How to wean a cat or a cat from dry food. How to wean a cat off dry food or wet pads How to wean a cat off food

The modern rhythm of life leaves its mark on society. People who have pets are forced to feed their four-legged friends with dry food. Such food saves time, because you do not need to stand at the stove for hours. However, not everyone knows that dry food is dangerous for the health of cats. They are addictive, poorly absorbed and do not saturate the skin with the elements necessary for the full growth of wool. Hence, there is a need to transfer the animal from ready-made feed to natural food.

How to wean a cat off dry food

Option number 1. You can not abruptly transfer the animal to natural food, it is necessary to follow a certain sequence. Alternate prepared food with regular food, while the first should be given in the morning, when digestion has just started. Be sure to keep an eye on the cat's drinking bowl, it should always have clean water. Grains of dry food swell in the stomach, absorbing liquid, hence constant thirst appears. Meals should be made strictly according to the schedule, the frequency of the feeding procedure is 3 times a day. Dedicate the morning meal to dry food (you can soak it with water), serve natural food for lunch and dinner.

Option number 2. There is another scheme for transferring a cat from dry food to natural food. It consists in mixing two types of food in certain proportions. On the first and second days, you need to steam dry food with water, knead it with a fork and mix it with regular food in a ratio of 5: 1 (5 parts dry food, 1 part natural food). In this case, actions must be performed 3 times a day (each meal). From the third to the fifth day, increase the amount of natural food to two parts, that is, mix it with dry food in a ratio of 5:2. Every few days, add one portion of natural food.

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Important Aspects

Cats are easier to wean off dry food than cats. Act gradually, do not try to feed the animal with natural food by force, let him come to this himself. In cases with cats, add vitamins and minerals to food, take a course once every six months.

For the most part, cat owners prefer to feed their pets with ready-made food - this is convenient and, if economy-class products are purchased, it is also profitable. But is this food good for the animal? Experts arguing on the topic: “What is better for a cat - ready-made food or natural, self-cooked meals?” until they come to a consensus. If the owner of the animal, for some reason, wants to change the cat's diet and transfer the pet from store-bought food to natural products, he will have to face certain difficulties.

Why is it difficult to wean a cat off store food?

Weaning a pet from dry industrial food is not an easy task. In the process of changing the diet, the animal often shows unprecedented stubbornness. Why is this happening? The habits of the representatives of the cat family are more stable than human ones and therefore it is more difficult to deal with them. Another difficulty lies in the fact that the composition of most brands of feed includes various additives that enhance the taste and aroma. This is especially true for the so-called budget class feed. After such food, even the best pieces of meat seem tasteless to animals.

For many cats, dry food is a kind of food drug.

Why is it worth it to wean your pet off dry food?

If the owner doubts whether it is worth weaning the pet from industrial dry food, he needs to find out about the negative consequences of its use:

1. Addiction. Even super premium dry food contains chemical elements, and in products of the economy category "chemistry" is present in overwhelming quantities. Artificial additives include attractants and addictive additives.
2. Problems with teeth. Contrary to popular belief, dry granules do not help clean teeth - the animal simply swallows them without chewing, while not training the jaw at all.
3. Allergy risk. A number of elements that make up industrial feeds can cause allergies in animals - with a natural diet, the risk of food allergies is practically absent.
4. The risk of developing urolithiasis. Occurs due to the low moisture content in dry granules.

Owners choose to feed with ready-made feeds, taking care of themselves first of all, because it saves time and money - there is no need to specially buy high-quality products, spend time preparing balanced meals, calculate portions.

First of all, having made the decision to transfer a cat from ready-made feeds to natural food, you need to be patient. At first, the animal will ignore even the most appetizing, from the owner's point of view, pieces of meat and constantly beg for the usual dry granules. To wean your pet from ready-made food and switch to a natural diet, you can use one of the following methods:

1. The alternation of dry food and natural dishes. When choosing this method of changing the diet, the animal needs to be fed 3-4 times a day. The usual food for him should be given in the first half of the day, and natural products in the second. The cat, of course, will be indignant and ignore such food, but the owner should not succumb to "provocations". If the animal has not touched the food after 30 minutes, then it should be removed.
2. Mixing dry granules and natural products. This method provides for the simultaneous supply of natural products and industrial feed with a predominance of the latter. Before serving, dry food is soaked in water, which is then drained. First, dry granules need to be taken 5 parts, and natural food - 1 part. After 7 days, the amount of store-bought food must be reduced, and so on until the pet gets used to the food prepared for him by the person.

