Alice’s tabby cat, Reynold, was five years old before she learned about the health problems associated with poor quality commercial foods. By that time, Reynold had become a dry food addict and refused to touch anything else. “I lost count of the number of different food samples I brought home from the pet food store,” Alice says. “He turned his nose up at most of them, and when he did eat them he got diarrhea. I hated the thoughts of continuing to give him unhealthy food, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

It’s a common problem. More and more people are seeing the benefits of raw and high quality canned foods for their cats, but meet with failure when they try to switch their felines to a better diet. A primary reason is that, like Reynold, cats tend to flatly reject any new food, especially one as radically different from their usual fare as raw meat.

To a large extent, your cat’s food preferences were formed during kittenhood. In fact, many cats who have been fed only dry kibble their whole lives simply don’t recognize anything else as “food.” Even just changing brands or flavors can be a major challenge. Cats dislike change in general, and messing with their dinner habits may not be welcome. Nevertheless, with the right approach, it is almost always possible to convert your cat to a better diet.

For cats who have dry food available 24/7 (“free choice”), the first step is a timed meal schedule. Leave the food out for 30 to 60 minutes in the morning and evening, and put it away the rest of the time. Your cat will not starve to death in 12 hours. The eat-fast-eat schedule is more natural to carnivores, and gives their tummies time to rest between meals. Don’t restrict the amount; put out plenty of food. The big advantage of timed meals is that the cat will be hungry at mealtime, and thus more willing to try new things.

Plan ahead when making the transition from one food to another. Don’t let yourself run out of the old food and then slap down a bowl of something new. Even if the cat will eat it, the sudden switch can cause tummy upset.

If adding raw food to your cat’s diet, or switching from dry to canned or raw, use caution and go slowly. These forms of food are so vastly different that your cat’s tummy will take some time to get used to them. In the case of dry food, it may be easier to switch to canned food first, and then, if you desire, move to raw later.

If you’re planning to make your cat’s meals yourself, do your homework! Cats have specific, unique nutrient requirements, and it’s easy to miss something when using a recipe or food that claims to be adequate for both dogs and cats. Consult with a holistic vet who is knowledgeable about feline nutrition, read different books and articles, or join an Internet e-mail list or bulletin board so you can gather as much information as possible. Don’t try to simplify the diet by skipping supplements as this can easily cause serious health problems for your cat.