Practice Scenario
Meet KITTY
A 3-month-old, spayed-female, mixed-breed kitten
- Kitty is at the clinic for physical examination and vaccination.
- The local animal shelter rescued and spayed Kitty about 3 weeks prior to her adoption by this owner.
- The owner is currently feeding a canned kitten food and wonders about the best way to feed Kitty as she grows.
Changing Diets
Switching Pet Foods - Cats
Gradually transitioning onto a new diet will minimize the risk of stomach upset or other issues. In order not to overfeed – check the feeding guidelines on the new food and the recommended amount for the cat’s weight (assuming the pet has a good body condition score).
Gradually replace ¼ of the current food with the ¼ of the new food every 2nd day using separate bowls for the current and new foods – do not mix them in the same bowl. This allows cats to choose between the foods rather than having the change forced upon them, which can lower stress. After 7 days, the switch over to the new food is complete.
If a pet is susceptible to stomach upset, it may be beneficial to transition over 10 days.