A variant of the second way to change the diet is to transfer the cat to wet food. For an animal that has never tasted anything but dry granules, ordinary food will seem unappetizing even in appearance. Therefore, by first accustoming a pet to wet food, it will be easier to transfer it to a natural diet.

By accustoming a pet to wet food, it will be easier to transfer it to a natural diet.

What mistakes should the owner avoid when changing the diet

Having chosen a method for weaning an animal from industrial feed, one should act gradually, without deviating from the plan:

1. No need to hurry. A sharp change in nutrition will not only lead to the so-called boycott, but also provoke health problems in the animal. Switching from one diet to another can take at least 2 weeks.
2. Do not give in to provocations. The pet's hunger strike and the loud demand for favorite treats should be completely ignored. Not a single animal has yet died of starvation near a full bowl of food. Even one concession can negate all efforts - the animal will understand that sooner or later it will get what it wants.

If there are children in the house, convince them of the correctness of their actions. Feeling sorry for their furry "starving" friend, they can secretly feed the animal, thereby nullifying all efforts to change the diet.

When changing the diet, you need to completely ignore the pet's hunger strike and the loud demand for your favorite treats.

Basic principles of nutrition with natural products

When changing the diet, you should be aware that natural nutrition is not the food that a person prepares for himself, but specially prepared dishes for cats from permitted products, without salt and spices. A balanced diet is important for normal well-being, health, and the proper development of all animal body systems. Proper nutrition is not only the right choice of products. The responsible owner must also adhere to the recommendations for organizing the feeding regimen. Very young kittens should be fed frequently - up to 5 times a day, from four to five months - 3-4 times, after six months - 3 times, and from a year - 2 times a day. In order to prevent beriberi, experts advise enriching the diet of pets with vitamin and mineral supplements, such as Canina Canivita, Gimpet, BEAPHAR KITTY'S TAURINE + BIOTIN, Doctor ZOO.

The volume of the daily portion should be calculated based on the following norms: per kilogram of the mass of an active healthy animal there should be at least 10 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat and carbohydrates. The sufficient energy value of the diet of an animal during the growth period is 200 kcal, and an adult cat needs 80 kcal.

With any feeding regimen, the pet should have free access to a bowl of water. It should always be fresh, for this it must be changed 2 times a day.

Table: what foods can be included in the cat's diet and what can not

Before asking how to wean a cat off dry food, every owner should develop an alternative feeding plan. It would also be nice to understand the reasons why the pet owner decided to make such a transition. The rejection of dry food is ideally accompanied by a competent replacement with a different diet, which should be balanced and nutritious enough.

There are a number of reasons why a cat is forced to refuse dry food for a while. These may include various pathologies (for example, tooth loss in older cats), the age of the pet, individual intolerance. In some cases, the decision to radically change the menu of a pet belongs to the owner. We will talk about the possible difficulties that the owner of the cat will face when transferring the animal to a new type of food in this article.

As a rule, inflamed with the desire to radically change the diet of a pet, the owner keeps in his head a bunch of dry food - natural food. Sometimes natural nutrition is replaced by the synonymous "homemade food", but the essence remains. The transfer of cats from dry food to wet canned food, as a rule, occurs less often and proceeds more easily.

Therefore, now we will focus on the analysis of two "opposites". It is from the dyad "dry food - natural products" that the owner most often comes, wanting to transfer the pet to a healthy, high-quality diet. Such a position is sometimes characterized by a slight shade of maximalism.

Danger of dry food

With the indicated approach, dry food is demonized, endowed with all the negative features that you can think of, the list of which includes:

• Dry food is filled with dyes, flavors and other "chemistry" that is incompatible with the pet's stomach;
• Once having tried food with flavor enhancers (all foods contain this, without exception, of course), the cat will get used to it like a drug, and will get hooked for life;
• Under the beautiful word "by-products" manufacturers hide waste from slaughterhouses, which it was a pity to throw away;
• Dry food is like fast food - it quickly fills the cat's stomach without giving it any nutrients.

