How to wean a cat or a cat from ready-made dry and wet food and accustom it to normal home-made food?

It can be difficult to transition a cat from store-bought food to homemade meals at first. It can be challenging to switch up a cat’s diet routine because many of them become accustomed to the flavor and texture of dry or wet food. However, you can make the shift successfully if you have the right attitude and are patient.

Make your own cat food to ensure that they get healthy, fresh meals and to have more control over the ingredients. It also lets you stay away from superfluous additives that are frequently added to store-bought cat food. But keep in mind that it’s crucial to introduce the change gradually to prevent upset stomach syndrome in your cat.

This step-by-step guide will assist you in weaning your cat off store-bought food and introducing homemade meals gradually in a manner that is secure and comfortable for your pet.

To prevent digestive upset, weaning a cat off store-bought dry and wet food and introducing homemade meals requires patience and small adjustments. Gradually increase the proportion by starting with tiny amounts of homemade food incorporated into their regular meals. Observe the cat’s preferences and make sure the homemade food is nutrient-balanced and well-suited for their needs. In order to ensure that your cat successfully transitions to the new diet, the changeover should be made gradually and carefully.

Ready-made food: pros and cons

There are three types of ready-made cat food that are available: dry, wet, and canned goods. Additionally, the products are separated into four categories: premium, super-premium, holistic, and economy (which includes the well-known "Whiskas," "Friskies," "Felix," and others). The producers of the last three categories of food are able to create therapeutic lines. Every product category has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.

Dry food

The ingredients in this kind of cat food are dried. Among their benefits are:

• long shelf life;
• natural removal of plaque;
• balanced composition, as a result of which additional use of vitamins is not required;
• ease of use – dry granule food is convenient to take with you on a trip;
• saving time and physical strength of the owner.

The drawbacks of dry cat food are:

• minimal amount of moisture – insufficient water intake can cause serious health problems for the animal;
• high carbohydrate content, addiction and subsequent refusal to eat other food – this applies to low-quality products (Whiskas, Friskies, etc.)..

Wet and canned products

Drippings in a jelly or sauce constitute wet food. In general, natural food is packed into metal cans that are hermetically sealed to form canned cat food. Because they contain more meat and less grain (we’re not talking about cheap Whiskas or Kitekat, but about high-quality products), they are healthier for animals than dry food. Details regarding the benefits and drawbacks of these food types:

See also: The brand’s "Now" line of food for holistic adult and kitten cats: an overview of the components of each product

• high taste appeal;
• balanced composition;
• ease of use;
• saving time and physical strength of the cat owner.

• high price;
• the need to dispose of the product if the pet does not immediately eat all the contents of the package, or transfer it to a glass container;
• the impossibility of constant use due to the risk of dental problems;
• the need to adhere to a diet.

Premium and super-premium products

The best foods to feed members of the feline family are premium ("Brit Premium", "Organix", "Probalance", "Hill"s", "Eukanuba") and super-premium ("Fitmin For Life", "Brit Care", "Summit", "Blitz", "Leonardo"). These goods do, however, have certain disadvantages. Details regarding the advantages and disadvantages of ready-made premium and ultra-premium goods:

• content of natural meat;
• optimal nutritional value;
• ease of use;
• saving time and physical strength of the cat owner.

• presence of flavors and colors;
• relatively low meat content;
• high amount of plant ingredients;
• inaccurately specified composition.

• absence of artificial additives;
• sufficient amount of premium meat;
• presence of hypoallergenic plant components;
• “transparent” composition.

Why switch a cat to natural food?

Weaning a pet off of store-bought food and introducing it to homemade food on a regular basis may be necessary at times. There should be balance in this decision. It’s important to realize that introducing regular food to a cat can cause stress to its body, so you should try your hardest to reduce it. Why would an animal be switched to eating only natural food?

Saving money

Products with premade cat food are not inexpensive. To save money, some pet owners try to wean their animals off of commercially produced goods. This is the right choice because giving your four-legged companion lower-quality food in place of higher-quality food will definitely lead to the development of major health issues.

See also: A guide to selecting dry, wet, liquid, and ultra-premium canned food for your cherished feline

Veterinarian"s requirement

Some animals are not suitable for this kind of food. "Drying" can cause issues with the urinary system and have a detrimental effect on the health of the digestive system. Overconsumption of wet food weakens the jaws, causing teeth to loosen and fall out. The veterinarian will highly advise the cat owner to wean the animal off of prepared foods and transition it to homemade food in these circumstances.

