Moving from raw to canned

[qissycat]

Ever since I got my Yuki at 3 months old I've been feeding her raw (mostly quail). After almost 3 years, due to a number of reasons, mainly the fact that I suspect she has developed an allergy to that particular protein - I think I have to move her to canned. Which I know she will gladly accept, never really been the most ardent fan of raw food herself.

After a LOT of research I've narrowed it down to three brands - Leonardo, Zealandia and Carnilove. They're grain free and have interesting non-fish options. I'm not in the US or Europe, and I envy you guys who have all sorts options available. My question is, how do I transition her from raw to canned? It's like going from an all-vegan, paleo diet to frozen pizzas in human terms. I'm expecting stinky poops... but will it affect her weight? Her coat? Health? Do I need to go slowly? She'll love it for sure, but would it be okay for her digestion?

Trust me, this is not an easy decision. But I don't think I have any other choice.

 

[Talien]

What changed that leads you to think she has allergies? Have you taken her to see a vet?

 

[Furballsmom]

but will it affect her weight? Her coat? Health?

If you haven't already, check and see if these companies will provide samples first so you and she can make a somewhat more informed decision - maybe she likes the consistency of one over another... I'd also consider trying to feed two or all three brands, so that your cat has a variety in her diet. This provides a bit of insurance in case one of the companies goes out of business or changes their recipe to the point she won't eat it any longer or it upsets her digestive system, plus it helps to give her a broader spectrum of nutrition since each company has different ingredients they utilize.

Do I need to go slowly?

This is from one of the websites; Introducing Zealandia Nutrition to your pet: We recommend that you transition your pet from their old diet to their new diet over a 7 day period, by feeding increasing percentages of Zealandia Pet Nutrition until reaching 100% after 7 days.

 

[cataholic07]

Why not just do different proteins of raw? If it's an aafco balanced raw its still a good idea to feed different proteins. Cats can get allergies if fed the same protein no matter if its dry, wet or raw. If its 80/10/10 ratio diet then you must feed 3-5 different proteins a week to make it balanced.