Giving your cat or dog a different type or brand of food is a more involved process than many might assume. It’s not the same for people who can try a new meal mostly without issue.
The desires for making the change can vary too. Sometimes, a pet can simply grow tired of the same old grub. More pressing circumstances can also occur, such as worrying about supply shortages in shops or needing to address a digestive health concern in your furry companion.
Whatever your reasons might be, the switch must be monitored closely. Below you’ll find a few tips to help you manage this situation more effectively.
Choose a Worthy Replacement
As you’re no doubt aware, there are many cat and dog food brands and products out there. If you’re going to make a change for your pet, you should scale things up for their sake. Rest assured, they’ll notice!
Take a look at the range of stock from Applaws, as they put a great amount of care into their pet food offerings. All of their ingredients are of high quality, and a range of products can be found here for both creatures, who have dedicated and richly detailed websites of their own. Jelly tins, broth pouches, treats, dry food, senior food – it’s all here.
Work with companies focused on the diet and taste of the food. It’s easy for many pet owners to assume that dog and cat food is supposed to be disgusting, but the right brands create healthy products that your pets will desire just as much as the leftovers on your plate.
Ease the Transition
Cats and dogs can have exceedingly sensitive stomachs. If a new meal enters their system out of nowhere, it can cause upset in their tummies and even vomiting after that.
A reaction like that doesn’t mean that a transition isn’t possible. It just means that you need to take things more slowly and ease them into their new food gently. This period should roughly last about seven days.
Reduce the amount of the current food you give to your cat or dog. At the same time, you should gradually increase the new brand that you’ve brought. A healthy mixture will give your pet some tasty variety before they’re fully on board with the new stuff.
Monitor Your Pet Closely
You should watch your pet closely in the hours and days after they’ve eaten the new food. Look for changes in their health and behaviour.
Monitoring your pet’s stools is a huge part of ownership, as irregularities can be symptoms of larger health problems that need tending to. If your pet’s stools are looser and runnier for more than a couple of days after consuming the new food, it may be a sign that the switch isn’t a good one. Some minor changes can be expected initially, so don’t always take this as a sign of incompatibility.
Watch out for other changes. How much your cat and dog passes wind will also signify the change causing disruption. There should be no changes in their energy levels or the amount of water they consume either. Keep a close eye on them and instruct loved ones to do the same.