How to accustom an adult cat to dry food: basic methods, action plan

From birth, kittens are fed with mother's milk; this is a healthy product that provides immunity and good health in the future. A grown animal is switched to more adult food, and since cooking for a pet is labor-intensive and expensive, the owners try to accustom the kitten to dry food. A ready-made crunchy diet is incomprehensible to the baby, which makes the transition process difficult, however, you need to be patient and train the animal in such a way as not to harm it.

When and how to start training

Kittens are switched to dry food when the mother stops feeding them on her own. This usually happens around 6 months. Veterinarians consider this age to be the best; the animal’s stomach is already fully formed and ready to process any type of food.

If nutritional problems arise, for example, the mother refuses to feed or the babies are weaned for other reasons, it is permissible to start complementary feeding from 2.5-3 months. In emergency cases, you can feed your pet wet food from a special children's line.

Depending on age, reduce the number of meals. If at 4 months animals are given food 4 times a day, then after six months they are switched to 3, and later morning and evening feedings are left.

We recommend reading the article on how to feed a kitten without a mother.

The first attempts to teach an animal to eat granular foods begin with a separate container, which is placed near the mother's feeder. After putting some food there, observe the baby’s behavior. About a third of kittens try food, copying their parents; the rest need to be trained using special methods.

How to choose food for a kitten

Choosing ready-made food for pets is not an easy task, regardless of the age of the cat, since the composition of the product must be correct and contain all the substances that are necessary to maintain life and health. Under natural conditions, cats are carnivores, that is, the basis of their diet is meat (proteins and fats), and in addition they require minerals, carbohydrates and vitamins. Another feature of their body is that the ancestors of these animals lived in the desert, obtaining moisture from food, so when feeding the cat requires enough liquid, otherwise serious problems with the urinary system are possible. Most often, cat owners choose dry food for their pets as the simplest and most convenient product to use, but in addition to the usual granules and “crackers”, modern manufacturers offer four-legged consumers so-called wet food (holistic) and canned food.

Kittens require special dry food

Dry food

The range of brands of dry cat food is very wide - similar products can be bought at any grocery store. The key rule that you need to remember when buying products for a kitten is that food intended for adults will not suit babies - for the first time they need special food with small granules.

Dry food for kittens consists of small fractions, making them easier to chew

There is food for kittens in the line of every manufacturer, so the next step is to choose the right brand of food, taking into account its composition and the breed characteristics of the pet. Dry cat foods are divided into three categories, depending on their cost, and each of them has certain features.

Table 1. Categories and features of dry cat food.

When purchasing food for a kitten and subsequently feeding the growing baby, it is important to take into account not only the class of the product and its composition, but also the breed characteristics of the animal. Ideally, food should be chosen once and for all, but different breeds of cats require an individual approach to the preparation of the diet. For example, it is not recommended to constantly feed Siberian cats the same food, as this leads to disturbances in the functioning of the genitourinary system and gastrointestinal tract.

Attention! Veterinarians and experienced breeders categorically do not recommend feeding cats and especially kittens with food from the owner’s table, even to pamper them - in this way, loving owners do a disservice to their pets and provoke serious health problems.

Methods for accustoming a kitten to dry food

There are several different methods for transitioning your pet to crunchy diets. All methods have been developed experimentally under the supervision of a veterinarian; they cannot harm the kitten’s health and are the most optimal for babies.

It may take up to six months to replace a product; this is a normal process. A rapid transition is dangerous for a young body. It is definitely recommended to choose specialized diets for super premium or holistic kittens. Feeding with premium food is less recommended; you can also read about them on our website.

Method 1

Since it is impossible to mix dry foods and natural food, a hungry kitten is given a few pellets of food. If the animal eats it, then after a short amount of time the pet is rewarded with its favorite treat. Gradually, day by day, the portion of drying is increased, and natural products are reduced.

Read about natural nutrition for cats.

Method 2

Breeders use a little trick. At first, babies are given small portions of dry treats; there are special series for kittens that will not harm the pet. If a cat can ignore regular food, then he definitely won’t miss the goodies. Regular granules are gradually added to the treat, and so the pet gets used to the aroma and taste of dry diets.

