain parasites that pose a health risk to a cat’s body. Not every meat variety is "historically" meant for cats. The fragile stomachs of domestic pets are not meant for products like beef, pork, or turkey, which were not part of the diet of wild cats.

Myth 5. Neutered cats quickly gain weight even on special food

When a cat is castrated, its owner often decides to transition it to air feeding because he or she is attempting to keep the animal from gaining weight. Naturally, natural food can adjust intelligently to the altered hormonal background of the pet.

Food for neutered cats is thought by some experts to be a marketing gimmick.

Saturating the cat with well-chosen portions will stop it from overindulging. But to keep this delicate balance going, you really must be an expert in cat nutrition and dedicate most of your time to your pet’s diet. Food of superior quality starts out with less carbohydrates (compared to less expensive options). Given that they satisfy their needs, cats of any age or gender can use them.

It is far more difficult to limit the amount of calories that a cat consumes when they are fed naturally.

It makes sense to cut back on the portions if the pet’s owner notices that it has started to gain weight. It’s not quite that easy with natural food because the animal owner has complete control over the ingredients.

Myth 6. High-protein foods are detrimental to the liver and kidneys

Some "advanced" pet owners believe that internal organ issues in pets are primarily caused by the high protein content of holistic pet food. Conversely, they fail to acknowledge that cats evolved exclusively to hunt rodents and birds, which have higher protein contents than any high-protein diet.

All cats successfully digest food high in protein.

Cats can easily absorb a moderate amount of protein; the key is to know how much is too little. Unfortunately, the loud cries that periodically resound in the pet food market about the dangers of any component are more likely to be heard by modern consumers.

Internal organ diseases are occasionally misdiagnosed as being caused by certain foods.

As of right now, no experimentally verified statistical evidence exists linking high-protein feed consumption to liver or kidney pathologies. It is advised that pets with kidney issues consume reduced-phosphorus food rather than protein.

Dry food: harm or benefit?

It turns out that dry food isn’t always bad for cats, especially if you don’t just think about cheap brands. But there’s no need to discuss this kind of food’s perfect reliability. We will list the benefits and drawbacks of dry food in the table for clarity.

Table 1: Benefits and drawbacks of dry food

Pros	Cons
Ease of storage and preparation. Dry food can be stored for a long time in bags equipped with special "Velcro" so that less air enters the repeatedly opened bag	In the absence of a sufficient amount of water, there is a high probability of kidney stones in pets. Therefore, the owner"s task is to control the water drunk by the cat
The balance of the feed has already been thought out by the manufacturer (applies only to premium feeds and above). It is also necessary to take into account the division of lines of good feeds by age and breed, taking into account in advance the specifics of metabolic processes of each of the affected groups	Economy class feeds are full of chemical additives, which we discussed at the beginning of the article. Such questionable substances can lead to gastritis, dysbacteriosis, ulcers and other gastrointestinal diseases. You can transfer a cat to budget feeds only in extreme cases and for a short period of time
The presence of taurine in the feed allows you to maintain your pet"s vision at a good level, prevents cardiovascular diseases and strengthens the nervous system. It is quite problematic to include taurine as a component of natural nutrition. It is contained in fish and other seafood, which are dangerous for cats due to parasites	Cats can eat dry food in almost unlimited quantities. If they quickly get full with mice or birds caught by their own hands, then the situation is different with ready-made feeds. It may be that your pet will ask for more and more, but you should refuse him to avoid obesity and other diseases
Due to their consistency, dry food granules act as an abrasive, partially cleaning the cats" teeth from plaque. However, this feature does not exclude scheduled visits to the veterinarian, since cats" teeth need constant monitoring. Dry granules cannot replace the prevention of tartar and inflammation	Premium lines hit the pocketbook hard. Not every owner is ready to spend such money on their pet, especially if we are talking about families with several cats

Natural food

There is a widespread belief that domestic cats should consume the same foods as their wild counterparts. Put another way, a variety of moist foods that are nutrient-dense because they contain a lot of protein. This, however, ignores the fact that wild cats are more prone to a variety of illnesses that they may contract from prey that has already contracted them. An owner viewing the life of a free cat as the ideal is a little naive.

Domesticated and wild cats digest food very differently from one another.

It goes without saying that natural food has advantages over other dry foods in the holistic group. Below, we will go into further detail about the benefits and subtleties of eating natural food.

