This Is Why You Should Never Quickly Change Your Cat's Food
Posted on: 23 April 2020
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Veterinarians see it all the time; cats come in with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, and there's only one real cause for it: their food. If you want to keep your cat healthy, you should never suddenly change their food supply. Here's why.
Sensitive Stomachs
The average cat has a fairly sensitive stomach. You probably already know this if you've ever seen a cat randomly throw up for no apparent reason, just to go straight back to eating and acting normally.
When it comes to changing your cat's food, it's highly likely to cause problems. Cats should be slowly transitioned to new types of food, whether you're changing brands or even just formulas within a single brand. Otherwise, you could have some big problems on your hands.
Potential Symptoms
Cats who have their food changed suddenly often experience diarrhea and vomiting, but they may also stop eating. Think about it: their stomach likely hurts after eating, so they become wary of that happening again and refuse to eat. Cats are smart and understand the difference between different tastes and smells. If they become suspicious of their new food, they won't touch it.
However, this poses another problem. It can potentially trigger a condition called fatty liver disease that occurs when a cat is essentially starving. Fatty liver disease carries its own symptoms, which include more vomiting, drooling, and lethargy. If you notice these signs in your cat, you need to get help right away because feline fatty liver disease doesn't just go away on its own.
What to Do
If your cat is throwing up or having diarrhea after changing food you, need to go see a veterinarian. While it's likely that the food is the only culprit here, simply changing back to the old food may not be enough to stop their symptoms. In addition, your cat could already be considerably dehydrated, which could potentially harm their kidneys.
You need to have a vet check your cat for these problems and take appropriate action. This may include giving your kitty IV fluids to perk them back up, as well as stomach medicine to help control their nausea until they start eating their normal food again.
If you ever need to change your cat's food, do so slowly. Mix in a little bit of the new food to a big bowl of the old stuff and day by day, gradually increase the new and reduce the old. This will ease your cat's digestion into it and should help to prevent these problems from happening anymore.
For more information on pet care, contact a local veterinarian.