Probiotics for cats
Pro- and prebiotics are gaining popularity because the role of the intestines in the overall health of the cat is becoming increasingly clear. Pharmacy4pets is happy to explain to you when pre- and probiotics can be a useful support for your cat's health!
The intestinal flora of the cat
Bacteria live in the colon of your cat. These bacteria are also called 'intestinal flora' or 'microbiome'. The bacteria help with the digestion of food, but they also play an important role in your cat's immune system. If your cat eats something wrong, the good bacteria help to fight off the 'intruders'. However, the role of the bacteria seems to extend even beyond the intestines: more and more is being discovered about the role of these bacteria in various conditions such as allergies. The intestinal bacteria are also involved in the absorption of vitamin K and vitamin B12.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are bacteria that can have a beneficial effect on your cat's health. Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora is considered one of the best probiotics by nutrition specialists. FortiFlora contains the lactic acid bacterium Enteroccus faecium, in a concentration that has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the balance of the intestinal flora and the health of the intestines. It has also been proven to promote a healthy immune system.
What is the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?
Probiotics are the good intestinal bacteria themselves, prebiotics are the food on which these good bacteria grow. They are dietary fibers and specific sugars (saccharides such as FOS and MOS) that are not digested in the stomach and small intestine. Therefore, they end up in the colon, where the good bacteria benefit from them. By giving prebiotics to your cat, the number of good bacteria grows, reducing the chances for bad bacteria.
Many supplements, such as Protexin Pro-Kolin Advanced, contain both pre- and probiotics as well as special fibers that help thicken the stool. Pro-Kolin Advanced is an easy-to-dose paste with Enterococcus faecium bacteria and the prebiotic Preplex® (Fructo-oligosaccharide). In addition, Pro-Kolin Advanced contains kaolin and montmorillonite, natural clay minerals that bind water. The water-binding psyllium fibers also help to firm up the stool. In addition, beta-glucans support the immune system.
When is it useful to give pro- and prebiotics to your cat?
In a healthy cat, there is a balance between good and bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. The balance can be disturbed, for example, by:
- Illness.
- Stress.
- Allergies.
- Changing diet.
- Eating something wrong.
- An antibiotic treatment.
A disturbance of the intestinal flora manifests itself in gastrointestinal problems in your cat, such as diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, flatulence, and a bloated belly. Probiotics can help restore the balance. The good bacteria in probiotics inhibit the growth of bad bacteria and promote digestion. The growth and health of the good bacteria are stimulated by specific nutrients such as Fructo-Oligo Saccharides (FOS).
You can also give your cat probiotics preventively to help maintain intestinal health during stressful situations, after an antibiotic treatment, or for additional resistance in old age. Giving probiotics to a kitten can facilitate the transition to a new home and new food. In cats with allergies, probiotics sometimes seem to have a more or less beneficial effect. If your cat actually has a food or environmental allergy, she will not become symptom-free through the use of probiotics, but in some cats, it can indeed have a positive effect.
There is still much more scientific research needed on the effect of probiotics on the health of dogs and cats, but more and more is being discovered about their positive effects. If you have any questions about our products or about probiotics for your cat, please contact us.