Cats' intestinal health: here's how to look after your feline

Having a balanced microbiota is very important for the intestinal health of felines; find out how to care for your pet

Anyone who has a cat at home knows that these animals can be very sensitive to changes, such as new things in their diet, environment and even their own bodies. And that's why they can be very sensitive when there's something wrong with their intestines, so you need to keep an eye on them.

"The digestive tract of felines is naturally more sensitive and delicate than that of other species. This makes the balance of the intestinal microbiota essential for the proper functioning of the organism," explains Lucas Piza, veterinarian and product coordinator at Avert Saúde Animal.

According to the expert, the microbiota is the set of microorganisms that live in the intestine and play a role in digestion, protection against pathogens and regulation of the immune system. Therefore, it is very important that the microbiota is balanced to ensure the intestinal health of cats.

Various factors can alter this balance, such as changes in diet, stress, the use of medication, infections or even ageing. When the microbiota is unbalanced - a condition known as dysbiosis - problems can arise such as diarrhea, constipation, intestinal inflammation, poor absorption of nutrients and a compromised immune system.

But how can we maintain cats' microbiota and ensure their intestinal health? Here's how:

How to balance cats' microbiota

To balance cats' intestinal microbiota, it's important to provide them with a well-balanced diet containing fiber, prebiotics and probiotics. And for this you can use symbiotics.

They are a combination of probiotics - beneficial living microorganisms that colonize the intestine - and prebiotics - specific fibres that serve as food for these microorganisms, stimulating their growth and activity.

"Together, they promote a synergistic effect that improves digestion, favors the absorption of minerals and vitamins, and stimulates the intestinal immune system. This is responsible for a large part of the pet's body's defense," he explains.

Symbiotics are especially good for cats in more vulnerable situations. This is the case for kittens in the microbiota development phase and elderly animals with lower digestive efficiency, for example.

Finally, to ensure that your cat enjoys all these benefits, it's important to choose products that contain specific strains for felines, with quality ingredients and always follow veterinary advice. In addition, remember that other issues, such as stress, can also have an influence, so try to solve any problems your feline may be having in this regard too.

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