Health And Pets: Gases In Cats
The passage of intestinal gas, also known as flatulence, is very common in all mammals, including cats and dogs. Its bad smell comes from the gases produced by the bacteria lodged inside your stomach, and which originate for different reasons.
They can be associated with changes in diet, bad habits, breed type or gastrointestinal diseases. If you have a feline at home, perhaps on some occasion it surprised you with this type of flatulence that, in addition to causing a bad smell, can be a sign that something is wrong with your pet.
What are the causes of gas in cats?
The most common cause of excess gas in cats is related to their diet. There are some poor quality foods on the market that contain large amounts of carbohydrates. This type of product generally causes flatulence in kittens.
Another reason, which is also related to its diet, refers to those foods that for your feline can be difficult to digest, among them are soy, dairy products or diets with high levels of fat. These foods can cause excessive presence of flatulence. Therefore, if you usually feed your pet with any of them, it is best to modify his diet for a healthier eating plan.
Flatulence can also be caused by gastrointestinal diseases. This type of condition, whose symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, is very common in felines. In case your cat exhibits these symptoms, do not hesitate to quickly resort to your veterinarian.
Another disease, which also causes gas, is irritable bowel syndrome, which is often accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. It is usually caused by an unhealthy eating plan.
Failure in the pancreas of felines can also cause gas. The most common symptoms may be poor appetite, dehydration, and weight loss. Pancreatitis is determined through clinical tests.
If your cat has parasites, it is also very likely that he has gas. That is why it is very important that you deworm it at least every six months.
Gases, as we mentioned, are also related to large air intake. In that sense, this type of situation can manifest itself, when your kitten eats very fast or eats food after doing some type of exercise.
Finally, it should be noted that there are some cat breeds that are more prone to increased air intake . Among them we must mention the brachycephalic, such as Himalayas or Persians.
Treatment and prevention
To combat gas in cats, there are different types of treatment. Many of them are geared towards improving your eating plan and others are based on prescription drugs. Among the latter, zinc acetate, activated carbon or bismuth salicylate stand out. However, before you decide on any treatment you should consult a veterinarian.
The best way to avoid flatulence in cats is prevention. In that sense, promoting an active lifestyle, with regular exercises, or ensuring that your cat’s diet is highly digestible, are one of the keys that are recommended to follow, so that your four-legged little one does not continue to emit those bad smells . Therefore, as we mentioned, pay close attention to your diet and remember: many times reducing your protein and carbohydrate intake can be a healthy alternative to obtain good results.
It is very important that you carefully monitor where your cat usually eats its food. Although felines are very independent animals, don’t let them rummage through trash cans and roam the yards of other houses.
Some kittens when their diets do not receive all the nutrients they need, they tend to fall into coprophagia, that is, they eat their own excrement or that of other animals. This behavior, in addition to causing gas, can also cause serious illnesses. That is why monitor your cat closely and above all observe what its habits are.
Finally, if your cat continues to gas, it is best to see a veterinarian. That way, a serious illness can be ruled out and you can receive the appropriate treatment.
