Cats are a sensitive breed of animals that humans have brought into their households so they need best food for their stomach so We will help you find out the best cat food for older cats with sensitive stomachs. Cats that are brought up from households are comparatively sensitive in terms of digestive properties. Let’s dive into the Best cat food for senior cat with sensitive stomach.
How to know if your cat has a sensitive stomach/signs of a sensitive stomach?
Cats do not eat that much, but they sure are picky eaters, and there’s a good reason for that as well. They care about what they eat because a lot of problems arise from their diet. They’ve been fed food from human hands instead of scavenging for their nourishment, as usual, felines do. Hence, they haven’t developed such resistance to viruses or common bacteria that are found in food.
A cat with a sensitive stomach is terrible news; it affects the poor creature very harshly. An organism’s energy levels and mood are hugely dependent on the nourishment it gets from its food, and if it doesn’t absorb those nutrients, it is detrimental to its health. Many signs can are attributed to the detection of stomach aches for your feline friend. Some of those signs are as follows:
Licking of the lips:
Cats usually lick their mouths due to unusual gastric activities. This sign is typically a sign when your cat is experiencing nausea, vomiting, or reluctance to eat.
Being lethargic:
When your cat seems to be lazy and lacking in energy, you can attribute it to poor digestion. The lack of nutrients it’s getting due to poor gastric movements is always to blame. So if your cat is sleeping more than it should, you should check its diet and take it to the vet.
Hiding in unusual places:
Cats do not like to be troubled when they’re not feeling well, and so they tend to hide in hard to reach places. When they have a terrible stomach ache, they’ll most probably go to corners or places where you won’t be able to reach them. This behavior is unusual, and you can pretty much guess that something isn’t right.
Loss of appetite:
Although cats do not eat that much, they do eat frequently. They’re always ready for a snack, and when they’re not in the mood, you can guess that something’s not right. Many factors could be the reason for the loss of appetite, but out of all the reasons that may be prevalent, stomach aches is the number one cause.
Constant vomiting:
When your cat is hacking on the occasional hairball, cats don’t usually vomit that much. If the vomit is thick yellow bile, then you can be sure that the cats’ kidneys or gastric system are not working well. Take your cat to the vet to do some tests just to makes sure that nothing’s serious.
What do you mean by the sensitive stomach of older cats?
Cats love to eat; there’s no denying that it’s the only thing they’re good at. Due to their eating habits, they’re very selective in what they eat; this often leads to bickering over different foods. Even though due to their posh eating habits, they will still gobble up food items that might be harmful to them, and that always causes a nuisance for the cat owner.
Most cat owners predict that they’re pet always has some allergic reaction to food or is always barfing something up because of the foreign stuff they tend to eat. That could be further from the truth as stomach sensitivity isn’t all that common and is comparatively rare, the factors are usually due to lack of care and supervision. This food intolerance because of several problems for the cat ranging from lethargic reactions to constant shedding of fur that damages the outer appearance of the cat.
Sensitive stomachs are a type of problem that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. The longer you delay these issues, the more they evolve into even more problematic complications. Your pet is dependent on you to take it to the vet to decide the proper course of action. The ambiguous nature of the problem, it’s wise to take your pet to the vet instead of diagnosing the problem yourself. This is why we made a list of best cat food for cats with digestive problems so that they don’t have to suffer.
Best cat food for senior cat with sensitive stomach:
Our 4 Top rated Dry Cat Food for Sensitive Stomach
1. Blue Buffalo Sensitive stomach dry cat food:
Introduction:
Blue Buffalo produces the best in the line of food products for pets. The amount of care they put in making the unique formulas for your pet’s food makes all the difference in the quality of your everyday pet meals and the products they offer.
The nutritional value in each of its products offers different amounts for different causes, as each cat is different, and every pet needs its own set of nutrients. The company also produces food products that cater to the individual needs of pets that are afflicted by any illness or disease. They also offer recovery products for your afflicted pet.
Blue Buffalo has released an excellent bargain for you with the sensitive stomach dry food for your cat. Usually, dry food is not suitable for curing sensitive stomachs, but Blue Buffalo has mixed in its unique formula that will cater to your cat’s upset stomach. The product offers its method called life source bits, which provides the cat with a plethora of nutrients. All of the nutritional supplements have been selected by veterinarians, ensuring the top quality product to be given to your cat.