As a result, we have a sick, dying cat, who managed to earn obesity, tumors and liver failure. But is it?

Of course, in all these arguments there is a rational grain, buried under emotionality and susceptibility to popular rumors. For example, cheap food lines do not use the best ingredients, and they gain interest in the eyes of cats due to an attractive unnatural aroma. Feeding a pet for many years with economy-class feed can indeed lead to adverse consequences.

However, it is at least inconsistent to extend these radical statements to all dry food manufacturers in general. The main evidence of the fallacy of such tactics is the practice and statistical studies cited by veterinarians. According to studies, no relationship has been found between animal kidney problems and the consumption of certain feeds. We will discuss this misconception in more detail below.

Dry food: myths and reality

If the desire to wean a cat from the well-known granules is solely your initiative, then before you seriously take on the re-education of a pet, ask yourself - what prompted you to think about the harmfulness of dry food?

There are many myths around this type of feed, even some veterinarians are involved in the distribution of them. These unfounded, but very popular beliefs, we will consider right now:

Myth 1. Dry food is of no use.

Many people tend to identify dry food with breadcrumbs. From this identification, they conclude that dry granules are extremely useless. Such a conclusion could arise due to the characteristic smell emanating from the bags of whiskey, mistakenly taken for familiar flavors.

This misconception is based on complete incompetence in dry food formulations. The pellets used for cat food are compressed by-products. If we are talking about the premium line, then it may come across full-fledged pieces of dried meat that do not lose their nutritional value.

In high-quality dry food, in addition to the proteins, fats and fiber necessary for the cat, there are also vitamins. Rusks abound only in empty carbohydrates. The similarity of granules with crackers is only superficial and does not affect the composition in any way.

Myth 2. Dry food contains unnatural and harmful ingredients.

The modern buyer, over the years of acquaintance with the compositions, has developed a hostile prejudiced attitude towards them. The frequently encountered statement of the average consumer “They write on the packages what the manufacturer wants” applies to cat food. Such mistrust, of course, has its own good reasons, but you should not fall into absolute skepticism and accuse all cat food manufacturers of lies.

Both abroad and in Russia, there are their own standards that firms undertake to comply with. Most manufacturers are simply not interested in potential litigation and painful experiments with their reputation. However, learning to read the composition and interpreting it correctly will be useful for every cat owner.

Myth 3. Dry food leads to the formation of stones.

In some cases, this is true, but a more detailed examination of this statement reveals its inconsistency. The most common causes of urolithiasis include a lack of vitamins, hormonal disruptions (due to castration, for example), untreated viral infections. A significant role is played by the unique anatomy of the urethral canal in each individual, which does not prevent or restrain the excretion of urine from the body.

Dry food can contribute to the formation of stones in several cases:

• The feed is of poor quality, consists of harmful ingredients, is saturated with flavors;
• Together with dry food, a sufficient amount of water does not enter the cat's body;
• Cat nutrition is not balanced - dry food is combined with raw meat or canned food;

In all these cases, crystals accumulate in the urine, leading to pathologies of the genitourinary system.

Myth 4. No dry food compares to a full-fledged piece of meat.

Supporters of this belief retained a naive belief in the superiority of everything "natural". However, nowadays the identity of “natural” and useful is increasingly being called into question, unless we are talking about growing vegetables and fruits in our own garden.

All products bought in hypermarkets, whether raw beef or ripe tomatoes, one way or another, undergo chemical processing. Antibiotics, pesticides, preservatives have long become invisible companions of natural, primeval and natural.

Often the sign "farm products" is used for commercial purposes, deceiving customers.

Often the decision to air feed a cat comes after castration, as the owner is struggling to prevent the pet from becoming overweight. Of course, natural nutrition can correctly adjust to the pet's changing hormonal background.

Properly selected portions will saturate the cat, preventing him from overeating. However, to maintain this delicate balance, you need to be a true professional in feline nutrition and devote the lion's share of your time to the diet of your pet. High-quality feeds initially contain a lower level of carbohydrates (compared to budget options). They are suitable for all cats, regardless of gender and age, as they meet their needs.

