How to get a cat to eat new food?

Cats can be very choosy about their food. Pickiness is usually caused by a cat getting used to a particular food, which is why it is not always easy to change a cat's diet. For example, changing a cat food containing sugar to a sugar-free food option may require patience from the cat owner, but it is good for the cat. Find out what harm sugar can cause to your cat.

Check out PrimaCat's range of sugar-free, meaty and wheat-free cat foods and read three basic facts about cat food.

What other reasons can there be for a cat being picky eater? Read more here.

Three steps to changing your cat's food

1. For 1-2 days, offer a small portion of the new cat food alongside the old food in a separate bowl. This way, the cat gets used to the smell of the new food and has the opportunity of tasting it.
2. Next, mix the new food and old food in the same bowl. At first, include about 1/5 of the new food and gradually increase the amount of the new food in the following days.
3. After about a week, you can offer solely new food if the cat has learned to eat it mixed with the old food. If the cat is not yet used to the new food, continue offering the mix and try giving just the new food again later.

If your cat has a sensitive stomach, remember to change the cat’s food very slowly. Changing the diet too quickly can cause stomach problems. Read more about the most common stomach issues in cats and how to feed a cat with a sensitive stomach.

Tips on how to tempt your cat to try new food

• Add some of your cat's favourite treats to the food.
• Use, for example, minced meat or other raw food as an addition to the mixture.
• Let the food warm up at room temperature. Your cat may not want to eat cold food.
• Leave the food in the bowl to wait, even if the cat does not want to eat it straight away. The cat may come to taste the food later.
• Try combining wet and dry food.
• Pour a little broth from a can of tuna over the food.

Remember that a cat should never be fasted. Even a day without food can cause serious damage to a cat's body.

Read more about feeding a picky cat and learn about the typical diet of a cat.