Probiotics for Cats

The first thing that pops into most people's mind when they hear "bacteria" is illness-causing germs that should be avoided at all costs. Let's face it — bacteria has gotten a bad rap over the years — but bacteria can be beneficial too! In fact, there are trillions of bacteria living in your cat's GI tract, right now —some good and some bad. But the good bacteria help to keep harmful bacteria in check (and keep things moving as they should!)

Unfortunately, illness, antibiotics, and diet can throw off this delicate balance, causing problems like constipation, upset stomach, and poor digestion — this is where probiotics can help! Whether you're looking into probiotics to help a cat battling stomach issues or want to be proactive about your kitty's health, we've got you!

Read on to learn what probiotics are, how they work, and the pros and cons of supplementing with them.

Probiotics are beneficial, natural bacteria that we can supplement with to improve the gut microbiome of both ourselves and our pets. There are many kinds of probiotic supplements on the market; ones for adults, babies, dogs, and, you guessed it, felines!

Some higher-quality probiotic supplements and fortified cat foods (like Fortiflora) are developed with the pet's natural bacterial colonies in mind, with species-specific strains of beneficial bacteria and yeast.

Probiotics for cats come in many different forms, including capsules, powders, food toppers, cat foods, and even treats!

According to one study, "Possible benefits of probiotic use in pets include: modulation of the immune system, help in stress maintenance, protection from infections caused by enteropathogens, increased growth and development and control of allergic disorders." 

Let's discuss some other possible benefits of giving your cat a probiotic.

Cause decline of harmful bacteria

Introducing beneficial bacteria into the digestive tract through probiotics forces the bacteria to compete for resources, thus starving out the harmful bacteria and yeast. Plus, probiotics produce antibacterial compounds and stimulate the immune system to combat bad stuff.

Aid digestion & maintain balance in the gut

By preventing the overgrowth of harmful bacteria, probiotics can improve digestion, ward off stomach bugs, and help with constipation and diarrhea.

Probiotics may also help combat illness on a larger scale, like in rescues or shelters. Diarrhea is a common issue in these facilities due to close living conditions, abrupt dietary changes, and stress. However, recent research shows probiotics might be the answer. A study of 217 shelter cats found that "cats fed the probiotic had decreased episodes of [diarrhea] as compared to placebo group."

Rebuild the gut microbiome after antibiotics

Probiotics are especially helpful after a round of antibiotics since antibiotics can deplete the healthy gut flora and create anti-microbial resistance. Probiotics can ensure your cat has enough of the beneficial bacteria and yeast for proper digestion and to help prevent future illnesses. 

Help with oral hygiene

Some pet parents find that probiotics can improve oral health and even freshen their pet's breath by reducing bacteria that cause odor and tooth decay. 

 Mental benefits

Some evidence suggests that probiotics can even help with mood in humans and pets — who knew?

There is no set recommended amount of probiotics that cats need. How much you should give your pet varies greatly depending on the type and the formulation of supplement you use, as well as your cat's diet, age, and pre-existing conditions (if any).

The amount of bacteria contained within probiotic supplements is measured in CFU (colony forming units), and recommendations on how much probiotics to give cats range from millions to tens of billions! A better way to determine the amount to give your cat is to refer to the packaging of the supplement you use for the recommended dosage (with some exceptions — more on that below.)

If you're exclusively relying on probiotic-containing cat foods for supplementation (like Wellness CORE Digestive Health or Purina ProPlan Sensitive Skin & Stomach), we recommend going by the serving size on the nutrition label.

Keep in mind that the guaranteed analysis on most pet food labels won't list the amount of probiotics included, but you'll usually be able to spot probiotics in the ingredients list. They will look something like this:

• Bifidobacterium longum
• Bifidobacterium lactis animalis
• Bifidobacterium bifidum
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Bacillus coagulans
• Enterococcus faecium

If it's a dry food, the probiotics will most likely be listed as a dried form (i.e., Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus.)

It's always a good idea to consult with a vet about the safety and dosage before offering your pet probiotics (or any supplement, for that matter), especially if they have underlying illnesses. Conditions that affect digestion, like irritable bowel syndrome, advanced kidney disease, and pancreatitis, can worsen if probiotics aren't introduced gradually in small doses. In these cases, you would need to talk to your vet first. If they okay it, we recommend starting at a fraction of the suggested dose and slowly working up to the recommended dose.

