If you have decided to change your pet’s diet, Banfield, The Pet Hospital®, recommends that you feed your pet a combination of the new and old food over a seven-day period to get them used to the new texture and smell. Changing a pet’s diets can trigger diarrhea and other intestinal upsets, especially if the pet has a sensitive stomach, so be deliberate and consistent in how you do it, he says.

On the first day, feed your pet 90 percent old food, 10 percent new food; continue on the second day with 80 percent old food, 20 percent new food and so on. At the end of the seven days, your pet should be fully transitioned to the new natural or organic food.

As always, consult your Banfield veterinarian on the nutritional needs of your pet.