The product is specifically designed to treat cats with sensitive stomachs. The cat food consists of FOS prebiotics that will help strengthen the digestive tract of the cat and help remove any unwanted foreign bodies within it. They also help in nutrition absorption of food further on to help lessen the burden of the cat’s stomach. The menu also has omega three and six, which will help the cat grow a healthy and shiny coat. The strengthening of the fur helps in fewer hair strands being ingested in the stomach, which will result in a healthier stomach for the cat.
This product will help build the immunity system of the cat by giving it essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This will protect your cat from any further foreign body attacks that will affect its health.
The product is made from different ingredients such as brown rice, cranberries, blueberries, peas, carrots, and much more to give the product its exclusive flavor. The central part of it is the chicken, which will provide the protein to all the other nutrients to provide a balanced nutritional value to the meal. Add the fact that this product is 100 % natural; it just becomes a must-buy for your pet. Do consult your vet before implementing this product in your cat’s diet, as it’s not confirmed that the cat will not have any reaction to the product.
Pros:
- The product features real chicken in its list of ingredients.
- The food product is designed to install prebiotics in the cat’s stomach for stomach strengthening.
- The omega 3 and 6 fatty acids make the coat extremely shiny.
- The product has its unique formula that gives extra nutrition to your cat.
- This blend of food is perfect for maintaining weight.
Cons:
- There are some inconsistencies with the food on different purchases.
- Some cats might have allergic reactions to this food, consult vets before buying this product.
2. Hill’s Science Diet Dry cat food:
Introduction:
Hills Science Diet has always produced the best food products for our pets all around the world. They know what your pet needs and have crafted every type of food supplement that will help your pet live a healthy and active life.
They produce your everyday meals that your pet can’t live without having; they also manufacture food products that help pets recover from their afflicted illnesses. The quality and nutritional value this company provides is unmatched and hence why customers sing praises of their products.
The food consists of prebiotic fiber, which is essential for building up the digestive immunity of the cat. The prebiotic fiber helps the cat’s digestive tract to absorb more nutrition and promotes the production of gut bacteria. The gut bacteria helps in better digestion and will ultimately leave less of a mess in the kitty litter. The natural ingredients in the food also help the cat feel full and satiated at the same time. The parts not only provide the multiple supplements that the cat needs but also leaves an unmatched flavor that your cat can’t ignore.
The omega six and vitamin E nutrients are the most important out of the bunch because they help in developing the fur and bones of the cat. The coat of the cat will become healthy, and hence breakage of hair strands will be a thing of the past. The less hair the cat will ingest, the easier it’ll be for the cat’s stomach to digest other food items. Vitamin E will make your bones healthier in the process, as well.
The chicken used in the formula might not be suitable for all cats, so do consult a vet before implementing this food item in your cat’s diet. The kibble has also been increased somewhat, which will result in harder digestion for some cats. If you are a pet owner who’s on a budget, then this product is a bit expensive.
Pros:
- The product has prebiotic fiber that is optimal for improving the immunity of the cat.
- Omega 6 and vitamin E are the staple nutrients used in the dry food formula.
- The product uses real meat.
- The taste and smell of the food is an excellent attractant for the cat.
- The formula helps in solving the loose stool problem of your cat.
- The food helps any fur loss and anxieties that come with poor digestion.
Cons:
- The kibble is relatively large, and that is problematic for the cat’s digestion.
- The chicken used in the food is not suitable for all cats; it might cause an allergic reaction.
- The product is relatively expensive.
3. Purina One Sensitive Systems Adult Dry food:
Introduction:
Purina One is one of your go-to companies when it comes to producing top quality food products. They know what it means to care for your pet, and the first thing in pet care is the diet.
That is why they’ve put adequate attention in making the food formulas that will ultimately be the best time for your pets. All pet owners around the world have sung praises for this company, and it’s a dedication to keep pumping out quality products.
The company uses real chicken to help give the flavor of the food that extra bump. The taste and smell become an attractant for the cat, and hence they’ll produce an excellent appetite for their meals. The meals have high calorie supplements, which will leave your cat feeling full and satisfied. The more comfortable your cat feels after eating its meal means, the more relaxed it is, which makes sure that your cat won’t develop any dietary related anxieties.
