This means you made the right choice by deciding to have a kitten in your home. By nature, cats are freedom-loving animals, but they also do not refuse to live in warmth and comfort. When a person got his first cat, history is silent. But many facts are known when cats became the favorites of great rulers. Looking at the behavior of these little fluffy balls, sometimes it even seems that the pinnacle of evolution is the cat, and this is true for people, creatures called upon to feed, love and clean up after them.

With the appearance of such a newcomer in the house, inexperienced cat breeders immediately have many questions. One of them is what to feed a cat? Previously, cats fed themselves by catching mice and other living creatures, and they only came to the house to sleep, get a portion of attention and eat something. But modern cats more often become just a decorative element of the house, a member of the family, but not a hunter and breadwinner.

Cat fast food.

Many owners make a huge mistake by accustoming their cat to inexpensive cat food, mostly dry. This product does not need to be cooked, you just need to pour it into a bowl, and that’s it – lunch is ready. But by choosing this type of cat food, we are more likely to behave selfishly than rationally.

Most likely, this is not the first time you have heard the news that such foods are harmful if consumed regularly, and can also be addictive. And consciously feeding your cat such food is the same as completely switching you from homemade food to semi-finished products, and not of high quality. And while saving time and justifying yourself by saying that your pet likes it, you yourself will not be happy with this choice. But not all food is equally bad. There are foods that are approved for consumption, and even recommended, but it is worth taking into account their rather high cost, and the fact that a cat’s diet cannot consist only of this dry food or canned food. In any case, there should be variety in food.

Proper nutrition.

How to teach a cat to eat properly depends only on your personal relationship with the cat and its taste preferences. Cats are like people; they don’t always want to eat what they are given and can be picky eaters. Or it happens the other way around: a cat happily eats everything that is given to him, but this is the exception rather than the rule. So, if you want to teach your cat to eat properly, put patience and effort into it.

And so, the best for a healthy cat diet are: raw, lean meat (pig, but not pork, beef, horse meat, chicken, turkey), lean boiled fish (no more than 2-3 times a week), boiled yolk ( 1 time per week), boiled liver, raw tripe of ruminants. From your diet, you can give your cat soup or broth, but without excess fat, porridge from cereals such as barley, buckwheat, wheat (but not millet), oatmeal. It is better to give rice only cooked in milk to avoid the possibility of constipation, especially if your cat is predisposed to it.

You can also teach your cat to eat fruits, vegetables, and herbs; often the animals themselves willingly reveal such a desire, so seize the moment.

There are also foods that are not advisable to give to cats, such as: raw liver, raw fish, especially with small bones, dairy products (only if the cat is personally immune), fried, smoked and fatty foods. Remember that the cat is a raw food animal, so do not exclude raw meat from its diet. As for dairy products, such a ban exists only for the period after weaning. Then your kitten may simply not accept whole milk. Over time, you will be able to give him milk, sour cream and even condensed milk in small quantities. Also, small kittens do not need to be given raw meat in its pure form, and raw fish. Having tried such products, he may then completely refuse other foods.

Study, study and study again.

It is best to teach your cat to eat properly from a very young age. Then the easiest way is to let her try the whole range of products, and then focus on her preferences. Usually small kittens, especially those picked up on the street, are very partial to food and are ready to live near their bowl. But don’t let us awaken in yourself a feeling of pity and doubt that you are not feeding him enough. Cats are curious by nature and always asking for food. So, looking into your plate, or keeping watch near the refrigerator, is considered a matter of principle among them. Feed small portions. From the first days, try not to mix too many products, this will make it easier for you to determine what your cat has a negative reaction to and when she is just being capricious. Also, do not be fooled by the cat when he demonstratively turns away from the offered food. Remember, not a single cat has ever died from hunger if there was food in the plate. It’s often harder with animals than with children, just remember yourself, you haven’t eaten everything either. But the main thing for you in this matter should remain healthy interests, and not self-indulgence. Make sure that the food is always fresh and of good quality; a cat, like a person, having eaten one poor-quality product, will not touch it again in its life.