Here are a few healthy sources of probiotics you can give your cats:

• Plain yogurt (Greek yogurt has the lowest levels of lactose!)
• Kefir
• Fermented fish stock
• Raw goat's milk
• Cat food with supplemented probiotics

Keep in mind that dairy products like yogurt and goat's milk are not safe for cats with a milk allergy or who are sensitive to lactose.

Probiotic supplements are one of the simplest ways to introduce probiotics into a cat's diet. While many cat foods have probiotics in the recipe, the concentration is rarely listed on the nutrition label, and even then, they might not be viable probiotics (more on this in the considerations section.) 

If your cat's food doesn't have probiotics in the recipe, probiotic supplements can ensure you don't have to go through the ordeal of trying new foods and risking stomach upset, which sometimes comes with dietary changes. Not only that, but probiotic supplementation has been proven to help or even prevent food sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, and acute gastroenteritis.

How often should I give my cat probiotic supplements?

There is no set schedule for giving cats probiotics. Some parents give them to keep things moving as they should or use them as needed.

Pet parents may use them sparingly, like during a bout of illness or before stressful changes like travel plans, or may give their cat probiotics for diarrhea since they can help balance the microbiome.

Many vets will even recommend probiotics after a round of antibiotics to help the beneficial bacteria return to normal levels since these medications kill healthy bacteria, too. Speaking of vets, it's a good idea to consult with one before giving any supplements to your cat—probiotics included.

Potential side effects

Side effects with probiotics in healthy cats are rare, but occasionally, mild side effects can arise. These include:

• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal Cramping

  https://wagwalking.com/cat/condition/painful-abdomen

• Constipation
• Bloating
• Gas

Side effects are most common in cats just starting probiotics or when using products with a high dose (or products that include multiple strains of bacteria.)

Other considerations

Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a probiotic for your cat.

• Some pet probiotics contain certain strains of enterococci, which researchers say could theoretically cause illness in humans and other animals, though there have never been any reports of this happening. These strains are very effective for felines —but they have the potential to cause treatment-resistant infections in humans.

• There are many different types of probiotic products on the market, and they aren't all created equal. There are two main categories for probiotics: viable and unviable. Viable are live, healthy probiotics, whereas unviable are inactivated or dead bacteria. There is conflicting evidence about the efficacy of unviable probiotics since most of the studies that have been done use live probiotics. According to a review of studies published in the Nutrition and Food Science Journal, "inactivated, killed or dead probiotic cells also possess functional properties, but live cells are more efficacious."

• Few pet probiotics include bacteria strains native to the feline microbiome. However, according to a research paper by veterinarian and researcher Jan Suchodolski D.V.M., "studies have shown that human or dairy developed probiotic strains are capable of conferring health benefit across species. At this point, there is no proven benefit of using a canine or feline-specific strain."

• Keep in mind that antibiotics and antifungals will counteract probiotics, rendering them essentially useless since they attack beneficial bacteria as well as unhealthy bacteria.

• Finally, you should consult a vet before starting your pet on new supplements, especially if your pet has pre-existing medical conditions or takes other medications.

• Probiotics are live or inactivated strains of bacteria and yeast that are used as a supplement to help balance the microbiome in the gut. Cat probiotics are available as food toppers, powders, and drops and are even formulated into many cat food recipes!
• One of the most common reasons pet parents use cat probiotics is for diarrhea or constipation, but these may also help with IBS, food sensitivity, dental health, and even mood!
• Many people like giving their pets a probiotic after a course of antibiotics to help rebuild the healthy bacteria in their gut, which is never a bad idea.
• If you want to go the more natural route, you can supplement with human foods like fermented fish stock and plain Greek yogurt (yes, some cats can have yogurt — but just give them small amounts and watch them for signs of lactose intolerance!)
• Keep in mind not all probiotics are the same quality. Many probiotics contain killed (or inactivated) bacteria, which are less effective than viable (or live) probiotics. Likewise, pay attention to the number of CFUs (colony-forming units) on the packaging to get an idea about its potency.
• There are no standard dosage for cats, but that doesn't mean you can't give too much of a good thing (since that may result in tummy upset!) Refer to the product packaging to determine how much probiotic to give your cat.
• Always ask your vet before adding new supplements to your cat's diet.