transitioning seniors to raw

I am currently transitioning my 7-year-old DSH, Bella, to a raw diet. She has been diagnosed with CKD stage 1, and her vet suggested we look into higher moisture options. I have been feeding raw to my other cats, Charlie and Pip, for years without issue, but I know senior cats can be more sensitive to dietary changes.

I have started mixing small amounts of raw into her usual kibble. She seems to tolerate it well, but I am concerned about the caloric density. Does anyone have experience with this specific transition for a senior cat? I want to ensure she maintains her weight while getting the hydration benefits.

Hi Karen, I think this is a very thoughtful approach. My DSH, Dot, is anxious about new textures, so I had to go very slow. I found that the hydration aspect is crucial. You can see the stats I compiled in Hydration stats for kidney cats which shows the significant difference in water content between kibble and raw.

For seniors, the risk of dehydration with dry food is real. I would keep the transition slow, maybe over two to three weeks, as outlined in Slow transition methods. It is less about the protein source and more about the moisture and the gradual acceptance of the new texture.

Look, I get the health benefits, but let's be real about the cost. My two Bengals are food motivated and eat a lot. Switching them to raw would wreck my budget. You can check my breakdown in Raw diet cost breakdown to see what I mean. For a senior cat who might not even eat the whole portion, you are throwing money away. Kibble is durable, cheap, and easy. If the vet says it's okay, I stick with kibble.

I am worried about the hygiene side of things. My Milo has had alopecia patches since he was a kitten, and I am terrified of introducing new proteins that might trigger a skin reaction. I read about this in Skin reactions to new proteins. Also, how do you handle the bacteria risk? I am not a vet tech, just a regular person, and the idea of feeding raw meat to a senior cat with potential kidney issues makes me anxious. Is it safe?

I am so confused by all this. I want to do what is best for my cats but I feel overwhelmed. I have a 1-year-old calico, Pepper, who is scared of everything. If I tried raw, how would I even measure it? I looked at Portioning raw for seniors but the numbers are different for every cat. Does anyone have a simple rule of thumb? I just want to make sure I am not starving her or overfeeding her.