Table 2: Benefits and drawbacks of eating natural food

Advantages	Disadvantages
The acidic environment of the digestive tract of cats is designed for digesting raw meat. Even if the meat given to them contains bacteria, there is a high probability that they will not survive in the gastrointestinal tract, since digestion of food in cats" stomachs occurs quickly. That is why cats are not prone to food poisoning	Creating a menu suitable for your pet involves repeated steps on a rake. Each cat has its own individual diet – some focus on protein foods, others on fermented milk products. Every miscalculation of the owner will be reflected in the appearance of the pet and its well-being
Cats get more energy from natural food than from dried granules. According to the observations of some owners, their cats came to life when switching to a balanced natural diet. To get enough vitality, cats must burn a large amount of protein, which they can get from raw meat. A constant flow of protein converted into energy cannot be provided by other foods	Natural nutrition does not exclude the need for vitamin complexes that additionally strengthen the animal"s immunity. Thinking about natural food as something completely self-sufficient is a mistake. Kittens, pregnant cats and elderly cats especially need additional vitamins and minerals. These can be multivitamins, biological supplements, etc.. Natural food cannot give the cat"s body everything it needs, despite its usefulness and naturalness
The following point follows from the previous one – the pet"s loss of excess weight when switching to natural products. It has been noticed more than once that cats fed dry food do not know moderation and try to eat more. This happens because some foods do not provide pets with all the necessary nutrients. Quality is replaced by quantity. Natural food can provide a cat with all the necessary components, remaining within reasonable limits and not allowing overeating	Parasite worms, the complete absence of which can hardly be guaranteed by any meat counter, are sometimes given to a pet along with a piece of raw meat. Undercooked fish or beef may contain roundworm larvae, which later enter the cat"s body and do not want to leave it. It should be borne in mind that these parasites are dangerous for both the animal and its owner
In nature, felines are not prone to problematic teeth, which cannot be said about their domestic counterparts. The fact is that wild cats constantly "train" their teeth by gnawing bones and tendons. Dry food is sometimes chewed by our pets without even being chewed. Unused teeth weaken and gradually deteriorate. Raw meat bones, which only natural food can provide a cat with, are sometimes much more effective than special toothbrushes	Cats have a hard time getting used to some categories of products. Vegetables, to which felines are not at all accustomed, can cause your pet to reject them for a long time. And if dry food includes fiber along with other components, then with a natural diet the cat will have to digest it in its pure form. Fiber helps the intestines maintain microflora and stabilizes the gastrointestinal tract. If the cat completely refuses vegetables (or bran and cereals), visits to the veterinarian are inevitable
As you know, cats drink rarely and in small quantities. Their wild counterparts get their main supply of liquid from prey and are able to go days without water. Cats that eat dry food need additional water reserves, while cats that eat raw meat also quench their thirst with it. Natural food protects your cat from chronic dehydration	Not every fish is suitable for your pet. There are different types: sea, ocean, freshwater. The latter should be avoided if possible, since it is most likely to contain parasites. Fish should be given to pets very moderately, because an excess of phosphorus can lead to urolithiasis

Step-by-step weaning of a cat from dry food

Recognize that switching the cat to a new diet won’t be simple before acting decisively. Unassuming animals can readily adapt their preferences to match those of their owner, but they are the exception rather than the rule. It is useless to hope for a seamless transition from the previous menu to the new one because the owner will unavoidably have to deal with disappointment.

The most important skill a cat owner should have when teaching their pet new eating habits is patience.

Some cat owners take drastic measures to control their feline’s hunger, driven by frustration or hopelessness over their lack of control. A week-starved cat will naturally eat a food package, but in the process, you will get a sick, anxious cat that may become aggressive toward you.

For a pet, starvation can lead to serious illnesses.

The transition from an old type of nutrition to a new one should be gradual, especially if we are talking about a radical change in products. Replacing one type of dry food with another is easy for an animal, while replacing dry granules with raw meat requires a lot of effort from both the owner and the pet"s body. Keep in mind that digestion adapts to the food consumed and produces exactly the amount of enzymes that is necessary for its digestion. When switching to a qualitatively different menu, the gastrointestinal tract experiences shock, it has to rearrange beneficial bacteria and adapt to a new type of nutrition. Therefore, a quick transition to a new food is not only ineffective, but also harmful to the health of the pet;

A cat cannot and should not change its diet abruptly.

If you don’t take very small steps at first, the pet will quickly lose interest.

When switching out the cat’s food, give careful consideration to its welfare.

Be discreet when raising the proportion of natural food and give the cat access to dry granules.

Hunger strikes can lead to overindulgence in food.

It’s also possible that the cat will permanently reject dry food after trying meat.

Related advice

Given that humans and animals are both subject to the force of habit, cats are hesitant to alter their diet. There are documented instances where pets have refused natural products in favor of dry food. In these situations, what to do and what not to do is:

• Don"t put pressure on your pet. Hunger strikes and aggression are fraught with loss of appetite and painful conditions for cats that are sensitive to the home atmosphere;

Avoid putting your desired foods in your cat’s mouth; doing so will only cause arguments with your companion.

An examination of the pet’s urine will help assess its condition.

If the pet resists

The owner must react if there is a violent protest. It is acceptable to plan a 24-hour hunger strike for the animal if it flatly refuses to accept the new diet. The cat needs access to water, so make sure to keep the bowl of water visible. Give it fresh food the following day and a choice between food and a hunger strike. When faced with a full bowl, animals do not deny themselves their basic needs or allow themselves to starve.

Eventually, a cat’s protest against a novel diet plan ends without compromising its health.

Leaving pieces of meat in a bowl for a long time, which causes them to become weathered, dry out or even spoil, causing rejection in the pet;

Cats will not eat stale meat because they are attracted to the fragrant scent of fresh meat.

Video – How to transfer a cat from dry food to natural food

It may require some time and patience to help your cat move off of dry food, but doing so will benefit their general health. To help both you and your pet adjust to the change more easily, start small by gradually introducing new foods and modifying the feeding schedule.

Remember that being consistent is essential. Follow through on the plan, even if your cat initially objects. They will gradually adjust to the new diet if you are a little persistent.

Throughout the procedure, keep an eye on your cat’s wellbeing and response. To make sure the transition is secure and fruitful for your feline companion, it’s a good idea to speak with your veterinarian if you have any doubts.

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