The product is chock full of nutrients that will help your cat have a healthy and active lifestyle. There are no fillers added in the product, which means that the food will saturate quickly throughout its digestion process. This feeling of satiation will cause the cat to eat more, leaving it’s sensitive stomach symptoms behind. Usually, when a cat is facing the endeavor of having a sensitive stomach, it loses its appetite. Still, this product was specially made in mind to provide the cat it’s appetite back.
Pros:
- The fulfilling meal of this product helps cats fight their food-related anxieties.
- The product is very cheap.
- Your cat will increase it’s weight greatly.
- The skin-nourishing formula will lessen the falling fur strands.
- The food incorporates bone-strengthening formula.
Cons:
- The cat will have more of an appetite after eating this product.
- There are some inconsistencies in some bags.
4. Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach Dry cat food:
Introduction:
Purina has always put quality above everything, and it shows in the products that they’ve been releasing.
The different food items that they’ve released are well received, due to many reasons, mainly attributing to the nutritional supplements and great taste that they offer to their customer’s pets.
The product’s main attract is lamb; this provides a significant amount of protein for the cat. The smell and taste make it enjoyable for the cat. With the addition of oatmeal and rice, your cat’s digestive system will have no problem absorbing nutrients from this meal. The fulfilling meal and balanced nutritional diet that this product gives is the reason why your cat will feel happy and relaxed throughout the day.
The nutrients that are offered by the product are omega six, vitamin A and zinc. The omega-six will make sure that the fur of the cat will be stronger than ever, which will cause fewer hairballs. The shiny coat plus fewer hairballs will ensure your cat will have an easier time. Vitamin A will increase the strength of the immunity system and will promote healthy growth. The antioxidants of the meal will also help in supporting the immune system.
Pros:
- The product’s real attractant is lamb.
- The oatmeal and rice in the mix make the food easily digestible for the cat.
- The meal is chock full of omega-six, vitamin A and zinc.
- Natural Prebiotic fiber is excellent for the digestive tract.
- The food has antioxidants.
Cons:
- It will take time for the cat to get used to the food, don’t feed too much too soon.
- Not suitable for senior cats.
Reasons why your cat has a sensitive stomach:
Possible causes of stomach aches and sensitivity:
Other than the signs, it’s also important to know why your cat is feeling under the weather. There are many reasons that your cat’s stomach may be upset, and some of the reasons are listed below:
- Intestinal parasites:
Intestinal parasites are more common within kittens and are comparatively uncommon in cats. The different types of internal parasites that can infect your pet can be hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and heartworms. These parasites can be dangerous, especially for young cats, as they haven’t developed that strong of an immune system. The bigger they get, their bodies are much better adept at handling the foreign bodies that attack them internally.
Hookworms are the leading cause of anemia in young kittens; roundworms deter healthy growth and maturing. Tapeworms cause blockage in their digestive tract and should be removed immediately. Heartworms are dangerous and will cause fatality if not checked promptly.
- Food Intolerance:
The food that the cat is ingesting is also a prominent factor to be included. Foods that have been spoiled or foods that are extremely rich in vitamin D and A cause irritation in the cat’s stomachs. Food types that cause intolerance in cats are beef, milk products, and fish. You’ll need to watch out for these food items, even though they are your feline’s favorites, they are also the most likely to cause a reaction in your cat.
Sometimes your pet may eat plants that might cause stomach irritation; these might range from rhubarb to daffodils. There’s a whole list of plants that are toxic to your cat, so it’s best to do some research and double-check to remove any plants you might have at home that might harm your cat friend.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease:
This is a disease where your cat’s gastrointestinal tract starts becoming inflamed. This disease is mostly found in senior cats. The inflammation cells target the cells of the GI tract, thickening them, and stopping any proper absorption of nutrients for the cat. The appropriate treatment for this would be to visit your vet that would take some tests to check the severity of the situation and would probably recommend some dietary modifications and the ingestions of some medicines. If the disease is severe, surgery might be performed for your pet.