It is important to follow the dosage of high-calorie foods and not exceed the permissible limit based on the weight and age of the cat.

Method 3

Some soak the granules, thus creating the consistency of the animal’s usual food. As the cat gets used to food, add less and less water, gradually bringing the food to a dry state. But not every baby likes such a mess and, if he refuses, there is no need to insist; it is better to turn to other methods of teaching solid food.

Sometimes, when kittens get used to dry formulas, incidents occur. Thus, children often confuse granules with tray filler, because they most often master these two lessons (toilet and new food) at the same time. In this case, the owner finds the food in the bowl hopelessly spoiled by urine.

The use of special bowls, which are located on a bar with a stand and rise to an adjustable height, can help eliminate this misunderstanding. It is convenient for a kitten to eat from such a container, but he still cannot climb into it to perform his natural needs. Usually this trouble occurs only in the first days of habituation, and with the correct behavior of the owner, the bad habit can be quickly eliminated.

Regardless of the training method, it is necessary to provide your pet with plenty of fresh drinking water. It is better in several separate bowls, as a piece of food falling into the liquid can ruin it.

The importance of water when feeding dry food

Usually a dry diet is supplemented with fresh water, and this is really very important, because with this type of food the animal begins to drink much more. Therefore, there should always be enough fresh water next to the food. At first, you can even place several bowls around the house, especially in places where the cat is most often.

To encourage your pet to drink more, water is poured into large containers (basins, buckets) or drinking fountains are used (many cats prefer to quench their thirst from these).

Many cats prefer to drink water from special fountains.

How many times a day should kittens be fed?

The number of feedings depends on the cat's habits and age. Little ones are given more attention, giving food 3-4 times a day. Adults are usually provided with food twice.

When accustoming your baby to dry food, it is recommended to leave dishes with granules freely available so that the pet can come up and have a snack at any time. It is important to strictly follow the dosage indicated on the package.

In nature, cats eat fractionally, in small portions. This is exactly how you need to train your pet to eat. However, cats are known to be gluttons who eat everything they are given and ask for more. For such animals, dietary products and strictly dosed portions are provided; food should not be left freely available to them.

Read more about how many times a day you need to feed a cat, kitten and female cat.

Wet food and canned food

The most gentle way for a cat’s digestive system is to replace dry food with canned food containing the usual flavoring additives, and then with fish and meat mixed in a blender.

Replace dry food with canned food for 7-14 days, after which gradually introduce homemade food.

Add one by one:

• boiled meat - rabbit, turkey, veal and lean pork;
• vegetables;
• porridge.

The consistency with canned food is made the same to achieve maximum similarity. The transition period takes 91-120 days.

How to avoid food refusal

To ensure that your pet does not refuse the food offered, all precautions must be taken. The main thing is not to scare the cat when switching from natural food to dry food. If he refuses to eat, you should not shout at him or punish him, you need to show patience and care.

If your kitten was previously eating food but suddenly stopped, don’t be nervous. It is recommended to check the storage conditions of the product; if it is opened, it may have dissipated and is no longer attractive to your pet. If the rules are not followed, the diet may deteriorate, and the animal refuses for very good reasons.

If the food is of good quality and the strike continues, pay attention to the general condition of the pet. If the cat is playful and cheerful, but eats little, then the volume of food that he consumes is enough for him. During particularly hot periods, some breeds independently reduce the amount of food they eat and drink more water.

Sometimes refusal to eat occurs due to addiction. Animals also get tired of monotony and it’s worth pampering your pet with a treat. Read about the best cat treats and how to make them.

Since frequently changing diets is not recommended, if a cat refuses food for a long time, it makes sense to consult a veterinarian. The doctor will check your health and advise options for solving the problem.

Be sure to read the article about why a cat may refuse to eat and what to do.

Dry food for cats - for or against

Dry food causes heated debate among pet owners - on websites and forums, breeders are warned about their danger to cat health, and manufacturers, on the contrary, insist that such products are the best choice.