If the owner sees that the pet still began to gain weight, it makes sense to reduce portions. With natural nutrition, everything is not so elementary, since the control of the ingredients falls entirely on the shoulders of the owner of the animal.

Myth 6. High-protein foods are detrimental to the liver and kidneys.

According to some "advanced" owners, the high protein levels that holistics are famous for is the first and last cause of problems in pets with internal organs. This ignores the fact that in the process of evolution, felines only did what they hunted for birds and rodents, which, in terms of protein content, surpassed any high-protein food.

A moderate dose of protein is easily absorbed by cats, the main thing is to know this moderate dose. Unfortunately, today's consumers are more susceptible to the loud exclamations about the dangers of any component that periodically sound in the pet food market.

At the moment, there are no experimentally confirmed statistical data on the relationship between the consumption of high-protein feeds and pathologies of the kidneys or liver. Pets with kidney problems are recommended to feed with a low content of phosphorus, not protein.

Dry food: harm or benefit?

As it turned out, dry food is not always harmful to the cat, especially if you do not limit yourself to considering cheap brands. However, there is no need to talk about the absolute sinlessness of this type of nutrition. For clarity, the advantages and disadvantages of dry food are summarized in the table.

Many people take the position that the domestic cat should eat the same food as its wild counterparts. In other words, varieties of a damp place, nutritious due to the abundance of proteins. This, however, does not take into account the fact that wild cats are more susceptible to various diseases that they can adopt from already infected prey. To look at the life of free cats as an ideal is somewhat naive on the part of the owner.

Of course, natural nutrition has its strengths, which not every dry food of the holistic group can compete with. Read more about the strengths of natural food and its nuances below.

Before you take any decisive action, accept that transitioning your cat to a new diet will not be easy. There are unpretentious animals that easily change their tastes to the tastes pleasing to the owner, but such individuals are in the minority. It is pointless to dream of an instant jump from the old menu to the new, as the owner will inevitably have to face disappointment.

Patience is the main thing that the owner should stock up on when instilling new eating habits in the cat.

Some owners, out of anger or despair due to their impotence, turn to drastic measures, manipulating the cat's sense of hunger. Of course, a cat that has been starving for a week will also eat a package of food, but as a result you will get a sick, nervous cat who harbors aggression on you.

If you are ready to sacrifice your peace of mind and sound sleep in the coming month, but reach your goal, then below we provide a step-by-step instruction:

1. The transition from the old type of food to the new should be gradual, especially if we are talking about a radical change in products. Replacing one type of dry food with another is easy for an animal, while replacing dry pellets with raw meat requires a lot of effort on the part of the owner and the pet's body. Keep in mind that digestion adapts to the food you eat and produces exactly the amount of enzymes that are necessary for its digestion. When switching to a qualitatively different menu, the gastrointestinal tract experiences a shock, it has to rearrange beneficial bacteria and adapt to a new type of nutrition. Therefore, a quick transition to a new food is not only ineffective, but also harmful to the health of the pet;

   

2. During the first three days, the old food should take up 90 percent of the total daily diet. Of course, combined food is harmful to the cat's body, as all veterinarians say. But when switching to a different type of power, there is no other way out, due to the reasons listed above. Therefore, in the first days, only the first acquaintance with small pieces of raw meat, preferably poultry meat, takes place. As a rule, cats are the first to show interest in meat and it is not necessary to push them to taste;

   

3. If the pet reacted positively to the novelty offered to him, on the fourth day, take a quarter of the daily diet to natural products. Remember that each subsequent stage is given to the cat with great difficulty and requires more time. So, it can take up to 10 days for a cat to go through this stage. Therefore, the increase in portions of natural products should not go strictly according to the indicated scheme, but in accordance with the feelings of the pet, which these days it is important to carefully monitor. The condition of the stool, the frequency of urging to the toilet, the condition of the coat, the general mood - all these factors should be taken into account by the owner;

   

4. If the cat positively accepts the amendments you make to the diet, for 6-7 days, give the cat natural products in the morning and evening (kefir, raw meat or cereals - based on your preferences), leaving access to dry food during the day. One tablespoon of dry granules is enough to keep the cat “support”, for which he will hold on for several more days. Switching to a natural diet means not only inculcating the digestion to a new product, but also to a different frequency of their use. With natural feeding, the number of meals is reduced, while dry food is often in the pet's bowl around the clock. Leaving a "loophole" to dry pellets, you calm the cat in this stressful situation. However, do not forget to strictly dose the remains of dry food so as not to tempt the pet once again;

