Switching your cat to a raw diet is one of the best health decisions you can make, but it’s not always simple. Cats are fussy eaters, and because they’re creatures of habit, introducing new foods can be challenging. The good news? With patience, consistency, and the right approach, you can successfully transition your cat to raw food.
This guide walks you through the entire process: from stopping the 24/7 kibble buffet, to introducing wet food, to finally making the switch to raw meat. Whether you’re just curious about how to transition cats to raw food or ready to start today, you’ll find the advice you need right here.
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Contents
Where to start
What is your cat eating now? Do they mainly have dry food like kibble or biscuits? Do they eat canned or pouched wet food? Or perhaps a mix of both?
Your cat’s current diet will guide where you should begin the transition to raw food. If they’re already eating wet food, you can usually jump ahead and start at step 3. But if your cat is used to grazing on dry food throughout the day, it’s best to begin at step 1 and move forward from there.
How long does it take to transition a cat to raw food?
It all depends on your cat. Some cats transition to raw food in a matter of weeks, while others take months. Factors that influence the length of time it takes for a cat to accept a switch to a raw diet include:
- Age: Kittens tend to be more adaptable, while senior cats may be more resistant.
- Current diet: Cats who already eat wet food usually transition faster than kibble-only cats.
- Personality: Confident, curious cats may try raw more quickly than cautious, picky cats.
- Imprinting: If your cat has eaten only kibble since kittenhood, the transition to raw food will likely take longer.
The most important thing to remember is that this isn’t a race. If the switch to a raw diet takes six months, then that’s fine. What matters most is steady progress – patience and persistence will get you there.
Understanding why cats are fussy eaters
Cats are known for being picky eaters, but it’s not stubbornness, it’s biology. Cats are what’s known as imprint eaters. As kittens, they form strong associations with food based on smell, shape, texture, and taste. If you try to feed them something that doesn’t match their ‘food memory,’ they may sniff and walk away.
This explains why:
- A cat who has eaten kibble since kittenhood may resist wet food or raw meat
- Cats often prefer one protein over another (chicken instead of beef)
- Some cats will go hungry rather than eat something different.
Knowing this helps you understand why it can be so challenging when transitioning cats to raw food.
Step 1: Stop the 24/7 kibble buffet
If your cat grazes on kibble (cat biscuits) all day, the first step in learning how to transition cats to raw food is to move from free-feeding to regular, scheduled mealtimes. Cats with constant access to food rarely build a healthy appetite, which makes introducing new foods so much harder.
Here’s how to stop the ‘all you can eat’ kibble buffet:
- Set 2 or 3 regular meal times a day.
- Split the amount they usually eat during the day into equal portion sizes.
- Offer the food, leave it out for 30–45 mins then remove it.
- Over 1 or 2 weeks, shorten the window, until food is only available for 15–20 minutes at a time. Do it gradually – reduce by 5 minutes each day.
Introducing regular scheduled mealtimes, teaches your cat to eat when food is offered. Once they’re in this routine, they’ll be more open to trying new foods.
Tip for multi-cat households: Feed cats in separate rooms to ensure each cat eats their share. If you’re unsure about portions, use the guidelines on the packaging as a starting point.
Step 2: Transition from dry to wet food
Once your cat is eating two or three scheduled meals a day, you can begin adding a good-quality, grain-free commercial wet food to their routine like Feline Natural or Ziwi Peak. This step can sometimes be the trickiest part of the transition to raw food, because the texture of wet food is very different from dry kibble, and many cats are hooked on the flavour enhancers and additives in biscuits.
Starting with wet food works well as its soft texture is closer to raw meat, and it helps your cat get used to something other than dry, crunchy food. Canned products like Feline Natural Chicken & Lamb Feast and Ziwi Peak Chicken Recipe are excellent choices which our cats love. Both are made in New Zealand, grain-free, and packed with real meat – so they’re a great bridge between kibble and raw feeding.
The one plate method
Start by serving kibble and wet food side by side on the same plate. Use a ratio of 90% kibble, 10% wet food. At first, your cat may ignore the wet food, but the smell will become familiar. Over time, gradually increase the wet food while decreasing kibble.
If your cat still refuses after a week, try sprinkling a little kibble directly on top of the wet food. That way, they’ll get used to the new texture and taste while still enjoying something they recognise.
Tempting fussy cats to eat wet food
Sometimes it can be challenging to transition cats to raw food. Here are a few things you can do if your cat resists wet food:
- Try various brands of quality grain-free wet food
- Experiment with different proteins (chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit, beef, lamb)
- Try wet foods with gravy – these are often more enticing
- Use ‘bribes’ such as freeze-dried cat treats, bonito fish flakes, tuna or salmon brine or cushed kibble or cat treats as toppers. The smellier and tastier, the more tempting these will be. One of our go-to toppers is the Feline Natural Freeze-Dried Cat Food – Chicken & Lamb Feast from New Zealand. It crumbles easily over wet food and can turn a quick sniff into a plate licked clean.
At this stage, avoid canned foods that have fish as the main ingredient. Cats love them, but they can be addictive. Instead, save fish for occasional treats.