Feeding cats dry food requires the right product selection

In fact, both opinions are not entirely correct, since dry food has both advantages and disadvantages, and products from different brands differ significantly from each other. Accordingly, the right choice of product can solve many problems and provide the animal’s body with all the nutrients.

1. Ease of use. Not every cat owner is able to find the time to prepare fresh food for their pet every day. In addition, when feeding an animal “naturally,” you need to follow a certain regime and make sure that it does not remain hungry when it is left at home alone.
2. Saving money. At first glance, this sounds implausible, since high-quality food is quite expensive, but if you calculate how much money you have to spend on fresh meat, eggs, vegetables and other products for a cat’s diet, it becomes clear that buying a ready-made product is much more profitable. When purchasing quality products, there is no need for additional vitamin complexes, which are also expensive.
3. Balanced composition. Preparing food for cats at first glance seems like an elementary task, but to maintain the correct balance of vitamins, minerals and trace elements you need to be a real specialist or at least read a lot of information. When purchasing dry food, such knowledge is not required, because the manufacturers have already taken care of the correct composition.

Instead of dry food, you can feed your cat natural products

There are also many disadvantages to ready-made cat food. The key disadvantages that experienced animal breeders always warn about are that the products contain virtually no liquid and are addictive to pets, as they contain flavoring and aromatic additives. In addition, food is harmful to cat teeth and contains a large amount of carbohydrates, which is also unsafe for the animal’s body.

When choosing a feeding method for your pet, you need to take into account all of the above arguments, as well as the general health and breed characteristics of the cat, and try to reduce the negative aspects to a minimum.

Important! Those who feed cats dry food cannot completely abandon the diet - the animal will eat much more than it needs, which will ultimately lead to obesity.

Conversion from natural food to dry food

Natural food for kittens requires special responsibility. The diet should be varied and contain 90% protein and 10% grains, vegetables and other supporting products. The main component includes dairy and fermented milk products, boiled meat and fish. In addition, vitamins and minerals must be added to food for full development.

Maintaining a balance is very difficult and expensive, so most owners turn to dry food. The transition from natural products to granular ones can be stressful for the pet and the owner, so gradual retraining is recommended.

At first, the cat may behave poorly, refuse food, meow and beg for familiar dishes. This moment must be endured. When the animal gets hungry, it will try to eat and gradually get used to the consistency, smell and taste of the new diet. The introduction of granulated food is carried out using one of the methods presented above.

It is strictly forbidden to mix natural food with dry food, this can harm the cat’s health.

How to attract attention to food

Despite the fact that simultaneous feeding of a cat with natural food and drying is contraindicated, in the process of switching from one type of food to another, you will have to briefly abandon this rule.

According to felinologists, the transition from natural food to dry food takes from 7 to 10 days. At first, the cat may not respond to commercial food, so it is important to attract its attention to the new food. Using regular drinking water, meat broth or tuna juice, make dry food wet and add it to your cat's usual food.

Gradually, the amount of natural food needs to be reduced, while increasing the portion of ready-made industrial food. On days 4–5, it is recommended to leave a small portion of dry food in a separate container. A kitten or adult cat, already familiar with the smell and taste of new food, can begin to eat dry food.

You need to gradually accustom your animal to new food. Some owners advise hand-feeding the cat for the first time, thereby building its trust in the new food product.

Mr. Cat Recommends: The Consequences of a Wrong Choice

Poor nutrition for kittens is critical. If adult street animals are able to get the food they need on their own, following their instincts, then kids need care. They do not understand what they are missing, and in the absence of useful components they begin to lag behind in development, lose weight and get sick.

What does a lack of vitamins and minerals in a young cat’s diet lead to:

• weakened immunity;
• avitaminosis;
• digestive disorders;
• poisoning;
• allergies;
• hormonal dysfunctions.

Having chosen a certain type of food for kittens, you should not change it without a veterinarian’s prescription; it is also undesirable to introduce products of an alternative brand into the diet. This can lead to nutritional imbalance. It is optimal to use a full line of foods, including wet, dry and treats.

