Switching Foods

[carliesykesss]

hi there. I have a 2 yr old DSH and he wasn’t eating much so I thought I’d try switching foods! He was eating Rachael Ray Nutrish Indoor Chicken Flavor but I have come to realize that he isn’t a big fan of chicken. So I bought Iams Indoor and it’s chicken and turkey flavor. He adores turkey but I couldn’t find just turkey unfortunately. So I got that. I gave him a few pieces to see if he’d like it and man oh man he gobbled it up! I was so worried he was lacking appetite but I guess it was the food.

Anyways, as for my question, I usually gradually switch but since he hates the old food, can I just switch completely? Ive read that you shouldn’t but he hasn’t ate much on the old food. I just want him eating normal again. Thanks

 

[Kal_shadowsmom]

You could do a half and half mix of the food and see how he takes it. He might be stubborn and spit out the old food like my cat did when I switched her. Haha

Just be prepared for some barf on the floor.

 

[daftcat75]

You really should try to mix it with the old food because that’s what his gut is already used to. However, sometimes they just won’t eat the old food. What I have found that works for my Krista—with her IBD and pancreatitis we have had to do many a cold switch—is to start out like the old food was still there. So if you were going to give 80/20 old to new, then place a 1/5 portion of new food on the plate. Add to it each day (not each meal) when you have seen confirmation in the litterbox that the new food is agreeing. So it may take several days to a week to get him back to full calories but it will be a gentle reboot. Because if he gets sick on the new food, you risk him not wanting it anymore. He’ll be alright eating underweight for a few days as long as he’s sill eating.

 

[duckpond]

I have found with my guys that i can switch wet with no problems what so ever. All cats are different, but mine have never had a problem with wet, a different one at every meal even.

Dry, 2 of mine can switch as often as i want, and they have no problem. 1 is fixated on dr. elseys chicken and wont even try a different dry. The other he switches with no fuss, but will often get soft stool, not diarrhea, just soft, for 2 or 3 days. So all cats are different. Slow and mixing new and old never hurts. But mine are great at picking the one they like out of the other kibbles...