How to transition your cat to raw - step by step.
Three things to keep in mind before you start: go slow, watch the litter tray, and be patient. The timeline varies enormously between cats. Some transition in a few days. Others take months. Both are normal.
If your cat is currently eating wet food
This is the easier starting point.
Days 1-3: Add one teaspoon of raw balanced with Raw Meow Mix alongside your cat's regular wet food at each meal. Keep going until your cat is eating it consistently without hesitation, then double the amount.
Days 4-5: Once your cat is eating the raw portion without issue and the litter tray looks normal, increase the raw to around a third of the meal, then a half.
From there, continue shifting the ratio - more raw, less wet - until the bowl is fully raw. There is no fixed timeline. Move at the pace your cat is comfortable with.
If your cat is coming from dry food only
More patience required. The first step is not raw - it is wet food. Get them eating wet food consistently before introducing raw. The "Getting Your Cat Off Kibble" guide covers that process.
Once they are reliably on wet food, follow the steps above.
What to watch
The litter tray tells you a lot during transition. Looser stools in the first few days are common as the digestive system adjusts. Small, firm, less frequent stools are what you are aiming for and are a sign things are working. More frequent urination is also normal on a raw diet - higher moisture content means more output.
The one rule that cannot be skipped
Do not let your cat go more than 12 hours without eating. Cats that stop eating - even briefly - are at risk of hepatic lipidosis, which is fatty liver disease. It develops fast and it is serious. If your cat is refusing food entirely at any point during the transition, contact us.
The bottom line
Slow, consistent, and attentive. That is the transition. The litter tray and your cat's behaviour will tell you whether you are moving at the right pace. When in doubt, go slower.