Benefits of dry granules

It is quite natural that most cat owners are skeptical about dry mixtures. But at the same time, veterinarians confirm the beneficial properties of the feed. Among the main advantages are:

• composition balanced in the content of nutrients, vitamins and minerals;
• ease of dosage depending on the age of the pet and its personal needs;
• practically guaranteed protection against poisoning;
• easy storage.

Dry granules do not have the main disadvantage of natural products - they do not weather, do not become covered with a dry crust and do not deteriorate. And one more important fact - all commercial diets contain taurine, which is necessary for the health of the pet. In their natural habitat, cats obtain this substance by hunting rats and mice. Manufacturers enrich feed with the necessary amounts of taurine to fully meet the body's needs.

Functions of taurine in the body

The first information about taurine appeared in 1827. At that time, chemists were able to isolate it from beef. The highest concentrations of the substance are found in the muscles, heart, central nervous system and retina. Therefore, a pronounced deficiency can provoke the development of problems in these parts of the pet’s body.

Taurine is a substance of exclusively animal origin, so it is not found in plant foods. And, if the pet owner decides to opt for regular foods, meat will definitely need to be included in the diet. But this is quite expensive given current food prices. Therefore, eating ready-made formulas allows you not to think about this problem.

Typical mistakes of owners

Some owners believe that healthy food for humans is also suitable for animals. This leads to the fact that cats receive food from the table with a high content of salt, starch, sugars and other components that are strictly contraindicated for pets.

In addition, there are a number of products that are life-threatening for pets. These include:

• economy class diets for animals;
• fatty, smoked, canned meat or fish products;
• all types of pork;
• some varieties of cereals and corn in any form;
• chocolate and other sweets, including cakes and candies;
• cream, butter, full-fat dairy products.

Read about what cats should not eat.

Tubular bones of boiled poultry, raw fish, and stale food can harm a cat’s gastrointestinal tract. It is strictly forbidden to give baked goods, salted and pickled foods to animals.

Meat and fish without heat treatment can lead to infection with parasites. We recommend reading the article on whether you can give your cat raw food.

Reasons for switching to a different type of nutrition

Before switching your cat to dry food, you need to understand the rationality of this decision. Now you will find out why dry food is better than natural food.

Many pet owners prefer natural food, considering this option more nutritious and healthy. But not every person is ready to spend a lot of time calculating the percentage of meat products, cereals, vegetables and fruits in the animal’s diet. A pet's diet should be balanced, only then will the animal be healthy and active.

Premium and super premium dry food is the ideal solution for every pet owner, including representatives of the cat family. Today, pet stores and veterinary pharmacies offer a wide range of balanced industrial nutrition for cats, taking into account the age, gender and physiological characteristics of certain breeds.
When choosing dry food, you should carefully study the component composition of the product, and also pay attention to the amount of fiber, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamin and mineral supplements.

Important Tips

The main rule is to maintain the health of the pet, so it is not worth conducting experiments on switching to alternative types of food without a veterinarian’s prescription. As a result of changes in diet, the animal's digestive system suffers.

The translation, carried out for the intended purpose, is carried out gradually and irrevocably. Owners need to be patient and persistent.

There are a number of recommendations that all cat owners should adhere to when switching to pelleted food:

• You cannot alternate dry, wet and natural products.
• Cheap diets can kill a kitten, so choose either super premium and holistic food, or natural food.
• Additional vitamins are not needed when feeding dry foods. They are excluded so as not to get an excess of one of the components - hypervitaminosis, and, as a result, an allergy to it.

