How to switch kitten's food???

[sphynxie]

Just wondering how to switch Skinderella over to the same food as Nudie? I know I mix the old with the new, but how much at a time over how many days? Thanks guys!

 

[Gizzymom]

You do it in quarters.. First 1/4 new with 3/4 old, then 1/2 and 1/2... you get the picture. I did it over 4 weeks - one change per week... but that is on the conservative side. I have heard as little as every 3 days ...

 

[TotenEngel]

I'd go along with gizzymom on the 1/4 thing, but I've always tried it quicker than that (every few days), if they turn their nose up I will go back to the old ratio for a few more days then try again...

 

[ckutkuhn7]

I agree with the ratio. I'm even slower at it tho. I only changed the ratio once a week,,by the end of the month (or 4 weeks) and by the time I ran out of the old food then they would be completely on the new.

 

[Chameleon924]

WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! (LOL)

Splashie and AJ (my mini poodle) have REALLY good tummies. My hubby feeds them all sorts of stuff, they both are beggers! (I am ashame to admit) I can switch there food from one feeding to another and never have a problem with upset tummies, gas, or diarrhea.

BUT you should def weaned them off the old food onto the new food over a period of time. As a general rule if the pet is getting diarrhea you are switching over to fast.

I use to breed Great Danes and when it comes to sensitve tummies those guys were the worst! I would rather lose an arm then have to change their diets!!! LOL.

 

[Ahicks99]

Great tips. What food you switchng too? Ill need to switch my guy when he comes home. He eats royal. canine now but when I tried to witch my persian to it she got sick. Any suggestions how to feed these two and what? Thanks.

 

[Gizzymom]

Great tips. What food you switchng too? Ill need to switch my guy when he comes home. He eats royal. canine now but when I tried to witch my persian to it she got sick. Any suggestions how to feed these two and what? Thanks.

I just switched Gizmo to Nature's Variety Instinct (kibble and canned). He is loving it!! Especially the game meats - rabbit and venison!

Have also heard good things about Evo and Blue Buffalo. However, Giz would not touch Evo and Blue Buffalo is only kibble.

We were considering switching to raw, but after listening to Dr. Meurs last night... I think I will keep Instinct raw as a treat only... Still thinking...

 

[sphynxie]

Nudie is on Nature's Variety "Instinct" food wet and dry- it's great! I guess Skinderella is currently eating Purina One healthy kitten and I am anxious to switch her to something better. When Nudie came to us the breeder said she was on Royal Canin kitten but she refused to eat that from the start-weird. I tried to mix the Instinct food in but the little stinker just picked out the pieces of Instinct and left all the Royal Canin. This is why I needed some switching advice- let's hope Skinderella goes along with the gradual switch so her system adjusts slowly. Thanks to all for the advice- I will go with the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 etc over a month

 

[TotenEngel]

Smeagol was on whiskas wet and Hills dry when I got him, I switched both to Hills initially but PHEWWWW WWWWEEEE stinky bum and poo!! I have since switched him to Almo Nature dried and still Hills wet and he seems to be less stinky (until someone picks him up that is!! lol)

 

[BareOnAHotTinRoof]

I'm pretty sure their breeder has them on Nature's Variety and a homemade raw mixture that she makes.

There is nothing wrong with raw feeding... Vets have this issue with raw because that is what they are taught. They are told if it's not sold by "Big Pet Food" then don't support it. Hah, yeah right. I don't want my dog and cats eating rendered euthanized animals from shelters, feed lots, etc. I want them eating what I would eat, period.

The Instinct raw food is now pasteurized. The bone that it contains is finely ground and poses no issue. It is AAFCO approved by feeding trials. Really? Vets STILL have a problem with this? Ol' Roy and Purina Dog Chow, among MANY others, contain "meat and bone meal", which has been proven by the FDA to contain rendered euthanized animals. I want to KNOW for sure where the meat has come from, what animal it came from, what condition it was in before being made into pet food(Human quality vs. Pet quality).

