How To Get Rid Of A Cats Upset Stomach
Many cat owners grapple with sensitive stomachs in their cats. There are various causes of upset stomach in cats. Two of the most common causes are medication or fast eating of food.
If your cat is vomiting, bloated, or suffering from diarrhea and there is no diagnosable illness, then the problem could be that the cats stomach is sensitive.
There are several ways of dealing with stomach sensitivity in cats, as noted below:
Hills Science Diet Dry Cat Foods
Hills Science Diet Dry Cat Food offers a lot of prebiotic fiber to support your cats stomach.
This cat dry food uses only natural ingredients like rice, oatmeal, and eggs to offer the right amount of proteins, essential vitamins, and minerals and also promotes healthy digestion.
This cat food for sensitive stomach comes without any harsh fillers, which are very harmful to your indoor cats sensitive stomach.
The most important thing about this indoor cat is that it has an immunity-boosting antioxidant to support your cats immune system.
This indoor cat food for sensitive stomachs is specially formulated for stomach issues and skin allergies.
Some cats with sensitive stomachs face problems like itching and cat vomiting, this food is effective in reducing these problems.
This one of the best cat foods is suitable for cats of any age adult to senior cats, this cat food for sensitive stomach is also highly digestible.
The nutrients that this dry food offers and easily absorbable and provide energy to your cats. Moreover, this food is also delicious so your indoor cat will love to eat this food.
This food contains 29% crude protein, and the remaining percentage of this food contains crude fat and crude fiber and moisture to support your cats digestive system and maintain their energy level.
A per cup of this cat food for sensitive stomach provides about 524 calories and it is not recommended for overweight cats.
What Else Can I Do For A Cat With A Sensitive Tummy
Even if the product you get for your feline is the best cat food for digestive problems, she still may suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, and other types of gastrointestinal upset if other factors aren’t addressed.
What kind of factors are we talking about?
Like humans, cats with sensitive stomachs tend to be highly susceptible to the impact of environmental stressors. The silver lining in this case, however, is that most of these environmental stressors can be controlled fairly easily:
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Best Raw Cat Food For Sensitive Stomachs
Though not specifically formulated for cats with digestion issues, this raw option is a great pick for cats who might be sensitive to other protein sources like chicken or beef. Duck is a novel protein that may be easier to digest for some felines. And we love that Smalls removed the mess of serving raw food by freeze drying high-protein morsels. This is a great raw option for cats transitioning from a dry kibble.
Highlights
- All the benefits of a high-protein, raw diet without the mess
- Has no added antibiotics, steroids or artificial hormones
- Duck is a novel protein and may benefit cats with food allergies
- Also available in Chicken and Turkey
Things to Consider
- Its a higher price point than other cat foods on this list.
Royal Canin Digest Sensitive Stomach Cat Food In Cans
If you need canned wet food to cover any hydration issues that your cat might suffer from then this sensitive stomach option from royal canin may be the best option on the market. Widely approved of by owners, most confirm positive results cats that are willing to eat the stuff and positive after-effects like reduced vomiting, reduced gas, and diarrhea.
Royal Canin suggests this stuff is effective as it has the perfect balance of fats and proteins for your cat closely mimicking a natural evolutionary diet but with all the essential vitamins and minerals assured.
Here are some of the major benefits and potential drawbacks :
Pros
- Small chunks for quick digestion
- Wet food for rehydration issues
- Gravy for improved likeability
- 80% of users on chewy give this 5 stars
- Liked by cats
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What Causes A Sensitive Stomach
Hairballs
Too much hair in the digestive system causes hairballs.
A cats tongue contains papillae which extract dirt from fur. Your cat also ingests fur in the process.
Most of the fur passes through the digestive system without harm. Sometimes get hairballs once a month.
This results in your cat retching to remove the fur.
Bottom Line: Cats may get the occasional hairball from grooming.
Excess grooming can occasionally lead to a hairball
Nausea
Cats get sick if they consume spoiled food.
Wet food or leftover scraps are prone to accumulating bacteria. Leaving out wet food for too long will cause it to spoil.
Cats are also intolerant to a wide range of foods.
Bottom Line: Spoiled foods cause sickness in cats.
Parasites
Fleas may give your cat intestinal parasites.
Signs of infection include:
- Vomiting more than once a month
- Diarrhea lasting more than 2 days
The pattern of vomiting is a sign of different things.
Problems with motility may cause your cat to vomit up to 8 hours post-meal. Digestive system damage leads to blood in the stool or vomit.
Keep a record of your cats history to help your vet with diagnosis.
Bottom Line: Call a vet if you note abnormal behavior.
