If your feline friend frequently experiences vomiting or struggles with excessive hairballs, it might be a sign of a sensitive stomach. While hairballs are a natural part of grooming, constant vomiting could indicate a sensitivity to their food. Gastrointestinal issues in cats can stem from poorly digestible foods, food allergies, or additives and preservatives. Fortunately, a specialized diet can often alleviate these problems. However, it’s crucial to consult your veterinarian before making any drastic changes to your cat’s diet. This guide will help you understand how to identify a sensitive stomach and navigate the best food options for your cat.
Identifying a Sensitive Stomach in Cats
Vomiting can be a symptom of various health issues, not just food sensitivities. Similarly, what appears to be a hairball being coughed up could sometimes be a sign of feline asthma. If your cat vomits food or hairballs once a month or more, or is experiencing unintended weight loss, a veterinary visit is highly recommended. Capturing a video of your cat’s behavior can be invaluable for your veterinarian to accurately diagnose the issue. During the examination, your vet will investigate the potential causes of stomach upset and may suggest diagnostic tests such as blood work, X-rays, or an ultrasound to pinpoint the source of the gastrointestinal distress. Ruling out other medical conditions ensures your cat receives the most appropriate treatment.
How to Select the Right Food for a Cat’s Sensitive Stomach
Once any underlying health concerns have been addressed by your veterinarian, you can collaborate to find the ideal food for your cat’s sensitive stomach. Your vet can guide you toward options that meet your cat’s nutritional needs, while you can refine the choices based on your cat’s preferences to find the perfect match.
Implementing a Diet Trial
After your cat receives a clean bill of health from the veterinarian, a diet trial is the next logical step. Diet trials are a systematic approach to narrowing down your cat’s food choices until you discover one that suits their sensitive stomach. There isn’t a universal diet that works for all cats; each cat will respond individually to different foods. Therefore, working closely with your veterinarian is key to identifying the most suitable food for your cat’s specific needs. It can take up to three to four months for your cat’s system to fully clear the old diet, allowing for a thorough evaluation of the new one.
What to Look for in Cat Food for Sensitive Stomachs
The most beneficial foods for cats with sensitive stomachs are highly digestible and free from irritating ingredients. Ideally, these diets should have moderate to low fat content, moderate protein, and moderate carbohydrates. Many specialized diets include additives that promote intestinal health, such as soluble fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and increased levels of antioxidant vitamins. They typically exclude gluten, lactose, artificial coloring, and preservatives.
Exploring Hypoallergenic Diets
Food allergies can trigger gastrointestinal upset in cats, with the protein source being the most common culprit. Your cat can develop an allergy to any protein they have been exposed to. For instance, while rabbit and chicken might both cause allergies, if your cat has never eaten rabbit before, their immune system may not have been sensitized to it, making an allergy less likely. Studies suggest that beef, chicken, and fish are the most frequent triggers for food allergies in cats. Hypoallergenic diets are often the best choice for cats experiencing food sensitivities related to specific protein allergies.
Types of Hypoallergenic Diets for Cats
There are three primary categories of hypoallergenic diets for cats:
- Limited Ingredient Diets (LID): These diets typically feature a single protein source and a single carbohydrate source. They can often be purchased without a prescription. However, it’s important to note that LIDs are not always regulated to prevent cross-contamination.
- Veterinary Prescription Diets with a Novel Protein: For cats with more severe allergies, prescription diets containing novel animal proteins use a single protein source and are manufactured in facilities designed to prevent cross-contamination.
- Hydrolyzed Protein Diets: These diets, which also require a veterinary prescription, work by breaking down proteins into smaller fragments. This size reduction makes the protein less likely to be recognized by the cat’s immune system, thus minimizing allergic reactions.
Additional Strategies to Help Cats with Sensitive Stomachs
Beyond specific food formulations, adjusting the type of cat food or the feeding schedule can also significantly improve your cat’s stomach sensitivity.
Consider Changing the Food Format
If your cat experiences stomach upset with dry food, transitioning to a low-carbohydrate, higher-protein wet food diet might be beneficial. Conversely, if you’re feeding wet food, a trial with a dry food formulated for sensitive digestion could be helpful.
Adjust Your Feeding Routine
Cats that consume large meals tend to vomit shortly after eating, a phenomenon sometimes humorously called “scarf and barf.” Cats, with their small stomachs, are physiologically designed to eat multiple small meals throughout the day, mimicking their natural hunting behavior. Feeding one large meal can lead to prolonged food retention in the stomach and subsequent regurgitation.
Opting for small, frequent meals is generally recommended. This approach reduces gastric food retention and enhances nutrient digestion and absorption. You can replicate this natural feeding pattern using interactive feeders that dispense food in smaller portions over time, encouraging activity and reducing stress, which has been shown to decrease or eliminate vomiting.
References:
- PetMD: Cat Hairball Problems: Learn Why They Happen and How to Help
- PetMD: Feline Asthma
- PetMD: Vomiting Food in Cats
- PetMD: Cat Hairball Guide
- PetMD: Cat Weight Loss
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Hydrolyzed Protein Diets for Cats
