Ways to Keep Your Cat Healthy While Switching Cat Food Brands or Types

Whether your cat is on a diet or whether they need a special formula, changing your cat's food might be necessary. Switching cat food is something we often do without thinking about it and this can cause serious problems for the cat. A cat needs to be introduced slowly into new things including food since abrupt changes are not healthy. If you abruptly change your cat food from one type to another or from one brand to another, your cat can develop digestive problems such as vomiting and diarrhea. In order to stop digestive issues you need to be cautious whenever you switch your cat's food. If you want to switch your cat's food to a new brand or type then you need to learn how to incorporate the new food in gradually.

Gradually incorporating the new cat food into the scenario is the best way to switch your cat's food safely and easily. One the first day you want a 75 percent to 25 percent ratio of old food to new food. If you normally feed your cat two cups of cat food, you would use a half a cup of the new cat food and one and a half cups of the current cat food. The second day requires you to use the same ratio as the first day; you should not change any of the amounts of the cat food.

On the third day you need to use 50 percent of the new cat food and 50 percent of the normal cat food you used. So if you used two cups of cat food then it would be one cup of the cat food you want to switch to and one cup of the current cat food. The fourth day is the same as the third day; keep each cat food at the 50 percent level.

Day five you want to use 25 percent of the current or normal cat food and 75 percent of the new cat food. You want to be incorporating the new cat food as most of your cat's daily intake but leaving enough of the current cat food for a more gradual transition. If you normally use two cups of cat food then this would mean a half a cup of the current cat food and then one and a half cups of the cat food you want to transition to. Day six is the same thing; you want to keep this ratio in place of 25 percent current cat food and 75 percent the new cat food.

Day seven you want to complete the transition to new cat food by giving your cat 100 percent of the new food brand or type. If you are switching from a kitten formula to an adult formula you should do this somewhere between nine months of age and one year of age. Gradual transitioning is the best way to switch your cat's food without causing any serious digestive problems. You should also consult your veterinarian for the most appropriate food to switch your cat to if you are concerned about their weight or medical issues. As with all dietary changes, you also consult your veterinarian to make sure that your pet is safe and you are switching to a formula that is safe for your cat.