   

5. Keep in mind that hunger strikes that are inevitable with changes in diet can end with a cat throwing on the food offered to him. In the case of meat or fish, this is dangerous both by sticking bones and volvulus. Digestion, accustomed to small granules, does not always cope with large volumes of poorly chewed meat, therefore some individuals may even vomit undigested meat. Eating habits will improve after some time and the pet will develop its own style of eating, eliminating such troubles;

   

6. After ten days, give your pet three-quarters of natural food versus a quarter of dry food. Some cats express a desire to leave at least a small part of dry granules in their diet, and veterinarians see no reason to deny this to pets. It is important to consider, first of all, the comfort of the pet, and not your ambitious goals. If a few pellets a day help him feel better, keep those few pellets as a separate meal. Their mixing with meat or wetting in milk is undesirable.

   

Cats are reluctant to change their diet, because the force of habit extends to both animals and humans. There are cases when pets refused natural products and continued to give their preference to dry food. What to do and what not to do in such cases:

If the pet resists

A violent protest reaction requires a response from the owner. If the animal completely refuses to accept the new diet, it is allowed to arrange a hunger strike for the rebel for 24 hours. Be sure to leave the bowl of water in plain sight, as the cat must have access to the liquid. The next day, provide him with a new food and give him a choice - food or a hunger strike. Animals don't go against their basic needs and starve themselves to death in front of a full bowl.

If dissatisfaction with the updated menu only intensifies over time, then it makes sense for the owner to ask himself if he is doing everything right. Common mistakes people make when starting to feed their pets with natural products include:

Video - How to transfer a cat from dry food to natural

Conclusion

Despite exhortations from both sides, the question of what to feed a domestic cat remains open. The choice between dry food and natural products is made by each owner individually, based on their time resources and the characteristics of the pet's body. The more you listen to emotional cries about the lethality of dry food, the more your worldview will be distorted.

It is important to develop your own point of view, based on the analysis of the market for dry food and natural products and on elementary experience. If your cat is comfortable eating dry food (assuming it's good quality), think twice why you need to change your diet, as the transition won't be easy. If you feel the strength to discover the cook in yourself and devote enough time to cooking for the cat, then you can safely proceed to action. Some simple recipes for natural dishes are given below:

The healthy appearance and active behavior of a pet is directly dependent on the quality of the food we feed it. Dry food, for all its convenience, does not always provide a pet with health, so the question often arises of how to wean a cat from dry food.

Today, the industry of dry pet food is very developed in the world, and in order for it to bring more and more income, advertising is actively working. It is much easier for owners to purchase a supply of “crackers” for their cat than to pick up food, prepare food, and make sure that it does not remain on the plate for a long time if the pet does not eat it right away. And if the animal is finicky, then it can be difficult to please him. But almost all cats quickly get used to dry food - this alone should raise some doubts. You can choose it at different prices, there is even one that is much cheaper than the meat indicated in its composition.

The cheaper the feed, the less confidence arises in its producer. Even the most expensive foods, if they really have all the nutrients the body needs, are very different from natural products: the digestive tract of a predator, which is a domestic cat, must digest the meat and bones of small animals, vegetable fiber, and not crackers. To stay healthy, your teeth need to be fully nourished. Dry food is made up of chemical, artificially created compounds, the most expensive ones are made from natural products, but they are processed in such a way that they lose the function of a complete meal. In addition, any feed includes dyes, special additives that enhance the taste and smell, and are addictive.

Our pets are still predators, which means they must eat the appropriate food. Of course, it is best to immediately accustom a kitten to it, but if this did not work out, then you need to transfer it to a healthy diet as soon as possible. Abuse of dry food is fraught with urolithiasis, allergies, dysbacteriosis, oncology.

Video "How to feed cats?"

