Cat Food for Cats With Gastrointestinal Problems

Gastrointestinal problems can disrupt food and water being digested correctly by your cat. If cats are not receiving nutrients correctly, this can cause them to be malnourished and unhealthy. There are various reasons why your pet may be having intestinal problems. Cats should be diagnosed by a veterinarian and prescribed the proper diet for the disorder to help ease the symptoms.

  1. Constipation

    • If your cat has gone a day or two without relieving herself, she may be constipated. Constipation is when the colon is blocked and water does not exit the body as it should. This could be because the colon has expelled too much water, which could make the stool hard and difficult to move through the system. The pet should eat soft or wet canned cat food, and drink clean, fresh water every day to avoid dehydration since this is often a cause of this condition. Your pet also needs over-the-counter dietary fiber in addition to this diet, but only under a veterinarian's direction.

    Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

    • Cats should consume a diet with digestible fat, proteins and carbohydrates to help him digest food properly. If he does not digest food adequately, your cat could develop exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Enzymes are produced in the pancreas and if the pancreas do not make enough enzymes, the food is cannot be divided into small pieces and absorbed. Large pieces of undigested food in the intestines can cause diarrhea. The cat may be underweight and have foul-smelling stool. Treatment involves replacing the pancreatic enzymes. Medications are expensive and made from freeze dried or ground up extracts of hog and cattle pancreas and are available in tablet or powder form. Cats should be placed on a low fiber diet with vitamin supplements until symptoms improve.

    Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

    • Some pets suffer from maldigestion and malabsorption, which is undigested food left in the intestine.This can lead to a bacterial infection. The most noticeable symptom of this disorder is persistent vomiting. Your veterinarian may treat your pet with a combination of antibiotics and hypoallergenic cat food. The cat will need a diet high in protein and carbohydrates such as lamb or rice for several weeks or until your pet's condition improves.

    Colitis

    • Cats should consume a diet rich in protein that is easily digestible and a high fiber diet to treat colitis. In addition to this, cats with colitis need a hypoallergenic dry cat food. Colitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the large intestine. Common symptoms in cats include diarrhea, vomiting or weight loss, which can be caused by a bacteria. The cat should remain on this diet until symptoms improve or as directed by a veterinarian.