Many people are sure that there is nothing difficult about caring for a cat. It is enough to pour food from a bag into her bowl. What could be simpler?

But such owners do not think about the fact that such food can cause harm to the animal. If you already have a cat accustomed to food in your hands, it is absolutely not necessary to poison the fluffy further. With a little persistence and patience, you can wean your cat off food. We will tell you how to do this in today’s article.

Why is it difficult to wean a cat from drying?

This task can indeed be quite difficult. When looking for a way to wean a cat off dry food, many pet owners may encounter surprising stubbornness of the animal. Cat habits are much more stable than human ones, and therefore more difficult to fight. In addition, many people who have never dealt with these furry animals often simply do not know what to feed their domestic cat. What does she like? Can I give her soup, candy or milk?

Another difficulty is that most manufacturers add a variety of flavor enhancers, flavors and food additives to their feed. Cats get so used to this “chemistry” that it is sometimes simply impossible to change their preferences. Compared to store-bought crackers, homemade food seems simply tasteless to them.

If you want to save money and buy cheap food for your animal, get ready to become a regular client of the veterinarian. Budget “drying” contains a record amount of carcinogens, which a priori will not add health to your pet.

Why is it worth weaning your cat off dry food?

If you are ready to think about how to wean your cat off food, then you already understand the disadvantages of canned food:

• Manufacturers add stimulants to the vast majority of feeds. The cat eats a lot, but does not become full.
• With this method of feeding, the animal’s stomach loses its ability to stretch. As a result, it becomes physically difficult for the cat to eat regular food.
• Even the most expensive brands of dry food are very far from ideal. They contain only chemical elements, nothing natural.
• Cat food of more or less passable quality costs a lot of money. If you are trying to feed your animal budget food, get ready to visit the veterinary clinic.
• Prepared cat food most often comes in the form of small pellets, pates, purees, or small pieces. The animal has absolutely no need to load its teeth. It just swallows the food. This is fraught with the appearance of tartar, plaque and other troubles.
• The cat eats the same food. The composition of the granules is almost the same. Only the smell is different, and even then not always. You can easily verify this by opening two or three packs of food with different flavors at the same time and comparing their contents.

If you are still not sure whether cats can eat raw meat, and prefer to make do with granules, study the list of troubles that store-bought “crackers” can cause your pet:

• vitamin deficiency - in the vast majority of dry food, the amount of vitamins stated on the pack does not correspond to the internal contents;
• kidney failure - “crackers” are terribly salty, so the kidneys of many animals simply cannot cope with excreting such an amount of salt;
• dysbacteriosis - beneficial bacteria in the animal’s stomach die over time, and diarrhea may occur;
• allergies - if the cat’s food is not suitable, ulcers may appear and hair may fall out;
• poisoning - cheap food contains a lot of dyes that are not at all beneficial for the animal;
• oncology - most dry food contains monosodium glutamate (a very dangerous substance that can cause cancer).

What should be included in the diet?

For your pet to live a long and healthy life, it needs to be fed properly. What do cats like to eat and what should be included in their weekly diet?

Try to regularly give your cat the following foods:

• Raw lean meat. Chicken, rabbit, turkey or beef are great.
• Fish. It also should not be greasy and must undergo heat treatment.
• Egg yolk. One piece per week is enough.

• A variety of dairy products. Here, too, you need to remember about fat content.
• Broths and soups. Diversity is allowed here. The main thing is that the pet likes it.
• Boiled liver and offal.
• Raw and stewed vegetables. It all depends on the individual preferences of the animal. Some people like melon, others like cucumbers.
• Cereals in the form of porridges and casseroles.