In this video, a specialist will tell you the best way to feed a cat and how to accustom a pet to new foods.

home food requirements

There are different opinions on how to teach a cat to eat everything, but it is important that the usual food is balanced, providing the animal with all the components necessary for a long and healthy life. An adult medium-sized cat should eat approximately 150 g of animal proteins and 50 g of carbohydrates per day. Experts believe that the diet should contain at least 50% meat, 20% offal (liver, heart, kidneys), 20% plant foods (cereals, vegetables), 10% dairy products and vitamins.

The meat should be lean - it can be poultry, rabbit, beef. It is better to give boiled fish no more than 2 times a week. Eggs (or separately the yolk) are given no more than 2 times a week. Dairy products, cereals, vitamins should be present daily. It is better to avoid fatty, sweet, salty or spicy foods, but sometimes the cat must eat butter and sour cream, even hard cheese if he likes it.

As a rule, little kittens try all the food that is offered to them, so you need to do this more often, slipping them vegetables (raw and boiled), broths, cereals from different cereals.

Whatever your pet eats, it should always have access to clean water. But you can’t leave an uneaten portion for a long time, you should throw it away on time to avoid poisoning.

Transition rules

It is not easy to transfer an adult cat to a natural diet, but this must be done with the least losses in order to save your nerves and not torture the animal. You can wean from harmful food gradually, offering the cat certain products, while reducing the number of "crackers". One way involves mixing them into liquid porridge with meat, gradually reducing the amount, and the other is to give a little dry food in the morning, and then only natural. It is believed that the cat will not endure hunger, will agree to try unusual food, and then she will like it. Most of the time it just doesn't work out that way.

There is another, longer and more expensive way to transfer a pet to a new food. Dry food smells much stronger than natural food, and the acquired addiction won’t let go so easily, so it’s useless to force it here. First, you should switch to expensive premium food (less harmful, with a faint smell). Then you can mix dry food with liquid food by purchasing a bag or a jar of the same company. Give such mixed food for several days in a row, gradually eliminate the "crackers". Only then canned cat food should be ousted from the diet in the same way, replacing them with liquid porridge with meat or fish.

If you are consistent, steadily reduce the amount of junk food, then after 3-4 weeks the addiction will be released. During this time, an attentive owner will discover what foods the pet likes, this will help a painless transition.

Forbidden tricks

You can often hear that a cat will not die in a full bowl, so do not be afraid to deprive him of his usual food, completely replacing it with another. This is not entirely correct, because the stomach is used to digesting one type of food, it will not be able to sharply “learn” to digest a completely different one, and besides, the bacteria necessary for this are not formed so quickly. Everything takes time, and a sudden change in nutrition is very stressful.

Not listening to the wishes of the pet, providing him with stress, you can completely lose his trust. But you can not give up before blackmail and whims, all family members must consistently adhere to one plan.

They say that cats are more likely to agree to switch to fish, but if you often give them boiled fish, there may be bad consequences for the nervous and genitourinary systems, especially in males.

Canned food, and then the gravy from them is mixed with cereals. However, it must be remembered that the basis of nutrition is still meat (raw, scalded, boiled), it is to it that cats need to be gradually accustomed.

Many cat owners, believing in advertising, believe that industrial ready-made dry, wet, semi-moist food provides pets with decent nutrition, saturates the body with all the necessary nutrients. In addition, a ready-made diet is fast, simple, convenient. Cats are happy to crunch croquettes, granules of dry food and are unlikely to refuse the next portion of Whiskas.

It is quite easy to accustom cats to ready-made food, but if it becomes necessary to change the type of diet to natural food, for example, for health reasons, weaning the animal from food addiction and favorite delicacies is not so easy. But in order not to harm the health of a fluffy pet, you need to know how to wean a cat from dry food or wet “pads” correctly.

A high-quality, balanced diet is a guarantee of health, energy and well-being of our smaller brothers. Regardless of what type of food you choose for your mustachioed pet (natural, ready-made food), the animal should receive all vital nutrients with food.

Many articles and reviews have been written about artificial feeds, which are presented in a wide range on the modern market. There are questions on the forums: “Which is better - natural food or a ready-made diet?”, “What food to choose for a cat?”. But about whether ready-made meals are healthy, such a question is rarely raised.

Most owners are willing to buy ready-made food because they do not want to think about how to feed the cat during the day. Of course, this approach to the organization of rational feeding for pets is more convenient, but, do not pretend, it is for us.

