Constipation is something most of us have experienced at some point. You can imagine the discomfort you went through! Cats are no different, your feline friend might at some point constipate if you don’t feed it with the right food. When it happens, you must be aware of how to treat it and how to prevent the same from happening again. There are foods you should avoid feeding your cat to prevent constipation.
Sings that your cat is constipated
It is easy to find out if your indoor kitty is constipated or not. However, it is a little complicated for cats who use outdoor bathrooms. But the following are hints that tell if a cat is constipated.
- Lack of fecal matter in the litter box, you should be checking your kitty’s litter box daily and if you notice no sign of activity there, you should begin to worry!
- They form a hard lump in their belly when constipated.
- If your cat vomits after visiting the litter box, it is a good sign of constipation, take action for treatment without further delay.
- Your cat will lose appetite and combined with either of the above if constipated.
When your cat becomes constipated so often, it may be a sign of a serious issue coming behind the scenes, seek help from the vet as soon as you can. And begin to think along the lines of changing your pet’s food.
The best cat food for constipation
Do you think your cat is plugged up? If so, you may want to look for food rich in fiber or fiber supplements to help it pull things through, otherwise leaving them to go through a rough purge without remedies is detrimental. The worst case scenario I hope it never happens is, that you might lose your beloved feline friend if the condition prolongs. It can be a daunting task finding the right cat food for constipation but high-fiber cat food and supplements can help. They ensure the bowels of your pet move smoothly along.
Most dry foods for cats provide around 3% fiber while wet food sits around 0.3%, so, when looking for the best cat food for constipation, get something higher than the figures stated. They will get the bowels of your cat flowing. Some people will try to sell you food with probiotics or prebiotics which is good for the general health of your cat but won’t help if constipation is the core issue.
What you need to focus on are foods with high fiber content, whether you choose dry food or wet food. If you have fed with dry food and constipation persists, you may want to consider changing to wet cat food. The high moisture content in wet food might help out in most cases. And it is even much easier to switch from dry food to wet food than wet to dry foods.
Does grain-free cat food cause constipation?
Not really, especially when blended with high fiber cat food and moisture content is observed. Cats are just like humans; constipation is reduced if the moisture content is supplied which helps make food digestible. Grain-free wet cat canned food provides a better option for your cat’s food for constipation with a fresh raw diet and plenty of ingredients that will go a long way to improve the overall health of your cat. And if your cat is picky on matters of food, make sure you feed them with tasty and nutritious food. Also, your furry friend is an obligate carnivore and that is something you should keep in mind when shopping for your pet’s food.
High-fiber wet food for constipation should form a significant part of your pet’s food, especially if you have all along been feeding your pet wet food. And if your pet uses dry cat food, ensure a sufficient amount of freshwater supply always. Fiber is essential in your feline diet for a good reason. One of the reasons being constipation. If your cut visits the litter box more often, she might be facing serious constipation problems. Another hint to watch out for in your pet is if she seems to be straining or she is making painful yowls, your kitty may be constipated. Fiber-rich food supply provides a short-term solution for constipation and also supplies plenty of fresh water.
Importance of Fiber
When is it fine to feed your kitty with high-fiber cat foods? Fiber, carbohydrates that cannot be properly digested are important in the diet of your pet. To compare, as important as proteins. Extra fiber in your cat’s diet increases bulkiness and water in the intestines. This controls the amount of time it takes for the food to travel through the system.
As it controls the amount of time it takes food to travel inside the digestive tract system, it keeps bacteria flushed off cleaning down the intestines. Cat’s food with insufficient fiber ushers infrequent constipation plus other health concerns. Fiber makes your pet feel satiated after eating and helps regulate the amount of sugar entering their bloodstream.
The best high-fiber cat food for constipation and other health benefits works the same way as it does for humans. But the difference comes in when a cat needs some extra fiber in their diet. The fiber then makes cats remain at their optimum health while meat makes them thrive health-wise. Wild cats, for example, depend on prey for their regular meals. These cats will eat the bones, fur, cartilage, and other indigestible parts of the prey. When these indigestible items travel through the digestive system they help scrape things out as fiber would.
What to look for in high-fiber cat food?
Ferment ability rate is what to look out for in high-fiber cat food. This is the measure of how the fiber is eaten to be broken down by intestinal bacteria. It also depends on how quickly it guides through the digestive track system. Therefore, it is highly recommended to feed your cat with high-fiber food. Especially if they have gastrointestinal issues and other health issues.
