Making the Switch

Cats can get attached to food and it's often difficult to make the switch. Kittens make the switch to raw almost immediately as they don't have the same attachment to dry/wet food. For this reason, we suggest moving your kitten to raw as early as possible.

If your cat is eating dry food gradually move to tinned food and then raw. For many cats, the switch from dry hard food to cold raw food is about temperature and texture. This method can help make the switch easier. The earlier you start the easier it is.

Cats are known to be finicky! Often it's a bit of trial and error to find out what your cat's preferences are for protein, texture and temperature. Keep trying!

The most common transitioning method is to start by adding 1tsp of raw to current food and gradually offer less current food and more raw.

For some cats you can make this switch in just 5 days, others won't accept the change that quickly, but that's okay.

Go back to whatever your cat will eat and then try again.

During the transitional phase into a raw food diet, the first 7 – 14 days, your pet may experience some digestive upset including wind, loose stools, mucous in stool, and may even vomit bile (yellow or white phlegm).

The amount of bile required to break down raw food is substantially less because the food is 60% – 70% moisture. A dry food diet must be rehydrated before it can be digested, and the excessive amounts of bile in the gut help with this. Once you introduce a raw diet, your cat may vomit bile as their stomach has not yet made adjustments to the amount of bile required for proper digestion. This is often temporary. Offering a dry treat can help settle the stomach if you notice your pet feels nauseous.

Dry food expands to 2x – 5x its size during digestion. This process stretches the gut and gives your pet a full sensation. Switching to a raw diet will mean a higher calorically dense diet, but with less volume. You may notice that your pet seems hungrier sooner (as the food digests quicker) and your pet may be asking for food more frequently (as they don’t get that full sensation). The stomach will adjust and these sensations will be less noticeable in 7 – 10 days time.

The gut flora (bacteria and enzymes) are different for cats fed a high carbohydrate-based diet vs. a high protein, raw meat and bone diet. It may take several weeks for your pet’s digestive flora to adjust. During this phase your pet may experience some excess gas, and may even feel nauseous.

Your pet’s stomach pH will change, as a high carbohydrate diet results in a more alkaline environment. As the stomach adjusts, it will create a strong stomach acid to break down foods quicker. This is healthier and more natural for your pet.