Cats, like people, are hostages of eating habits. Representatives of the cat family are real gourmets and are quite picky in food. It is this feature that unscrupulous manufacturers of ready-made feeds, which contain attractants and additives, use.

These are special chemical (synthetic) substances that are used to attract animals. They are contained in almost all industrial feeds, especially in products of super-economy, "economy" class. Thanks to these components, manufacturers also try to hide the lack of healthy natural ingredients.

For many cats, wet, semi-moist food is a food drug of sorts. If a cat from an early age is accustomed to eating canned food, fragrant crispy “drying”, the pet will most likely refuse new food, and even more so, natural products, and even arrange an impromptu hunger strike in protest. Therefore, it will not be so easy to accustom a cat to homemade food.

What ready-made food can be given to cats

Having given preference to a ready-made diet, you need to choose products of proven, well-known brands, but only marked "premium", "extra", "super-premium" class (Purina, Royal Canin, NM, Hills, Akana). Consider the age, breed, individual characteristics of the body of your pet.

In the line of many manufacturers there are special, pregnant females, neutered, sterilized cats, cats, as well as for allergic animals (holistic). There are also special therapeutic and preventive foods that veterinarians can prescribe for diarrhea, digestive disorders, hormonal disorders, and in the postoperative period.

Products of "premium", "extra", "super-premium" categories contain vitamins, essential amino acids, macro-microelements, natural ingredients (salmon, poultry, lamb, lamb, cereals, vegetables), biologically active substances.

If the cat is kept on a ready-made type of food, feed him the same food, products of the same manufacturer.

Budget industrial food has an unbalanced composition, contains dyes, flavor enhancers, flavors, stabilizers, synthetic chemical components, low-grade by-products, soy, starch, which adversely affect the health of a pet.

Feeding cats with canned, dry food of the "economy" class can provoke:

• nutritional allergies;
• digestive disorders;
• metabolic disorder;
• , liver failure;
• endocrine pathologies.

The condition of the coat, teeth, claws is deteriorating. Dry budget food often becomes the cause, especially in males, and as you know, this disease is not only difficult to treat, but can also be fatal.

How to switch a cat to a natural diet

Unfortunately, despite all the manufacturers' assurances about the balance of the composition and quality of their products, there are practically no universal, really high-quality ready-made feeds. Still, natural food, a properly organized diet, will be much more useful.

Having decided to transfer a cat, be patient in the fight against food addiction. At first, the cat may ignore pieces of boiled meat or fish, put in a bowl by a caring owner, constantly begging for favorite treats and desired "delicacies".

It is especially difficult to wean cats off crunchy “pads”. After flavored "drying", the cat will find natural products insipid and possibly tasteless.

Introduce new foods into the diet gradually, by mixing. Otherwise, you can provoke eating disorders, metabolic disorders. The transition to a new type of food is a strong stress for the body of a mustachioed pet.

To transfer a cat to, follow these tips:

• If the cat received dry food, gradually replace it with wet (canned). Purchase its wet counterpart, as the pet is already accustomed to a certain composition and taste parameters, as well as the ingredients of prepared food. Gradually replace the “drying” and completely transfer the cat to wet food.
• Introduce healthy foods into your diet every day at every feeding. Mix whole pieces of boiled, veal, sea, river low-fat into wet food.
• You can cook mash from rice, buckwheat, oatmeal. Boil porridge in vegetable, meat, fish broth.
• Give the cat different foods to understand the taste preferences of the mustachioed pet. Make sure that in one of the bowls there is always fresh, boiled, filtered drinking water. When offering your pet new food, calling the cat to bowls, talk in an affectionate tone with the cat.

If the cat continues to ignore food, or after eating a few pieces of meat, the fish squeamishly moves away from the bowl, you can try another, more loyal method. Get everyday ready-made food at the pet store that does not have a strong smell and a pronounced taste. For a week, mix it with your favorite canned food or dry food soaked in water. Despite the fact that this method is more expensive, this is how you can change your diet without health consequences.

You can also give your cat several bowls of food. At the same time, let one have your favorite ready-made food, but in a minimal amount, and the other - a variety of natural food, various delicacies, sweets. Gradually reduce portions of prepared foods, increasing the percentage of natural products. Over time, the cat must make his choice, and he will clearly be in favor of the straight woman.