Many less experienced owners are interested in whether cats can have cheese? On the one hand, it seems to be a dairy product, but on the other, it is quite fatty and can cause harm to the animal. The answer in this case is quite simple. If you occasionally pamper your pet with a small piece, nothing bad will happen. But you shouldn't feed your cat cheese regularly.

How to accustom a cat to natural products?

If you don't know how to wean your cat off food, take a look at one of the two options below.

Method No. 1

The cat needs to be fed 3-4 times a day. Therefore, try to alternate “crackers” with regular food. Give the usual food in the first half of the day. At this time of day, digestion is just “waking up”. To reduce the saltiness of dry food, fill the portion with plenty of water. When the “crackers” are soaked, drain the liquid and give the wet lumps to the cat.

Make sure your pet always has a sufficient amount of clean water.

Offer your animal natural food for lunch and dinner. Do not give in to the indignant cries of your pet demanding canned food. If the cat has not eaten, remove the bowl after 20-25 minutes until the next feeding.

Method No. 2

This option involves mixing canned food with regular food. On the first day, soak the crackers, drain off excess water and dilute with homemade food. The proportion is approximately this: 5 parts canned food, 1 part natural food. Repeat the procedure for lunch and dinner. Feed the animal this way for 3 to 5 days.

After this, start diluting the feed in a ratio of 4:2, and after a week switch to the 3:3 option. Every week, reduce the portion of dry food by 1 part, and gradually increase the portion of homemade food.

If you have found a suitable way to wean your cat off dry food, follow through to the end. Do not succumb to cat provocations and expressive “hungry” looks. Act confidently and persistently. Stick to your plan.

If an animal has declared a boycott, do not starve it for weeks. It may be dangerous. Try to arouse interest in homemade food by treating them to some kind of delicacy. Offer a little different food: a piece of meat, sausage, a slice of bread, a slice of cucumber, a slice of potato. A hungry animal will definitely be interested in something.

What not to do

Have you already chosen a way to wean your cat off food? Then remember a few rules:

1. Take your time. Sometimes it can take months to relearn. A drastic change in the usual diet will discord your relationship, lead to a boycott and changes in the animal’s well-being.
2. Don't spoil your pet. Of course, sometimes it’s not only possible, but also necessary to treat you to something tasty. But you should not “put” food into the animal’s mouth. You're not going to indulge all his whims for the rest of your life, are you? This is not the way to start. The attitude towards the animal should remain equal and friendly, as always.

Important points

In the process of retraining an animal, it is important to be persistent and consistent. If you do not live alone, agree with all household members to act rationally. Keep an especially close eye on children. Protecting their furry pet from the “monster and tyrant”, they can feed him the usual and favorite crackers. Such “concern” will negate all efforts and fruitful work on retraining.

Explain to your children that you are doing this not because you don’t love Barsik or Murka. But because you don’t want the fluffy to get sick. Ask for help and assign your child to make sure there is always plenty of fresh water near the pussy. More often than not, this tactic works flawlessly.

What should

We have already told you what can be included in the diet of an adult animal. Now let's talk about proportions. Proper nutrition that provides the cat with all the necessary elements should look something like this:

• 45% - meat and other protein foods (dairy products, eggs, sometimes fish);
• 20% - offal (offal, lungs, liver, heart);
• 20% - vegetables, cereals, various sources of fiber and microelements;
• 5% - vitamin complexes, oil, bone meal.

Conclusion

Weaning your pet off not very healthy store-bought food can take a lot of your time and effort. But in return you will receive a beautiful and healthy animal. If something doesn't bother you, you should consult a veterinarian or cat nutrition specialist. He will be able to choose an individual diet for your pet and tell you how else you can wean your cat off dry food.

Veterinarians recommend following certain rules when switching a cat to homemade food. To wean an animal off Whiskas and other artificial foods, you need to act in stages. You cannot combine dry food and regular food, as this leads to gastrointestinal problems. Homemade products should be introduced into the diet gradually. It is also necessary to add vitamins to your cat’s daily menu.

