SWITCHING TO A WET FOOD OPTION: Some kibble fed cats may take to raw, freeze dried, dehydrated, canned or another kind of wet food right away. Many won't. Since canned foods are often engineered to be tasty, they tend to be more enticing than an elemental raw food. For many, it's easier to transition your cat to a canned food first, then to a more fresh diet.

CATS THAT WON'T TOUCH WET FOOD: We approach a kibble addict slowly and a little at a time. Remove the "all you can eat" kibble buffet, create mealtimes and only introduce a new food when they are hungry. A full cat is less willing to try something new. We've dipped a kibble or a treat in some canned and see if they'll try it. Accidentally tasting some canned will familiarize them. Move slow. Get creative. Try giving them one of those meat tubes! Sneak in a little canned. Cats were not born to eat kibble. Patience is key.

STRAIGHT TO FRESH FOOD FROM KIBBLE: We usually try to transition straight to raw, offering a small amount to see how they like it.

FROM CANNED TO RAW: If a cat likes the gravy styles of canned food, we use that to help with the transition. If they like the pate, we use that.

THE BASIC IDEA: When making any big food changes (going from kibble to raw), the idea is to introduce the new food slowly. We start by adding 1/2 tsp to their food and see how they react. If a cat is adventurous and eats it, we add more next time. If they're hesitant, we stick with 1/2 tsp for at least a few days. 

MOVE SLOW: Look for changes in bowel movements. Don't rush it. Once they accept 1/2 tsp of new food in their current food, we increase the amount of new food and decrease the old food, slowly. We let the cat be the guide. 

MIXING KIBBLE WITH RAW FOODS: Some cats that eat raw and kibble together experience GI upset. That's why we move slow at first so we see how they react. Usually we complete a full transition within a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

PUT IT ON THE SIDE: Sometimes we'll put a raw food like Darwin's on the side. Next to the food or on a separate plate. Even if they don't try it right away, they will become familiar with the smell and hopefully curious enough to taste it. If they don't try it after a week, we'd drizzle a little on their food. They may be more inclined to try it since it's not a stranger anymore.

HIDE IT: Put a small spoonful of raw in a bowl and cover it completely with their favorite canned. They are more often willing to try it if they go in thinking it's their familiar food.

INVOLVE THE TREATS: We've dipped a treat in the new food. We also love crumbling treats on top.

GETTING CREATIVE VS. GETTING PUSHY: Encourage your cat to try any new food by providing it to them when it's mealtime. They'll be hungry. If you leave a bowl of "old familiar kibble" out, they'll know they have a tasty fast-food option nearby. Put that bowl of kibble away for good! Still, some cats will go on strike. Try to hide a tiny amount of new food in their current food. Dab tiny amounts on a plate so they sniff each one and eventually get curious. Tiny piles of food induce more curiosity and are less intimidating than a large new scary pile of food. If at any point they feel pushed, they'll often become more skeptical. Try feeding in another room, where you give them treats. Consider trying another protein. If your cat isn't liking the raw turkey, maybe they would like the raw venison. Also, just because they didn't try it in 3 minutes doesn't mean they won't try it later, tomorrow or next week.

FOOD TIPS: In my experience, mixing kibble with dehydrated food or raw did not cause stomach upset. But, for some, transitioning from processed kibble or canned, to dehydrated, then to raw can be less intimidating than going straight to raw. The point is, you have options.

VARIETY: It doesn't have to be right away, but make sure you are incorporating at least a few different protein options into their diet. For example, Mikita might eat chicken for breakfast and lamb for dinner. You can feed turkey for a week and then venison the next week. There isn't one way to provide variety. The idea is to make sure they aren't eating the same thing for years. A healthy GI is built with a variety of fresh foods. With a strong GI, most cats should be able to handle new, raw foods regularly. Of course, ease into new foods at first. Once you start providing variety, you'll begin to trust yourself.

PRO TIPS: Move slow. Get creative. If they decide they love raw one day and don't like it the next, take a step back and remember to move slow. There is no correct way other than to move at the pace of your cat which is likely SLOW. Encourage, don't push. Be consistent and open minded. Toss a treat into the new food. Maybe they'll fish it out and accidentally taste the new food. If you're moving slow, it's hard to go wrong. Celebrate the small steps and don't give up!

HOMEMADE DIETS: Mikita and Dahlia eat mostly a raw prepared diet that we purchase. We plan to transition them to a homemade diet eventually, at least partially. In the meantime, while I continue to learn about making my own food I occasionally cut up meats from the butcher or grocery store to give as snacks or to add to meals. This includes gizzards, hearts, venison, appropriately sized raw meaty bones etc. Note: It is recommended to freeze any meat from the store for 24 hours before defrosting and feeding.