Around the tenth day, the cat will get used to eating "tasteless" food. In the future, supplement the diet with homemade products. Gradually add finely chopped boiled, raw minced meat. Supplement food with boiled, stewed vegetables, cereals in small quantities.

If the cat continues to protest against natural products, add sauce, gravy, jelly from industrial feed to cereals, meat food. Over time, the cat will get used to the new diet and taste the taste of natural products. It is very important that the transition to a new diet is as comfortable as possible for your pet.

Sometimes it happens that, despite all the efforts, the cat cannot refuse dry food. In this case, consult your veterinarian. Perhaps the specialist will still advise leaving 10-20% of dry food in the diet. Thus, on the day the pet will receive “drying” in minimal quantities as complementary foods, but not more than two to three tablespoons per week. At the same time, only high-quality professional feeds of the “premium” and “super premium” classes will be used in feeding.

The right natural diet for a cat, useful tips

Do not forget that cats are carnivores and, of course, predators. Therefore, the basis of the diet of a mustachioed pet (70-80%) should be meat products.

You can feed cats:

• poultry meat (chicken, turkey);
• oceanic, marine varieties of low-fat fish;
• veal, beef, lamb, rabbit meat;
• porridge with canned fish;
• fermented milk products (low-fat cottage cheese, reverse, kefir 1-2.5%, yoghurts without any flavorings);
• boiled, stewed, raw vegetables.

From cereals, give buckwheat, wheat, rice, oatmeal. Barley, pearl barley are poorly absorbed by the body of pets. Porridge should be well boiled. Cook them in meat, fish broth or milk if the cat is not allergic to fermented milk products.

When transferring an animal to natural products, carefully monitor the condition and behavior of the pet. Some cats, especially high-bred ones, have intolerance to certain food components. May develop food allergies, digestive disorders.

Food should be fresh, varied, at room temperature. Balance the diet in terms of the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, amino acids. Choose the right amount of servings. Stick to a feeding schedule.

Food should fully cover the energy costs of the body. The cat's diet should contain vegetable, animal fats, fiber, biologically active substances, essential amino acids.

Do not give cats food from the refrigerator, offal, meat without prior heat treatment. Banned for cats: salty food, marinades, smoked meats (sausages, sausages, cheeses), raw river fish, too fatty meat (pork), tubular bones, sweets, muffins. Stale, moldy, rotten food will provoke poisoning, intestinal upset, dysbacteriosis, and other systemic failures in the body.

Supplement the natural diet without fail with complex vitamin premixes, vitamin and mineral supplements, amino acids. Regarding their choice, consult with a veterinarian. The specialist will select vitamin preparations taking into account individual, physiological characteristics, the age of your pet, and energy needs.

To clean the digestive tract from woolen lumps, food debris, plant special herbs (catnip, sprouted oats) in flower containers. Seeds can be purchased at pet stores, veterinary pharmacies.

As a rule, if everything is done correctly and consistently, You can teach a cat to homemade food in two to three weeks. If the cat is too picky, it may take more time. Proprebiotics, enzymes, and homeopathic remedies will help normalize digestive processes.

In any case, be persistent in your actions. Even if the cat went on a hunger strike, you should not succumb to provocations, heart-rending meowing and protests of a mustachioed pet. Never give forbidden foods or treats. In this case, you will only delay food addiction, and the process of weaning from ready-made feeds will be delayed.

In addition, two or three days of a starvation diet will not harm the health of the pet. The representatives of the cat family have a very highly developed instinct for self-preservation, but if the cat has access to drinking water, the animal can last up to ten days without food. Hungry, the cat will be forced to try new treats, natural food.

When weaning a cat from food addiction, remember that the main thing in solving a difficult task is patience and perseverance. If you approach the issue as responsibly as possible, over time the cat will get used to the new diet and, without any negative health consequences, will be happy to eat natural products.

If, when transferring to a natural type of feeding, the pet suffers from digestive disorders, refuses to eat, despite all efforts, the condition of the cat has worsened, be sure to show the cat to the veterinarian. A specialist, a veterinarian-nutritionist will select the optimal feeding regimen, special nutrition and diet for your beloved pet.