Cats are often prone to digestive problems when they eat something heavy or other than anything in their diet plan. Following this digestive upset can make pet owners look for probiotics for cats.
Similarly, probiotics have earned a lot of popularity as they’re somewhat for pets’ health. Following their popularity, most vets have questioned whether probiotics can benefit cats. In this article, we’ll discuss probiotics, the benefits of probiotics, and their uses.
What are Probiotics for Cats and How Do Probiotics Work?
Probiotics are beneficial and healthy bacteria that help in promoting a good balance in your cat’s intestine. The cat’s intestines have billions of bacteria that help in developing a healthy microbiome. Your cat may be affected by severe digestion issues due to an imbalance in the microbiome.
Furthermore, probiotics can decrease gut pH and helps in promoting good gut bacteria.
Are Probiotics Different From Prebiotics?
Sometimes, people get confused while differentiating the prebiotics and probiotics. The reason is that they have the same look and feel but they are used for different purposes for dogs and cats.
According to vets, probiotics are healthy bacteria that are given to animals for their good health. On the other side, prebiotics is not live bacteria but they are fiber resources that boost important bacteria in your cat.
Benefits of Probiotics For Cats:
While considering probiotics for cats, you might have to review tons of options to select the best one. Depending on their effectiveness, you can use supplements to treat digestion problems. Other than this, some probiotics are intended to be added to your cat’s food or given through diet.
As mentioned above, you need to pick a suitable probiotic for your cat according to your cat’s health. Vets say, “Some probiotics are good for treating digestive upset while others are good for the immune system. Few probiotics are good anti-inflammatory.
Here are some common health benefits of probiotics:
- Probiotics can help in balancing the friendly bacteria in your cat’s digestive system.
- Probiotics for cats can prevent Diarrhea
- Improve the mental health condition of your cat.
- They can help in improving heart health.
- They can reduce the severity of Eczema and several allergies.
- Probiotics can reduce digestive disorders’ symptoms.
- They can boost your cat’s Immune System.
Types of Probiotics for Cats:
Different types of probiotics are used for different purposes. Depending on the severity of your cat’s health, you can use specific probiotics. As mentioned above, some probiotics come in liquid form while others in supplement form.
According to vets, you can use probiotics either by adjusting them in your cat’s diet plan or by putting pills in their mouths. We have mentioned the key benefits of using probiotics for pets; for those purposes, vets recommend different probiotics. Here are some common types of probiotics that are widely recommended:
- Probiotics for IBD
- Powder Probiotics
- Pill Probiotics
- Liquid Probiotics
- Treat Probiotics
- Gel Probiotics
Depending on your cat’s health, your vet will recommend any of the above-mentioned probiotics. It’s to be noted, that probiotics for a kitten shouldn’t be used for senior cats.
Do Probiotics Work Immediately?
Vets say probiotics take some time to get into effect. In general, they can take anything from one or two days to a couple of weeks. As mentioned above, it depends on the type and purpose of probiotics.
In the case of digestive upset, vets recommend probiotics that are meant to show results within a few days. Moreover, for treating the immune system, a particular probiotic should take up to four weeks to show results.
Can We Use Human Probiotics To Treat Cats?
Many human beings use probiotics to improve their health condition. Following this, they think to use human probiotics to improve their cat’s health.
However, vets say that you shouldn’t give human probiotics to your cat but you can use over counter probiotics for your cat for treatment. Therefore, it’s always recommended that you should consult your vet before giving probiotics to your pets.
You must ensure that the probiotic, you’ll be giving to your cat, must not include yogurt. The reason is that yogurt might not give significant bacteria to boost your cat’s health. Moreover, pets might be sensitive to the amount of yogurt.
When To Buy Probiotics for Cats?
The probiotic for cats is suitable when your feline is experiencing symptoms of digestive upset such as nausea, vomiting, gas, diarrhea, weight loss, and loose stools. Moreover, you need to use probiotics if your cat is giving stinky poops.
They are also recommended for cats with severe skin conditions and seasonal allergies. According to research, probiotics are very effective for these skin conditions. Moreover, they can be used to improve the health of your cats and their wellness.
You must note that pets have different gut flora as compared to humans and dogs, therefore, you must note that humans’ and dogs’ probiotics have different formulations as compared to that of felines. You must use a probiotic that is specially formulated for the feline. Otherwise, your cat might be facing severe health situations.
Therefore, it’s always suggested that you need to consult your vet before giving any probiotic to your feline. Your vet will help you to choose the best product for your cat. I hope, you have found some useful tips about probiotics for cats. Please feel free to share your thoughts about probiotics for pets in the comment section below.
Final Words
If you are a cat lover and want your cat to live with you for a long time, then taking care of your cat’s health should be your first priority. To help you get knowledge about what are probiotics for cats and how they can benefit cats we have mentioned everything that you needed to know.