Division of dry food into quality classes

For the convenience of buyers, industrial rations are divided into several categories:

1. Economy _ Such foods are sold in regular supermarkets and are prepared using low quality raw materials. They are distinguished by the most budgetary cost. The protein base contains by-products with the addition of soy components and cheap cereals. They also contain harmful substances that can lead to a deficiency of vitamins and some amino acids. But in general, if the pet is healthy and strong, they are allowed for everyday food.
2. Premium . The quality is slightly higher. Proteins in their composition are contained in meat components and amount to up to 20%. They are distinguished by a higher degree of absorption, therefore they produce less undigested residues at the output.
3. Super premium . The composition of the food is perfectly balanced depending on the age of the pet. Each pack contains recommendations for feeding: frequency and quantity depending on the age indicated on the package. But, of course, you can deviate from them depending on the individual characteristics of the pet.
4. Holistics . The highest quality food containing natural products, healthy vitamins and minerals. They do not have artificial fillers or additives. They are expensive.

Why can't you use low-grade feed? Oddly enough, the most advertised food is economy class. They are produced by large brands that produce formulations of a higher level. Using production facilities, companies create high-quality feed, and waste is used for the cheapest lines.

Any pet owner can pay attention to the composition of the food: meat and offal – 4%. This too low amount must somehow meet the pet's needs. That is why it is advisable to choose high-quality food.

Scheme of gradual transition to a new diet

Switching to dry food within 7 days is considered optimal.

During this time, the cat will get used to the new diet, and the transition itself will be so smooth that she won’t even notice it. The translation is carried out according to the rules:

1. The first day - the volume of dry food is 1/7 of the entire menu for the day. Natural foods and kibble should be mixed thoroughly to prevent the cat from picking them out.
2. Each subsequent day add 1/7 more dry granules. Following this scheme, on day 7 only dry granules will remain on the menu.
3. If the cat manages to get the pellets mixed with natural products, they should be thoroughly crushed.

The transition from a natural product to industrial feed in 1 week is considered very fast. This method can only be used on cats over 12 months of age, whose digestive system is well formed and the likelihood of a negative reaction from the body is minimal.

How to understand that a new diet is harmful

Each purr's body is individual; it is impossible to predict its reaction to a new product in advance.

Even if a cat happily eats dry kibble, this does not mean that its digestive tract is completely ready for it.

When switching to industrial food, you need to carefully monitor the cat's health. Signs indicating that the food is not suitable:

• constipation lasting 2 days or more;
• decreased appetite or complete refusal to eat;
• changed behavior: lethargy, drowsiness, apathy;
• diarrhea for more than 1 day;
• allergic reactions: itching and peeling of the skin, hair loss, swelling on the face - these signs indicate either disorders of the digestive system, or that the chosen food causes an allergy.

Dangerous consequences of rapid translation. With a rapid transition to industrial nutrition, if the digestive system is not ready, dry granules can clog the intestinal lumen, causing intestinal obstruction. This is an acute condition that requires immediate attention to a veterinarian.

Age of a kitten for the first acquaintance with dry food

The first attempts at transfer should not begin earlier than 1.5 months after birth.

You should always start with a minimum amount of soaked dry granules. Depending on the behavior and interest in dry granules, adjust the process taking into account the individual characteristics of the pet. If you start to force things, there is a risk of scaring the kitten, after which the transition will be much longer.

When living together with a mother cat, the growing baby will definitely begin to imitate her. When eating, he will stick his face into the bowl of kibble while the cat is eating. And gradually it will begin to capture pieces, thus becoming acquainted with the new taste. Therefore, the owner’s participation may not be necessary.

Host mistakes

The cat may immediately get used to the new food, or it may react negatively to it, completely refusing to eat. Common human mistakes:

1. Abrupt withdrawal of natural food, feeding the pet only dry granules. An animal is unlikely to eat dry food if it is not perceived as food. Prolonged fasting can lead to serious complications.
2. Providing insufficient water.
3. Aggression towards the cat. You can’t shout or scold a cat if he doesn’t want to eat industrial food. After such actions, the pet will categorically refuse the new type of food.
4. Insufficient attention. For some cats, a radical change in diet is very stressful. During this period, she needs more attention and affection from her owner. Ignoring your pet will worsen its psycho-emotional state.

Advice to the owner. You can't give up on the way to achieving your goal. Some people cannot stand the constant meowing of a pet begging for its usual food. You can't give in. All you have to do is slack once, and the cat will forever refuse industrial food.