The Best Cat Food For A Sensitive Stomach
Aside from balanced nutrition, digestibility is the most important quality in cat food for sensitive stomachs. Look for recipes that include beneficial supplements like prebiotic fibers and probiotics to ensure healthy and regular digestion.
Read on for our top picks for the best cat food for a sensitive stomach.
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Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomachs And Skin Dry Cat Food
Aside from making sure that our pets will not have a hard time digesting this food, this highly formulated cat food also specialized in providing a healthy and beautiful coat to your cat. Amongst the fortified minerals in this mixture are omega 6 fatty acids and vitamins C and E, all proponents of a healthy skin and fur.
Pros:
- It is made with high-quality, all-natural ingredients and does not contain any artificial color, flavor, or preservatives.
- It has an easy to digest formulation that is perfect for even those with the most sensitive stomachs.
- It also focuses on improving dry skin and causing a shiny and healthy coat.
- It contains omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins C and E, and other antioxidants for a healthy tummy that also reflects through a healthy skin and fur.
Cons:
- This is not the cat food for you if you dont want your cat to gain weight.
- Gradually integrate this to your cats diet to minimize vomiting.
Our Choice Of The Best Dry Cat Food For Sensitive Stomachs
Firstly, we’re kicking off with our top choices of dry cat food. Dry food helps to keep plaque off your kitty’s teeth as well as being a cheaper and convenient option for cat owners.
Hill’s Science Plan is recommended by vets and this sensitive stomach dry cat food targets digestion by being fuelled with prebiotic fibre. This helps gut health and nourish your cat’s microbiome. In a 1.5kg bag, you’ll be stocked up to keep your cat healthy with this cat food.
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Fresh Natural Pet Foodthe Best For Sensitive Stomachs
Home cooking food is a great way to show love and care to your pet. But when your dog or car has a sensitive tummy, gently cooked food can become essential to their well-being.
Research shows that most pets with sensitive stomach symptoms respond to easily digestible, hypoallergenic diets.15 Whether the tummy issues were caused by food intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome , colitis, or another cause, most dogs and cats responded well to diet for management of this condition.
A review study on colitis in dogs concluded that The results of these dietary challenges strongly suggest a dietary role in the pathogenesis of this disorder, and also illustrate the importance of dietary therapy in the management of idiopathic chronic colitis.1
If an inappropriate diet can cause these symptoms in pets, it makes sense that a high-quality healthy diet can be the solution.
Why Does My Cat Have A Sensitive Stomach
There are many possible reasons why your cat may have a sensitive stomach. This is why its important to have your veterinarian assess your kitty as soon as you spot the signs of gastrointestinal distress so they can find the exact source of the problem and address it accordingly.
That said, here are a few of the most common causes of stomach sensitivity:
Food Allergies
Food allergies in cats can take months or years to develop, and there is no known reason why they do so in the first place. It can also be tricky to determine whether your cat has a true food allergy, as some studies assert that food allergies are quite rare.
However, most veterinarians assert that its still best to rule out food allergies when your cat has a sensitive stomach. The most reliable way to do this is by performing an elimination diet trial, which usually takes around 8 weeks.
During this trial, your cat will eat nothing but the food recommended by your veterinarian. If your kittys digestive symptoms improve during the 8-week period, its likely that she has an allergy to the ingredient/s in her regular food.
Take note that food allergies are also often accompanied by dermatological symptoms, including itching, hair loss, and skin lesions or inflammation.
Food Intolerance
Chronic vomiting and diarrhea are the most common symptoms of food intolerance. As with food allergies, food intolerances are diagnosed via elimination diet trials.
Stress
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Is Wet Or Dry Cat Food Easier To Digest
It can be a difficult choice when deciding between wet or dry cat food as different cats prefer different things, and some will take to eating one type, whilst others will not. Despite eachs respective pros and cons, when it comes to the question of which food is easier for a cat to digest, the answer is wet cat food.
This is because the moisture that is highly present in canned wet food helps your cat tremendously with digesting it. Wet foods that we recommend include Natures Menu Country Hunter Superfood Selection for Cats, Encore Cat Food, and Purr and Miaow Sugar Free Wet Cat Food. However if your cat will only eat dry food then always go for cat food for sensitive stomachs.
Sensitive Digestion Dry Cat Food
Royal Canin Sensitive Digestion dry cat food is formulated for adult cats with digestive tract sensitivities As a result of increased demand, you may experience difficulty purchasing certain products in the coming months. If you need an alternative diet recommendation or help locating a product, please contact our Nutritional Advisors at 800-592-6687 or via our Live Chat function.
Available in
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Promote Healthy Gut Flora By Providing Probiotics
Supporting a healthy gut microbiome is a cornerstone of ensuring that your cats digestive system stays in top shape.