Skinderella's brother Icarus will be on NV Instinct kibble(various kinds), canned(various kinds) and raw, plus a homemade raw that I make using either rabbit and chicken or emu and chicken. It's supplemented using some Platinum Performance, plus other supplements/ingredients.

 

[sphynxie]

I'm pretty sure their breeder has them on Nature's Variety and a homemade raw mixture that she makes.

There is nothing wrong with raw feeding... Vets have this issue with raw because that is what they are taught. They are told if it's not sold by "Big Pet Food" then don't support it. Hah, yeah right. I don't want my dog and cats eating rendered euthanized animals from shelters, feed lots, etc. I want them eating what I would eat, period.

The Instinct raw food is now pasteurized. The bone that it contains is finely ground and poses no issue. It is AAFCO approved by feeding trials. Really? Vets STILL have a problem with this? Ol' Roy and Purina Dog Chow, among MANY others, contain "meat and bone meal", which has been proven by the FDA to contain rendered euthanized animals. I want to KNOW for sure where the meat has come from, what animal it came from, what condition it was in before being made into pet food(Human quality vs. Pet quality).

Skinderella's brother Icarus will be on NV Instinct kibble(various kinds), canned(various kinds) and raw, plus a homemade raw that I make using either rabbit and chicken or emu and chicken. It's supplemented using some Platinum Performance, plus other supplements/ingredients.

The breeder was going to switch them over to NV instinct but never got the chance-they are still on purina.

 

[Gizzymom]

I'm pretty sure their breeder has them on Nature's Variety and a homemade raw mixture that she makes.

There is nothing wrong with raw feeding... Vets have this issue with raw because that is what they are taught. They are told if it's not sold by "Big Pet Food" then don't support it. Hah, yeah right. I don't want my dog and cats eating rendered euthanized animals from shelters, feed lots, etc. I want them eating what I would eat, period.

The Instinct raw food is now pasteurized. The bone that it contains is finely ground and poses no issue. It is AAFCO approved by feeding trials. Really? Vets STILL have a problem with this? Ol' Roy and Purina Dog Chow, among MANY others, contain "meat and bone meal", which has been proven by the FDA to contain rendered euthanized animals. I want to KNOW for sure where the meat has come from, what animal it came from, what condition it was in before being made into pet food(Human quality vs. Pet quality).

Skinderella's brother Icarus will be on NV Instinct kibble(various kinds), canned(various kinds) and raw, plus a homemade raw that I make using either rabbit and chicken or emu and chicken. It's supplemented using some Platinum Performance, plus other supplements/ingredients.

Not sure about other vets, but the issues Dr. Meurs brought up with raw was only with self ground raw that you buy from a butcher, etc... Not with pet food companies. :Laugh:

 

[BareOnAHotTinRoof]

Ah, gotcha. I rarely buy the pre-ground even for myself. It's just gross. You never know how many times it was handled and if people's hands were clean. Ewww.

 

[Gizzymom]

Ah, gotcha. I rarely buy the pre-ground even for myself. It's just gross. You never know how many times it was handled and if people's hands were clean. Ewww.

Or what temperature it was kept at.. or how many other things touched the same surface... or anything! I don't buy a lot of ground for myself as well... but when I do, I make sure it is cooked well... and that is not an option for raw feeding!

 

[chpmunk]

I just switched Gizmo to Nature's Variety Instinct (kibble and canned). He is loving it!! Especially the game meats - rabbit and venison!

Have also heard good things about Evo and Blue Buffalo. However, Giz would not touch Evo and Blue Buffalo is only kibble.

We were considering switching to raw, but after listening to Dr. Meurs last night... I think I will keep Instinct raw as a treat only... Still thinking...

Who is Dr. Meurs? What did he say about raw? I haven't found anything bad about it so far and I feel a little overwhelmed.