Prevent Stomach Problems By Changing Your Cat's Food Slowly

If you frequently buy your cat different brands of cat food, or are trying to switch them to a new formula, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Cats who are rapidly switched to another type of cat food often have stomach problems due to it. Read on to learn why this happens and how you can easily switch your cat's food without inducing stomach problems.

Different Food Formulas

Every brand of cat food has a different formula of ingredients. For example, one brand might use corn, while another uses wheat, and a third might opt to avoid grain entirely. In addition, brands have varying levels of fat, calories, protein, and moisture in their food. Even if your cat typically eats dry food and you buy another brand of dry food, it may not be an easy leap for your cat to make.

Sudden Diet Shift Problems

Cats' stomachs are fairly sensitive, and suddenly giving them a different kind of cat food may cause problems like diarrhea, gassiness, or vomiting. While this might surprise you, think about it this way: if you ate the same thing every single day, for every meal, and then that meal was suddenly swapped into something else, it might throw your stomach for a loop. Your cat is undergoing the same problem.

If you switch to a different variety of food that contains more fat, protein, or another ingredient, your cat's stomach may not adapt very well. This will cause the aforementioned symptoms, which may be very unpleasant for both you and your cat.

Avoiding Issues

The easiest way to avoid this problem is to always buy the same kind of food for your cat. However, if you need to change brands for some reason, there's another way to make the switch easier on your kitty.

Rather than suddenly shifting them to the new food, gradually introduce it into their diet. Try mixing a small portion of the new food into what your cat has been eating. Over the next few days, add a bit more at a time until your cat is eating nothing but the new food. This process should give their digestive tract time to adjust to the new food, and you should experience fewer or no side effects as a result.

If you try this method and your cat still has stomach problems, you should make an appointment with a veterinarian, like one at Canine Center. Continuing problems like vomiting and diarrhea may indicate a more serious problem at work, like an intestinal obstruction.