what causes, what solutions?

THE intestinal gas can accumulate in the cat’s intestines. We then speak of flatulence. This sometimes results in abdominal pain as well as bloating or meteorism due to gas retention. It is important to identify the cause in order to remedy it. It is not so simple because the origins of flatulence in cats are numerous. Anyway, it is necessary to find solutions on a case-by-case basis to relieve the animal. Let’s take stock and also see if it is possible to prevent flatulence in this pet.

Flatulence in cats: the different possible causes

In general, cats are quite discreet in terms of gas emission, both in terms of smell and sound, so it goes unnoticed. A master can therefore be very surprised when his cat expels smelly gas (noisy or not) and frequently because it is quite unusual. It is in any case the sign that something is not very round at the digestive level. The main causes of flatulence in cats are the following :

• • Food portions ingested too quickly,

• • Too large portions of food,

• • The consumption of unsuitable foods such as soya, white beans, cereals, peas, lentils, and those that contain lactose, but also table scraps that are too fatty, too sweet or too salty for the animal: these are food products that the cat’s digestive system is not able to assimilate,

• • Poor quality food, which may be the case with cat food found at low prices,

• • Foods that are not suitable for this particular cat, which may be the case of kibble or adult food that is given to a kitten for example,

• • A too rapid modification of the cat’s diet, or quite simply the introduction of a new food,

• • Obesity which disturbs the intestinal transit of the small feline,

• • Ingestion of hairs that form a trichobezoar (hairball) in the gastrointestinal tract and that the animal cannot expel,

• • An excess of stress, and the reasons are variable because the kitty is an animal particularly sensitive to stress. We can however note that it is quite common in breedings, catteries and among individuals who have several cats sharing the same bowl and eating at the same times.

To stop flatulence as soon as possible, it is essential to remedy these problems. Thus, depending on the case, we can:

• • Give your cat a maze bowl Or anti-glutton bowl which will force him, by design, to eat more slowly.

• • Reduce the amount of food eaten if the cat eats too much.

• • Eliminate the food responsible for flatulence from your diet or replace poor quality products with kibble or top-of-the-range food.

• • Stop giving him leftovers from family meals because a cat is not a trash can!

• • Put your cat on a diet if it is overweight and at the same time encourage it to exercise more so that it loses weight.

• • Brush it regularly to remove dead hair. This will prevent him from swallowing them while grooming himself with his rough tongue. If the damage is done, we can only on the advice of the veterinarian give the animal an intestinal lubricant, a kind of laxative paste which facilitates the expulsion of hairballs.

• • Limit the causes of stress and, if you have several small felines, ensure that each has their own bowl but also ensure that they eat separately.

All these solutions are also excellent methods of prevention flatulence in cats. So there’s no need to wait for him to suffer from this discomfort to give him quality food, avoid stress, maintain his hair and do everything possible to prevent him from becoming obese…

Anyway, in case of gas, it is better not to improvise a pseudo-home treatment but to rely on the veterinarian to find the solution that best suits the kitty.

Flatulence and associated symptoms: when to worry?

It is strongly recommended to consult the veterinarian if the cat has flatulence and this is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:

• • Hardening of the abdominal area,

• • More or less severe stomach ache,

• • Vomiting,

• • Borborygmi, that is to say “gurgling” and other noises of gastric origin,

• • Constipation,

• • Diarrhea,

• • loss of appetite,

• • Abatement…

When flatulence is accompanied by change in the general condition of the catthis may be due to a serious pathology such as:

• • I’ Hepatic insufficiency,

• • intestinal parasitosis, giardiasis (also called giardiasis or giardiasis) whose cause is the flagellate protozoan Gardia intestinalis,

• • A MICI (Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease).

Excess gas in cats is therefore not always harmless…

Intestinal gas in cats: solutions to relieve the animal

In addition to eliminating the cause of flatulence, it is sometimes necessary to relieve the animal with drug products which are specifically adapted to it. But this should only be decided by the veterinarian, hence the interest of consulting him as soon as this intestinal problem appears.

The veterinarian begins by identifying the cause of flatulence and can prescribe on a case-by-case basis:

• • Either probiotics, if he judges that the intestinal microbiota of the animal is unbalanced. This helps to promote the development of good bacteria.

• • either charcoal, if the cat has difficulty expelling gas. Do not abuse this solution which can quickly lead to constipation.

• • Either a diet momentary based on therapeutic foods.

• • Or an obese cat diet if this is the case so that the kitty can lose weight.

However, if the veterinarian suspects a serious problem that may be the cause of flatulence, he can carry out additional examinations that will allow him to refine his diagnosis and put in place an appropriate treatment.