Switching cat's wet food flavor each meal

jahzara

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When you guys buy your wet food, do you purchase different flavors and give them a different flavor every meal? Is this good or bad for them? I've heard that switching cat's diet around suddenly is hard on their digestive tracts and causes stomach & intestinal upset. What exactly constitutes "switching food?" Does this refer to the brand or flavor? I've always assumed it was the brand, but I guess switching from chicken one day to fish the next would be a drastic dietary change. 
 

awesomepawsome

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Well, I think that more applies to brands than to flavors?  I do this because cats, like people, get bored and may stop eating a flavor after awhile if they are bored with it.  But, I will give them a new flavor and they will eat again with no problems.  A lot of people don't like to feed fish but I give it to them because some taurine is needed and good for them.  Plus, they love it.  It's a strong flavor and as long as it's not in excess in my opinion.  So yes, this would be fine. 
 

missmimz

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When you guys buy your wet food, do you purchase different flavors and give them a different flavor every meal? Is this good or bad for them? I've heard that switching cat's diet around suddenly is hard on their digestive tracts and causes stomach & intestinal upset. What exactly constitutes "switching food?" Does this refer to the brand or flavor? I've always assumed it was the brand, but I guess switching from chicken one day to fish the next would be a drastic dietary change. 
Yes this is referred to as rotating foods and it's a common practice among a lot of the members here. In terms of wet food feeding different brands/flavors is easier on cats systems than with dry foods because dry tends to have more fillers and ingredients than wet food and it's harder to digest. I feed several different brands as well as flavors, as do many other members. Most cats do fine with this, but you have to try and see, if your cats react badly then go slower adding new foods or don't use certain ones if they have a negative reaction. It's all trail and error to find what works. 

I feed a large variety of raw food, wet food, and some kibble for snacking. I also feed a lot of different proteins for variety. My cats don't eat the same foods for their AM or PM meals, and they don't have any issues with it. 
 
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Kat0121

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I switch flavors and brands of wet food all the time. I try to not give them the same wet food 2 meals in a row to keep them from getting bored with a food and then rejecting it. It's fine to do with wet food but not dry.
 

mingking

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I have a bin where I just throw all the cans of cat food I have and then stick my hand in the bin, and whatever comes up, I feed. Haha!!! Usually it's not the same food and depending on your cat, it's perfectly fine to feed different flavours and/or brands. 

If you're trying new foods, try one flavour and brand one day and observe your cat's behaviour and inspect your cat's litterbox to make sure everything is regular. 
 
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jahzara

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Okay, so it's sounding more like switching dry foods is where the upset stomach comes into play, wet food not so much. Thanks for the feedback guys. My kittens don't seem to have too much of an issue with the switching around of foods, but I was worried that maybe I was causing some tummy ache that they can't tell me about or something. Hah.
 

2cats4me

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When you guys buy your wet food, do you purchase different flavors and give them a different flavor every meal? Is this good or bad for them? I've heard that switching cat's diet around suddenly is hard on their digestive tracts and causes stomach & intestinal upset. What exactly constitutes "switching food?" Does this refer to the brand or flavor? I've always assumed it was the brand, but I guess switching from chicken one day to fish the next would be a drastic dietary change. 
My cats eat the same brand ( Friskies Classic Pate ) but different flavors every day . I feed the same brand all the time because my cats are super picky and do not like change .
 

Kat0121

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Okay, so it's sounding more like switching dry foods is where the upset stomach comes into play, wet food not so much. Thanks for the feedback guys. My kittens don't seem to have too much of an issue with the switching around of foods, but I was worried that maybe I was causing some tummy ache that they can't tell me about or something. Hah.
Unless they have an allergy it should be fine. Right now in our rotation, we have a big box of Friskies poultry pates, a case of Wellness cubed turkey and a case each of Pride by Instinct Lucky's Lamb, Rockstar's Rabbit and Diva's Duck. I try to give them a pate meal a day and then one of the others for their second meal. If they are being fussy, I add some crushed Pure Bites or a little NVI kibble to it as a topper. 
 

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I rotate brands, flavors, and textures daily. This works in case of a recall or discontinuation or allergy and they don't get bored. They get chicken, duck, rabbit, quail, turkey and occasional tilapia.
 
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lisahe

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I switch flavors and brands of wet food all the time. I try to not give them the same wet food 2 meals in a row to keep them from getting bored with a food and then rejecting it. It's fine to do with wet food but not dry.
I do the same thing for the exact same reason. Our cats are, ahm, a bit complex in their eating habits so I divide their canned foods into day foods and night foods.
 

lizngiz mom

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good question as I had not thought about it.  I think I'm used to dogs/cats eating the same dry food every day, but as for the can food, we change it up.  Mine get three kinds of Merrick and one Blue Buffalo Freedom can food.  I rotate them and feed them twice a day.
 
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