Mary Allen
Gas in cats is something that doesn’t really go with these graceful and pretty animals. You should get to the bottom of the problem and have the flatulence treated, as this can sometimes be very uncomfortable, especially for your velvet paw.
When your cat has flatulence, it rarely means something bad. It is quite normal that a meal is not tolerated and one or the other fart escapes. However, if it happens frequently or lasts a long time, you should visit the vet – in rare cases, gas in cats can indicate an illness.
Overview of Possible Causes of Flatulence in Cats:
- wrong or inferior cat nutrition
- too many dairy products, spices, beans, starch from grain
- diet change
- a diet
- food intolerance or food allergy
- spoiled feed (often the case with outdoor cats)
- too little movement
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
- eating or gulping too quickly
- declining metabolism with advancing age
- worm infestation
Cat Has Flatulence: Wrong Diet as the Cause
In most cases, it’s the diet that causes too much gas to build up in your cat’s intestines, which then escapes and becomes very smelly. If certain components of the food are not properly utilized by the body, the insufficiently digested food pulp is broken down by bacteria in the rectum, which leads to a foul smell.
As far as cat food is concerned, both the composition of the food and the quality of the individual ingredients, among other things, can lead to severe flatulence in cats. Muscle proteins from high-quality meat, for example, are easier to digest than connective tissue proteins from skin and tendons. Inferior cat food also often contains plant parts or grains that cats can neither use nor digest as fillers.
However, an individual intolerance can also be responsible for your cat not getting the food. Cats are also usually lactose intolerant and are not actually allowed to drink cow’s milk. If they do, it can trigger flatulence or lead to other digestive problems such as diarrhea.
Flatulence in Cats: Is It Caused by Worms?
An infestation with worms can also be the cause of flatulence, especially in outdoor cats. Because: These tend to catch the unloved parasites.
Once a cat is infested with worms, it can cause bloating. Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and a bloated, swollen stomach. The latter is caused by the parasites that reside in the area and expand the abdominal wall.
If Symptoms Persist: Consult a Veterinarian
If your velvet paw suffers from flatulence, you should definitely get to the bottom of the cause. Reconstructs what your kitty has eaten lately and whether there has been a change in diet. Also, check if there are any other symptoms besides the escaping intestinal wind. For example, if your cat’s flatulence is accompanied by diarrhea or vomiting, your velvet paw is probably sick.
On the other hand, if she just gulps down her food too quickly, it can already help if you give your furry friend several small portions to eat instead of one large one. The cat automatically eats more slowly and swallows less air.
In any case, if flatulence persists, you should take your cat to the vet, who can then examine your house cat. Depending on the case, the veterinarian can order a large blood test, examine urine and stool samples or even do an abdominal X-ray.
In any case, a thorough anamnesis will take place, through which the veterinarian would like to find out together with you how things are in terms of cat nutrition in your home.
Treating Flatulence in Cats
After the examination, the vet will suggest a suitable treatment for your four-legged friend. A change in diet often helps – for example in the case of food intolerance or a diet that is not appropriate for the species. If the causes are seen in the cat food, there is initially an alternative, mild food that can be experimented with a little.
In general, bland food or cat food without additives and without sugar is advisable. Many people swear by the household remedy rice for their cat’s flatulence: boiled, unseasoned rice promotes digestion and is, therefore, suitable as a bland diet.
Bloating as a result of a worm infestation is easy to get under control with a wormer treatment. The procedure must be repeated regularly to completely kill the nasty parasites.