Dysbiosis, or imbalanced bacteria population, is associated with poor digestive health and IBD. Particularly if your cat has undergone antibiotic therapy which kills both good and bad bacteria its likely that dysbiosis plays a role in your cats tummy troubles.
Theres a growing body of evidence suggesting a connection between antibiotic treatment and subsequent IBD in humans.
One of the simplest ways to promote healthy gut flora is to add a probiotic supplement to your cats meals. You can also consider the inclusion of prebiotics, which promote the growth and activity of beneficial gut bacteria.
In addition to performing our own qualitative analysis of the brands reviewed here, we submitted samples for analysis at an ISO 17025 certified food testing and analysis lab.
We bought the products at full retail price, and the entire testing process was funded by All About Cats without direct input or influence from the companies involved.
Analytical testing in a food chemistry lab gives us the exact macronutrient and micronutrient content of each recipe. The tests also look at microbial content, yeast, mold, and heavy metals, helping you ensure that youre only putting the best in your cats bowl.
To access the lab reports for each food reviewed here, click the view lab report link in the product review.
Who Should Buy Dry Cat Food
If you own a cat, you already know that there are a lot of options when it comes to what to feed him! There are food delivery services that deliver food, theres raw cat food , canned cat food, and so on. For cats with special dietary needs, there are urinary health cat foods, some of which are described below. We also have published a review of the best grain-free cat foods.
Dry cat food is simple to use: Just pour it in the bowl and change once or twice daily. You dont have to worry about it going bad in the span of a day, and it is less likely than wet foods to attract pests. It is also easy to store. If you have a cat, its a good idea to have dry cat food on hand, whether its a staple of his everyday diet or something you use when you have a catsitter or travel. Many cats prefer dry cat food because they enjoy the crunch, too.
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What To Look For In A Sensitive Stomach Cat Food
Digestibility is key when it comes to the best cat food for digestive problems. Unfortunately, every cats digestive system is different, so you may need to try a few different recipes until you figure out exactly which one is right for your cat.
In many cases, sensitive stomach and diarrhea in cats is linked to a particular ingredient or to the quality of the food. If youre already feeding your cat a diet made with animal protein and no artificial additives, it is more likely to be one of the ingredients.
Here are some things to look for in a sensitive stomach cat food:
Best Wet Food: Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Wet Cat Food
There are a lot of things to like about the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach wet cat food. First, it is made for sensitive stomachs and includes a high protein content for overall health. Second, it comes in multiple flavors. For picky cats, this variety and choice can make a big difference. Finally, it has prebiotic fiber, meat as the first ingredient, added vitamins and minerals, and taurine for vision health. It includes all of the ingredients in a healthy diet and comes in tasty flavors. Win-win!
Wet food in general can be easier for some cats to digest. If your cat has trouble chewing or swallowing their food, which can often lead to vomiting or coughing up undigested food, switching to wet food may just be the perfect solution. There are also dry food options from Purina that complement this food and are also easy to digest. Adding wet food on top for added nutrition or as a treat is a great way to give your cat a delicious meal. You cant use this food with an automatic cat food dispenser, however.
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Do Controlled Timed Feeds
I am guilty of just putting out food and believing my cat self regulates food intake. If you also do this but your cat is sensitive, then start to control feeding more. Regulate portion size and timing to see if you can reduce sensitivity. Maybe your cat enjoys food so much they are just eating too quick in large portions we are all guilty of that from time to time! Try a slow feeding cat bowl this might slow them down and reduce vomiting.
How To Find The Best Food For Your Cats Sensitive Stomach
Once youve dealt with any other health issues, you can work with your vet to figure out the best food for your cats sensitive stomach.
Your vet will be able to guide you towards foods that fit your cats nutritional requirements, while you can narrow it down by your cats food preferences to find the perfect match.
Here are some options your vet might suggest for finding a food for your cats sensitive stomach.
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Buyers Guide: How To Select The Best Cat Food For Sensitive Stomachs
Many factors can irritate a felines sensitive stomach. At first, it may be hard to pin down exactly whats causing your kittys general upset. Once you work with your veterinarian to discuss the cause you can then be on the lookout to tailor their diet accordingly.
Here, we are going to look at potential reasons for GI upset and vomiting so you know what to look for in your selection of the best cat food for sensitive stomachs. Of course, none of this information is a substitute for veterinary advicebut a guideline can help you narrow your search.
Buyers Guide: How To Choose The Best Kitten Food For Sensitive Stomachs
Choosing a kitten food can seem overly complicated. After all, there is so much to consider! You have to read the ingredient list, double-check brands, and look at the protein content.
When your kitten has a sensitive stomach, it can be even more difficult. Sometimes, its something obvious that upsets your cats stomach. Other times, they seem to react to random things.
Here, we review everything that you need to know about kittens with sensitive stomachs.
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