How Can I Restore My Cat’S Intestinal Balance?
When your cat is under stress or recovering from an illness, its gut microbiota or flora may be out of balance.
To help him get through this stage, and on medical prescription, you can restore your cat’s intestinal balance with probiotics. However, by primarily offering a diet with highly digestible ingredients to your animal, you will avoid many digestion problems for it.
Microbiome Or Microbiota, What Is It?
Lurking in your cat’s intestine, billions of bacteria await the meal to transform it into nutrients that will be used to make his body work. Composed of yeasts, bacteria and various micro-organisms, they contribute, through their balance, to the proper digestion of food. The intestinal flora of your small animal evolves at the same time as him. It is balanced or unbalanced depending on his age, the food chosen and the infections he may encounter throughout his life. The kitten does not have a microbiota before birth, it is the first feedings that will ensure the development of this dynamic ecosystem which acts both on its digestion and on its immune system. Among the hundred-trillion bacteria and viruses present in his body, there are good ones and bad ones. When the balance is upset, the bad bacteria take over. In addition to contributing to a strong immune system, the microbiota also regulates your feline’s hormones.
What Can Upset A Cat’S Intestinal Balance?
Several causes can upset the fragile balance of the intestinal flora in the feline. The animal will suffer from:
- Vomiting;
- Constipation ;
- Smelly or irregular-looking stools;
- Diarrhea.
Too Fast A Food Transition
In order to respect the balance of your cat’s microbiota, the change in diet must be done gently. A sudden change most often leads to diarrhea and your little companion may, in addition, sulk this new food. This sudden change causes the animal to break the precarious balance of its intestinal flora. If this transition is not necessary, it is preferable to continue feeding your “velvet paw” with its usual ration.
Prolonged Drug Treatments
During an illness or to fight internal or external parasites, certain active molecules undermine the animal’s immune system. This is the case of antibiotics, which target all bacteria, and antiparasitics. However, worms, fleas and ticks also undermine the animal’s immune system by weakening its body. It therefore remains imperative to treat your cat against parasites despite everything and to give him the antibiotics prescribed by his health professional.
The Stress
For some of our little companions, stress causes, just like in humans, a drop in their immune defenses and an intestinal imbalance. The stressed or anxious cat will present vomiting or diarrhoea. A move, a change in his routine and now the bad bacteria proliferate in his intestine.
Infections and Parasites
A mild infection or parasitosis also leads to a weakening of the good bacteria. Bad bacteria then thrive, leading to often mild digestive problems.
Digestive Malabsorption
When the cat eats too quickly or is gluttonous, it creates lesions on its digestive wall, which ignites. These periods of malabsorption that spread over time damage the intestine. The barrier that naturally blocks bacteria, allergens or toxins no longer plays its role and will eventually cause the development of diabetes, allergies, kidney or liver problems and even unsuitable behaviors in the feline. Repetitive inflammation caused by intestinal imbalance can trigger future Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Restore Your Cat’S Microbiota
Whether your cat has diarrhea, constipation or is vomiting, consult your veterinarian so that he can establish the diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Many causes can trigger these symptoms. It is better to remain cautious and rely on the advice of this animal health expert.
First of all, to protect the intestinal balance of your mistigri, prefer a premium food whose nutrients are adapted to its age, race, sex and activity. Also offer several small meals a day. Our domestic felines have small stomachs, some snack up to 16 times in 24 hours and these self-service meals protect the fragile balance of the living ecosystem that evolves within their intestine.
A Diet Developed For The Needs Of The Felid
Different nutrients contribute to the balance of your little companion’s health and its microbiota, here are the percentages to keep in mind for a balanced daily ration:
- Protein: 30 to 40%;
- Carbohydrates: less than 45%;
- Lipids: less than 11%.
Among the essential amino acids for your cat, dry or wet food must contain taurine, because his body does not synthesize it. Fed with BARF or the household ration, it will find this acid in the meat. Vitamins, mineral salts, fiber and essential fatty acids remain just as essential, as does water.
Food Supplements To Restore Balance?
Adding probiotics to your little feline’s diet can help rebalance its intestinal flora. These “live micro-organisms which, when ingested in sufficient quantity, exert positive effects on health, beyond the traditional nutritional effects” according to the WHO, must be provided over a short period and under veterinary supervision. Indeed, if they are supposed to bring many benefits for the health of your cat, all their advantages have not received scientific validation to date. You should be careful and always seek advice from your veterinarian. A consultation, if your cat suffers from intestinal imbalance, remains preferable to rule out any serious pathology or poisoning.
They can be added to your cat’s food in powder, paste, tablet and capsule form for a few days to:
- Improve your digestion;
- Alleviate disorders such as diarrhea, vomiting, inflammation of the intestine;
- Restore your microbiota after taking antibiotics.
Because the intestinal flora of our pets recovers naturally, it is generally not necessary to give this food supplement to the mistigris. It is only on the advice of your veterinarian and depending on the severity of the gastrointestinal disorders of your “velvet paw” that you can add these probiotics, over a course of a few days.