You cannot start weaning your pet off dry food if the animal is sick. Additional stress on the body can lead to disastrous consequences.

Difficulties in switching to homemade food

Feed components are attractants and additives. These chemical components are designed to get the animal used to the treat. It is these elements that make it difficult to wean your pet off Whiskas. The largest number of such additives is in economy class feed.

By choosing such food, the owner develops an addiction in the animal from the first spoon.

In addition to addiction, dry food does not provide the animal with the required amount of vitamins and microelements, which leads to frequent pet illnesses. Manufacturers have learned to produce junk food without including the natural ingredients necessary for the full development of a cat.

How to wean a cat off Whiskas?

Many owners start giving dry food to cats from a young age. Kittens do not refuse goodies and soon become hooked on artificial food.

It is much easier to wean a kitten from dry food whose body has not developed the habit of such a diet.

Veterinarians prohibit feeding your pet mixed food, for example, giving dry food and regular food. This combination of products has a detrimental effect on the animal’s intestines and stomach, leading to tragic consequences.

Stages of transferring an animal to normal food

To accustom a cat to normal food, you must follow certain instructions:

1. 1. Dry food is replaced with a wet equivalent from the same manufacturer. The animal is accustomed to certain flavoring additives, so the transition will not be abrupt. At the same time, the soft version of the food contains fewer harmful components than the dry version.
2. 2. Natural food is introduced into the cat’s diet gradually. You can cook mixed porridges - semolina or rolled oats plus meat/fish. Your pet will not refuse such homemade food.
3. 3. Fresh water must be freely available to the animal. Drinking plenty of fluids will help remove toxins from the body faster.
4. 4. "Cat grass" grown on the windowsill will become an additional source of vitamins.
5. 5. Gradually more and more natural products are added that the cat prefers. For example, if he likes boiled fish, then they give him that instead of food.
6. 6. The amount of feed decreases every day. Having not had enough, the cat will begin to eat from a nearby bowl, where healthy foods must be placed in a timely manner.

This plan of action allows the owners to gradually and without harm to the animal’s health transfer the pet from dry food to regular food, completely weaning it off Whiskas and eliminating the dependence.

Features of the transition to natural products

To facilitate the transition of the animal to natural food and wean it off Whiskas, it is necessary to include a complex of vitamins for the pet in the diet. Cats usually eat vitamin tablets with pleasure. In rare cases, a veterinarian may prescribe fortified formulations in the form of intramuscular injections.

It is worth considering the features of transferring an adult cat or kitten to normal food:

1. 1. A small kitten cannot be weaned off its usual food by starvation. First, you need to transfer your pet to liquid food from bags, and then introduce other components into the diet. It is best to add new products instead of the usual food after active play with your pet.
2. 2. An adult animal with a strong dependence on dry food can be left to fast for two days. The main thing is not to forget to give your pet water all the time. When very hungry, the animal will eat the natural product with pleasure based on the instinct of self-preservation.

When switching to healthy foods, we must not forget about the prohibition of mixing. The simultaneous intake of dry food and boiled meat or other product will lead to gastrointestinal diseases in your pet.

Many people decide to get a cat and think that pouring ready-made food into its bowl is not at all difficult. And few people know that it is harmful to the pet’s health. When a kitten appears in a family and is already accustomed to such food, this does not mean that it needs to be poisoned further. It is necessary to wean the cat off dry food and accustom it to homemade food.

Irreparable harm to health from dry food

Such food can cause a lot of disorders, the most common of which include:

• avitaminosis– many dry foods do not contain sufficient quantities of certain vitamins, which are so necessary for the pet and which are contained in homemade food;
• dysbacteriosis– beneficial bacteria die in the stomach, and a disorder occurs;
• poisoning– your pet can be poisoned by various dyes that the food contains;
• heart and kidney diseases– since this food contains a lot of salt, the kidneys may be the first to suffer from it, because it is difficult for them to excrete them. Poor kidney function will, in turn, provoke heart failure;
• allergy– ulcers may appear in the animal’s mouth or hair may begin to fall out;
• oncological diseases– Most types of food contain monosodium glutamate, which is known to cause tumors.

