4 Steps to Switching to Raw Food

Switching to raw food can be daunting. Is your kitty as picky as food critics get?

Cats are very fussy, especially when it comes to food. They're creatures of habit and tend to be neophobic—they're unwilling to try new food that's different from their usual.

So how to get your kitty to eat raw food? The answer lies in the transitioning method, requiring the right steps and loads of patience, but it's all worth it for kitty's better health.

Follow these steps and your cat will be going raw (roar) in no time!

Step #1 Stop Free-Feeding

If your cat is on dry or wet food, you've probably been leaving the buffer line out 24/7 for a free-and-easy eating schedule. Don't worry, that's completely normal and you're not alone!

But you can't do that with raw food because it's like sashimi: it has to be eaten fresh and quickly to prevent food poisoning. This means your cat will only be eating at certain times and within a time limit.

If your cat is not used to this eating schedule, it'll be hard to switch to raw food. The first thing to do: stop free-feeding and get your cat used to fixed meals.

If you're able to, try increasing the number of meals a day to four or more times. During each session, keep the food as soon as your cat walks away. This will let her know that as soon as she leaves, there's no more food to save for later and she'll realise all needs to be eaten within one sitting. Your cat needs to understand this before switching to raw food.

Step #2 Reduce the Number of Meals

Slowly reduce the number of meals a day to your desire. A minimum of 2 meals is recommended: once in the morning, another at night. This doesn't apply to kittens who still need multiple meals a day.

Hurray! Your cat can now compete with army men and wolf her meal in a stint.

Step #3 Start Fasting (Only for Adult Cats)

For an adult cat, fast her for at least 12 hours before introducing the first raw meal. If your heart and kitty can take it, fasting for 24 hours would be better.

Fasting is good to increase your cat's appetite and make the new food more enticing. It'll encourage them to just eat whatever's next.

For a kitten, skip this step! The little one needs regular meals as she's still growing strong and healthy.

Step #4 Mix Raw with Old

Start with 10% raw and 90% old food. Gradually increase this proportion over time. The acceleration depends on how receptive your cat is to raw food.

To get an idea of how to do this, see the timetable below:

• Day 1 - 3: 10% raw and 90% old

• Day 4 - 6: 30% raw and 70% old

• Day 7 - 9: 50% raw and 50% old

• Day 10 - 13: 70% raw and 30% old

• Day 14+: 100% raw (YAY!)

Try feeding warm raw food first, instead of cold. Cats prefer their food at body temperature. You can try cold after they are used to the new diet.

For kittens younger than 6 months old, feed warm raw food at all times.

Be very prudent when feeding raw food because it spoils more easily than dry or wet food.

The crux is to gradually introduce your cat to the new lifestyle and diet. Done right, you'll be switching to raw food easily!

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