How to properly transfer your pet to homemade food, weaning it off prepared foods?

Your four-legged companion needs to be gradually switched to natural food. Simultaneously, you should try your hardest to avoid digestive issues and reduce the amount of stress that a change in diet causes to your pet’s body.

You can introduce homemade food to your pet in a few different ways.

Alternate feeding with prepared food and natural food

One of the kindest ways to introduce natural food to your four-legged companion is through this method. Guidelines for switching up the foods you eat:

• Your pet should eat 3-4 times a day.
• It is recommended to feed your pet its usual products in the first half of the day, leaving homemade dishes for the second.
• Do not give in to your pet"s provocations and begging for its favorite food. If more than half an hour has passed after the bowl has been filled with natural food and the cat has not touched it, it should be removed. The animal will get hungry sooner or later and will agree even to an unfamiliar dish.

Mix both types of food in one feeding

With this method, the pet’s food—both new and familiar—is combined into a single bowl. You must abide by the following guidelines when using it:

• Before mixing dry granules with natural food, they should be soaked in water for a few minutes, which should then be drained.
• Familiar and new food should be mixed in a ratio of 5:1. After a week, the amount of the former should be halved. This should be done until the four-legged pet gets used to the dishes that the owner prepares for him from natural products.

Wet food can be substituted for dry food in this method of weaning a cat to home-cooked meals. An animal that has only been fed "dry food" will find regular food to be unappealing in terms of taste, smell, and appearance. It will be much easier and faster to transition to a natural diet if you first offer it wet food.

See also: Italian dry and wet cat food "Monge" for kittens and adults, ingredients, and uses for the line of therapeutic products

Radical method: just do not give ready-made food!

There are a lot of problems with this approach. Your four-legged companion is likely to reject a dish made without using any natural ingredients if you abruptly stop feeding him his regular diet.

Not every animal makes it through this experiment. Cats that are especially obstinate never touch strange dishes. Prolonged fasting will have an adverse effect on their internal organ function, weight, and appearance. Animals that are extremely sensitive may become extremely stressed out during this experiment.

Sick animals should not be treated with this method. It frequently results in digestive issues. But these issues are typically transient and disappear on their own.

Common mistakes when changing the feeding method

When switching up their cat’s diet, cat owners frequently make the following mistakes:

• Suddenly switching from one food to another. In this situation, you can"t rush. A smooth transition from the usual to the new type of food will help avoid problems with your pet"s digestion and stool. Ideally, this process should take about 1.5 weeks.
• Succumbing to blackmail from your four-legged pet. Almost all animals protest against a change in diet, refusing to eat and begging for their favorite food.
• Ignoring your cat"s hunger strike for a long time. It is important not to miss the moment when fasting will harm the four-legged blackmailer.
• Using physical methods. When forcing your pet to eat natural food, you cannot yell at it or hit the animal. This will cause it severe emotional shock.
• Leaving a self-prepared meal in the cat"s bowl for a long time. If the cat has not touched the contents of the bowl within half an hour, it is recommended to throw it away, otherwise it will spoil and the pet will be poisoned.

Step	Description
1. Gradual transition	Start mixing small amounts of homemade food with the usual dry or wet food. Increase the proportion of homemade food slowly over 7-10 days.
2. Offer appealing foods	Prepare tasty homemade meals that attract your cat, like boiled chicken, turkey, or fish. Avoid seasonings and bones.
3. Set a feeding schedule	Feed your cat at the same times daily. Stick to a routine so your cat gets used to the new meals.
4. Avoid free-feeding	Remove leftover food after 20-30 minutes. This helps your cat understand when mealtime is and encourages them to eat what’s offered.
5. Be patient	Some cats take longer to adjust. Stay consistent and avoid switching back to commercial food during the process.

It takes time and patience to switch your cat from store-bought food to homemade meals. Begin by gradually adding small amounts of homemade food to their regular meals, and as time goes on, increase the amount. This gives your cat time to get used to the new flavor and texture.

Throughout the procedure, keep an eye on your cat’s reactions and overall health. While some cats may adjust to the change quickly, others may require more time. Maintain a regular schedule to help your cat adjust to the new diet and feel safe.

Ensure that your cat’s homemade food is nutritionally complete and balanced. If you’re not sure, ask a vet for guidance on the right amounts and components to make sure your cat is comfortable and healthy throughout the change.

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