For several years now, I have been encouraging my clients to start switching cat food brands and feeding their cats an all canned food diet that is low in carbohydrates and better for the cats' overall health, but many are confused and overwhelmed when it comes to exactly how to make that transition. That's why, when The Nutro Company published this 6-step guide to transitioning your cats to a new food, I wanted to share it here!
These are simply guidelines about how to make your cat's transition to his new, healthier diet easier on him and his intestinal tract. You can read more about the importance of feeding an all canned, low carbohydrate diet here, but in a nutshell, here is a list of Nutro's low-carbohydrate canned food flavors you should try! And if you're worried about your cat not taking to his new food, follow these great guidelines for switching cat food brands, practice a little tough love, and before you know it, your cat will be on his way to better health!
Nutro's Switch Your Cat Food: Six Days to Better Nutrition Guide
If feeding NATURAL CHOICE® Cat Food for the first time or changing formulas, we suggest blending increasing amounts of the new formula with your old cat food for six days. Why do we recommend this transition? Your cat’s digestive system might be sensitive to dietary change. This blending period allows their system to adjust to the highly digestible and healthy NATURAL CHOICE® Cat Food. A six-day transition will help reduce the chances of your cat experiencing dietary upsets that can sometimes accompany sudden changes in diet.
Nutro offers two Nutritious Choices with precise nutrition in the NATURAL CHOICE®Cat Food and MAX® CAT Food lines. Below are some low carbohydrate flavors to try.
|
Protein % |
Fat % |
Carb % |
| Active Health Chicken & Liver Formula Chunks in Gravy | |||
| Mature Health Chicken & Turkey Formula Chunks in Gravy | |||
| Active Health Turkey & Giblets Formula Chunks In Gravy | |||
| Active Health Ocean Fish & Tuna Formula Chunks in Sauce | |||
| Active Health Salmon & Ocean Fish Formula Chunks in Sauce | |||
| Indoor Active Health Turkey & Liver Formula Chunks In Gravy | |||
| Indoor Active Health Whitefish & Tuna Formula Chunks In Sauce | |||
| Healthy Growth Chicken & Liver Formula Chunks in Gravy | |||
| Healthy Growth Salmon & Ocean Fish Formula Chunks in Gravy | |||
| Beef & Egg | |||
| Turkey & Chicken Liver | |||
| With Savory Duck | |||
| With Savory Venison |
Switching Cat Food Brands: The Guide for Sensitive Stomachs
Some cats are particularly sensitive to changes in diet. For these cats, it is recommended to increase the transition period to 14 days. Additionally, some changes in diet are bigger changes than others and can benefit from a longer transition. These bigger changes might include switching between wet and dry formulas, switching life stages or transitioning onto an indoor or tailored-solutions formula. To use a longer transition, follow the blending chart below.
|
Time Period |
Amount of NUTRO Cat Food |
Amount of Old Cat Food |
|
For two days For two days For two days For two days For two days For two days For two days For two days For two days For a lifetime |
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% |
90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% --- |
Why YOU Should Follow the Guide to Switching Cat Food Brands
Among other things, switching slowly will allow your cat to get used to the flavor and texture of her new food. No matter what food you decide to try for your favorite feline, two things are always true:
- All cats should eat high-quality, high-protein, moderate-fat, and low-carbohydrate canned food.
- Slow and steady wins the race! Cats are very sensitive to changes in diet and are prone to developing problems like vomiting and diarrhea from sudden changes.
This post was written by a Nutro Knowledge Network Member and sponsored by the Nutro Company.
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