Food Transitioning
To avoid stomach upset we recommend following the steps below to have a successful diet transition.
This information has been sourced by Veterinary Nutrition specialists at Hill's Pet Nutrition and meet AAFCO standards
TRANSITION
A period of time during which one food is replaced with another. It is important to recommend a transition; occasionally a pet will have a GI upset when switched to a new diet.
PALATABILITY
The degree of acceptability to an animal, as determined by the sensory response to specific chemical and physical characteristics — namely taste, smell and texture. The combination of smell and taste is referred to as “flavor.”
A period of time during which one food is replaced with another. It is important to recommend a transition; occasionally a pet will have a GI upset when switched to a new diet.
PALATABILITY
The degree of acceptability to an animal, as determined by the sensory response to specific chemical and physical characteristics — namely taste, smell and texture. The combination of smell and taste is referred to as “flavor.”
tips
- Gradually introduce the new food over a 7-day period by mixing the new food with the old
- If your pet is reluctant to try a new food, hand feed or mix the dry food with warm water
- Don’t feed people food — this can decrease the effectiveness of the recommended food
- Always provide plenty of clean, fresh water
- Do not supplement or feed other pet foods, unless advised to do so by the veterinarian
- There is more of a chance to have a GI upset with a hydrolyzed protein diet, high fatty acid, or a diet with high fiber, especially if the pet has not been on this type of diet before
- Some pets will take longer to transition to the new diet
A closer look
Food Aversions
Cats may develop a learned aversion to certain foods when feeding is paired with a negative GI experience
Cats and Texture
Cats may develop a learned aversion to certain foods when feeding is paired with a negative GI experience
- The negative experience can be physical, emotional or physiologic
- Typically aversions occur when cats are fed before an episode of nausea or vomiting
- Aversions have been known to last up to 40 days in cats
- Do not feed a cat the diet they will go home with in the hospital
Cats and Texture
- Cats are very sensitive to the physical form, odor and taste of foods
- Cats accustomed to a specific texture or type of food (moist, dry or semi-moist) may refuse foods with different texture
- Food temperature also influences food acceptance by cats
- Cats do not accept food served at temperature extremes
- Foods offered near body temperature are most preferred
- For a cat with texture issues a longer transition is recommended, this could last as long as 1-2 months
- Be patient with the cat
- Cats must eat, continue the transition until the cat is eating the new food
Feeding multiple pets
tips
- Puppies and kittens must eat a puppy or kitten food until 10 – 12 months of age
- Adult pets should not eat a growth product
- If a pet has no medical issues (especially urinary crystals or stones) the pet can eat adult or senior foods
- If feeding a therapeutic food, make pet owners with multiple pets aware if there are issues that need to be addressed