Remember, it’s completely normal to feel frustrated when your cat refuses anything other than their usual dry food. But, don’t give up. Keep offering wet food, whether straight from the can or with a little ‘bribe’ sprinkled on top. With time, and lots of patience and persistence, your cat will come around and start eating both.
When your cat outright refuses wet food
If your cat won’t touch wet food at all, there is another option. You can add a small amount of water or chicken broth to kibble to make it mushy. This bridges the texture gap between dry and wet food. Once your cat accepts mushy kibble, start adding small amounts of canned food, just a teaspoon at a time, and increase gradually. As you increase the wet food, decrease the amount of dry food every 2–3 days.
Important safety note: If you moisten kibble, don’t leave it sitting out for more than 20–30 minutes. Once wet, dry food can quickly grow harmful bacteria and mold toxins. Always throw away any uneaten softened kibble after half an hour to keep your cat safe.
Dangers of skipping meals for cats
A common myth is that ‘a hungry cat will eat.’ While that’s true for dogs, it can be dangerous for cats. Overweight cats especially, are at risk of hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) if they go without food for more than 24–36 hours. This condition can be life-threatening. If your cat refuses food during the transition, don’t push them to fast. Always make sure they’re eating something, even if it means taking the transition process more slowly.
Step 3: How to switch cats to raw food
Once your cat has been eating wet food at set mealtimes for a few weeks, you are ready to start introducing raw food.
Just like the earlier transition, this step should be gradual. Start by offering a little raw meat alongside the wet food – aim for about 10% raw to 90% canned wet food. Over time, you can slowly increase the amount of raw meat while decreasing the wet food until the balance shifts completely.
It often helps to begin with raw meats similiar to your cat’s favourite wet foods. Small pieces of chicken or beef are a good place to start, and many cats also enjoy chicken hearts. Remember to offer a variety of proteins over time so your cat doesn’t become fixated on just one type of meat.
Making raw food more appealing
Raw food doesn’t smell as strong as canned food, so it may not seem as tempting to your cat at first. To help you can:
- Mix raw with wet food to mask the scent and make it feel more familiar.
- Warm the raw food to ‘mouse body temperature’ by leaving it out for 20–30 minutes or placing it in a sealed bag in warm water.
- Skip the microwave, as it can cook the meat and destroy important nutrients.
Tricks to encourage cats to try raw food
If the gradual approach to switching from wet food to raw meat doesn’t work, sometimes a bit of creativity helps. Here are two proven tricks:
- Raw on paw: Smear a small amount of raw food on your cat’s front paw. Cats are fastidious groomers, they’ll lick it off and in the process, get used to the taste and texture of the new raw food..
- Prey play: Activate your cat’s natural instinct to hunt prey with a game of ‘wing on a string’. Tie a chicken wing tip securely to a piece of string and drag it across the floor. Let your cat stalk, pounce, and bite the raw meat. This activates their hunting instincts and makes raw food exciting. The goal is to give your cat a taste and encourage them to accept raw chicken pieces on their plate at their next meal. Always supervise play – never leave your cat unattended with string.
Our experience transitioning cats to raw food
Every cat is different. In our home, Max and Charlie took to raw food almost immediately – it brought out their natural hunting behaviours and meal times became the highlight of their day. Ava was slower transitioning to a raw diet. For weeks we had to mix wet and raw food together before she would fully switch, but the ‘wing on a string’ game sparked her curiosity and helped her develop a taste for raw meat.
Amber’s transition took the longest – almost six months. She had been fed an exclusively kibble-based diet as a young kitten and was naturally picky with food. With patience, gradual mixing of new foods, and plenty of tasty ‘bribes’ sprinkled on top, she finally made the switch. Her story is proof that even when transitioning a cat to raw food feels slow, persistence pays off and the process really does work.
Can you switch a cat straight to raw food?
Cat parents often ask us if they can switch their cat straight to a raw diet. While it’s tempting to skip the slow process, we don’t recommend going straight from kibble to raw. Sudden dietary changes or new foods can upset your cat’s stomach, leading to vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, or even refusal to eat. If you notice any of these signs, it’s simply your cat’s way of saying the transition is going too fast.
The best approach is to let your cat set the pace. Sometimes that means making steady progress, and other times it means taking a step back before moving forward again. This slow-and-steady method will give you the best chance of successfully transitioning to a 100% raw diet, and most importantly, it keeps your cat healthy and comfortable while they adapt.
Final thoughts
So now you know how to transition cats to raw food. Remember to go slow, be patient, and let your cat lead the way. Start by moving from free-feeding to set mealtimes, then introduce wet food before gradually mixing in small amounts of raw. Over time, increase the raw portion while reducing the wet until your cat is fully switched.
Every cat adjusts at their own pace, so don’t be discouraged if it takes weeks or even months. With consistency, gentle persistence, and a focus on your cat’s comfort, your transition to a raw diet will be a success.
––> If you haven’t started raw feeding yet, our Beginner’s Guide to Raw Feeding Cats explains what you need to know before transitioning.