To avoid this kind of trouble, you need to teach your cat to eat regular food.

Features of the daily diet of cats

However, for an animal to grow healthy, feeding it just normal homemade food will not be enough. Nutrition must be balanced. It is necessary that your pet’s diet include the following foods:

• Meat – it is better to give it to the animal raw. It shouldn't be greasy. It is best to buy beef, turkey or chicken.
• Fish. It needs to be boiled and given to your pet about 2-3 times a week. It also shouldn't be greasy.
• Yolk. About once a week, Murka should eat 1 piece.
• Liver. It is given boiled.
• A variety of regular dairy products.
• Soups and broths.
• Various porridges.
• Vegetables. This issue requires an individual approach, since each animal has its own taste preferences. For example, some people like potatoes or cucumbers, while others like melon or watermelon. In any case, this is wonderful and if your pet asks for vegetables, be sure to pamper him with them.

How to force an animal to eat unusual and tasteless food

The main thing is when you want to accustom your dog to normal food, then make sure the food is fresh. Having once tasted a stale dish, a pet will remember it for the rest of its life and will no longer touch such food at all. Also make sure that there is always new water in the bowl.

In addition, the cat should eat one type of homemade food at a time; if it is soup, then only soup, if it is meat, then only meat, and so on. This will ensure proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and will not cause any health problems for your pet in the future.

Cats need three meals a day, but if the animal does not eat for about two days, then it is necessary to urgently seek help from a specialist.

If you want to accustom your cat to homemade food, first of all you should:

• be patient;
• develop a step-by-step plan;
• strictly follow all our advice.

It is necessary to gradually accustom the cat to homemade treats. To begin with, you should buy two types of food - dry and canned. With the help of the second, you can gradually accustom your pet to wet food.

3 stages of transition to homemade food:

• You need to mix two types of food. First you need to mix in a very small amount of canned food, gradually increasing the dose.
• Over time, we replace the dose of dry food with meat and porridge.
• You need to reduce the dose of dry food by half in 5 days, and leave only the gravy from canned food.
• The moment you introduce gravy into the diet, it would be wise to give your cat probiotics to support her stomach and normalize her intestinal flora.
• Over time, the amount of gravy is also reduced and comes to the point where you only need to add a couple of drops to the homemade food for flavor.
• After this, the cat should be offered homemade food, which will make up its almost daily diet.

If you finally want to accustom your pet to home-cooked food, then at this stage you need to be prepared for a variety of problems, since the stomach needs time to adjust from dry food.

Show the iron character of the owner of the house

Weaning your pet off dry food is not an easy task, but in this matter there is no need to succumb to provocations and make concessions to your pet, refusing to introduce homemade food into the diet.

While accustoming your cat to homemade food, you may encounter the animal being stubborn. But you will also show your iron character. If you provide your animal with homemade food and it doesn’t even touch it within 20 minutes, hide the bowl. And try to feed him already at lunchtime.

If the cat doesn’t eat, it means it’s not hungry. Don't beg her on your knees for her to eat homemade food.

Don't worry if your cat's feedings are unsuccessful and she hasn't eaten for about three days. Of course, starvation of an animal that lasts more than a day already poses a danger to the body. The cat may even lose weight and look completely weak, but do not be afraid, having homemade food in front of her eyes, she will not choose to die from hunger, no matter how tasty the food may seem to her.

Don’t forget, the cat’s health depends on what he eats at home. It is better to show the steadfastness of your character and not resort to various tricks of a cunning pet than to sentence it to inevitable and terrible health problems.

VETERINARIAN CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY. Administration