How to Transition to Raw Cat Food for Picky Eaters
Cats aren’t just being stubborn when they turn their noses up at new food—they’re wired that way! This instinct kept their wild ancestors alive and still shapes how our housecats approach food today. Understanding this behavior and learning how to work around it is the first step to feeding them in a way that truly supports their health.
Cats Are Imprint Eaters
When wild cats are born in Africa, they have just a few months to learn to feed themselves before they are out on their own. Cats want to eat about 10 times a day - In the wild, that is 10 chances every single day to jump on the wrong animal and get hurt, poisoned, or killed. To avoid this, kittens learn from their mom exactly what she hunts, how she hunts, and they copy that, taking a perfect imprint of her eating habits. Anything outside of that is considered risky and unsafe, and animals that take risks in the wild don't live as long. For our housecats, this means that when something new appears in the food bowl, they think it could be dangerous and avoid it!
This biological programming can make it a challenge to transition cats and is why cats got the reputation for being picky. We want to make feeding raw as easy as possible for cat owners, so check out the tips below to make transitioning cats to a raw diet simple.
Tips on How To Get a Cat To Eat Raw
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Try Different Proteins: If you’re unsure, start with pork. Our pork is a favorite among cats!
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Take It Slow: Cats often do best with a longer transition, and you may want to plan on it taking a few weeks (with lots of patience!).
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Start Small: When you start, put one or two thawed nuggets on each side of your cat’s meal, without mixing them in. Simply put them in there as a garnish. You can also put them on a separate plate next to the normal dish. If your cat eats them, you can slowly start to transition from their current food to the raw food over 7-10 days. If there is any tummy trouble, reduce the raw a bit and proceed slower.
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The 4 T’s: If, after a few days, your cat still refuses to try raw, you can start playing with the 4 T's: Time, temperature, texture, and taste.
Time
Try experimenting with the timing of when you serve raw. You could put the raw nuggets down at the regular mealtime every day, and then wait 20 minutes before putting the normal food down. Another idea is to offer nuggets between regular meals and see if that entices them. Do not starve your cat to get them to try raw, as it is a health hazard.
Temperature
Cats typically don’t like cold food. Wild cats always eat prey fresh, and that instinct persists in housecats. We recommend warming food on the counter for an hour before serving it. If that isn’t warm enough for your cat, try adding warm water to the food. If you want to avoid thinning it out, you can put the raw nuggets in a little bowl and float them on top of some hot water.
Texture
If you take a look at canned foods, you’ll notice that there are probably 30 different textures nowadays as cats can be very particular about texture. Try mashing the thawed nuggets with a fork. You can also add a little warm water to thin it out. If your cat prefers thicker patés, use the freeze-dried nuggets and mix in less water than the instructions call for to achieve a thicker consistency.
Taste
Finally, if your cat really isn't into one flavor, try another (our pork formula is a favorite). Pets have different tastes, just like people.
If you get stuck and your cat still just won’t try it, check out this interview we did with the Two Crazy Cat Ladies where we talk about some different transitioning tips. We also have a video about transitioning cats to raw in Pet Parent Raw U. You can access this amazing raw food learning course for free at learnaboutraw.com.
Why Choose Raw Cat Food
Cats are true obligate carnivores and instinctively hunters. Their diet is not flexible, and it's not mysterious or controversial. They need raw meat to thrive. Almost all of the health issues that are prevalent in cats today are related directly to trying to force a square peg into a round hole, damage from feeding them the wrong foods.
Our Quest product line is specifically formulated for cats. The recipe is 95% meat, organ, and bone, and 5% value-added ingredients. It’s rich in every nutrient that a cat's body needs, with none of the stuff they don't. Quest comes in chicken, beef, pork, and whitefish, available in both frozen and freeze-dried forms. Cats benefit the most from rotating through a few different proteins. Variety is essential and also keeps their system flexible. Our value-added ingredients include natural supplements, such as kelp, green mussel, and goat’s milk, which complement the meat, organs, and bones. This is how we naturally balance our food with no synthetic, man-made additives.
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