- Gastrointestinal cancers:
These are some of the more severe conditions that your cat may be affected by cancers such as leiomyosarcoma. These cancers are rare and mostly occur in senior cats. These cancers cause vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the stool, and stomach growling. You will need to study the whole medical history of your cat to determine what might be wrong with it. The process of curing your cat is expensive and tiring, but it will be worth it in the long run. Just be careful of what it eats and follow the planned out treatment that the vet will have for you.
- Bacterial overgrowth:
Small amounts of bacteria are normal for cats, but if the bacteria count increases, you might have a problem on hands. Due to the growth of bacteria, the cat may experience irregular intestinal functions such as weight loss and loose stools. The symptoms clear within a few days, but if it doesn’t go away, then make sure to take your pet to the vet.
- Pain/Stress:
Cats are delicate creatures and aren’t used to taking too much stress. Their lifestyle is usually to lie around and scavenge for food. For house cats, it’s even more laid back, so they aren’t suited to any kind of pain or stress. Stress causes a myriad of problems for your pet, and it can quickly deteriorate the health of your pet if you don’t take action to lift its mood.
- Hormonal disorders:
Usually, when you neuter your cat, there are a handful of changes that come to your pet’s way. Due to the sudden hormonal imbalances, your cat’s overall body and mood will be affected, which includes its stomach. You might need to switch to a neutered hormonal formula so that your cat keeps eating healthily.
What food should not be used if your cat has a sensitive stomach?
Here we will discuss the best cat food for cats that throw up. Cat sensitivity is a tough thing to pin down. The reason for your cat having a sensitive stomach could be attributed to a variety of reasons, and it’s not always easy knowing what your cat is sensitive to. The sensitivity could be caused due to some viral infections, but most probably, its caused because your cat is not suited to eat the diet you have planned for it. There are some foods that you need to avoid to keep your cat in the best of health. Remember that this can also be used as the best kitten food for sensitive stomach.
Meet based products:
Surprisingly, there are many meat-based products that cat’s stomachs don’t get along well. Such meats are liver, lamb, and beef. Cats are omnivores; there is some meat that, when consumed on excess, causes an imbalance in their system, and results in stomach aches. The liver produces vitamin A toxicity that can cause some severe bone deformation. The growth and maintenance of your cat will be damaged due to too much consumption of the liver.
Lactose intolerant
The myth has been going on for too long that a good glass of milk is fulfilling for your cat; nothing could be further from the truth. Most cats are lactose intolerant, and they’re bodies aren’t built for processing dairy foods, so it’s best not to offer your pet any dairy-related items that might cause your cat diarrhea later on.
Whitefish:
Raw white fish has detrimental effects on your cat. The white fish has bacteria that cause food poisoning. Other than that, it also has an enzyme that destroys vitamin B in your feline. Too much of this stuff can cause some severe neurological damage to your cat and may even leave it a coma.
Treats:
Treats are there to give your cat a mood boost or to elevate the bond with your cat. Treats are nourishing at all and should be seldom given. The effect of treats is the same as it is on humans; it causes obesity and heart problems.
Human foods:
Some pet owners think it’s cute to share their food with their pets, but what they’re doing is damage to their pet’s health. Remember that cats are carnivores, so that makes their food range pretty limited, added with the fact that our digestive system’s makeup is pretty different from the cat’s gastric tract. Be sure not to feed your cat with the same food your eating, some foods might be potentially poisonous for your pet.
Artificial coloring and preservatives:
Anything that involves unnatural chemicals is always a no go. Cats haven’t evolved to ingest these chemicals, and hence the damage they do to the digestive system is dangerous.
Corn products:
Corn is a low-grade protein, and even though companies have made alterations to it so that it can be digestible for cats, but it isn’t ideal. Corn products do not provide suitable nutrients, so companies add artificial nutrients. Due to the reasons mentioned, it’s best if you provide your cat with suitable corn products.
Excessive tuna
Tuna is essentially addicting to cats, but the fact of the matter is that too much tuna is not suitable for your cat. Even though cats love tuna, the tuna isn’t fulfilling nutritional wise. The food item also causes mercury poisoning, so it’s best to save the fish for special occasions.
DIY remedies for cats with sensitive stomachs
Although the first thing you should do is take your pet to the vet to get checked, some problems happen so frequently that you might have gotten a hold on how to deal with them. These remedies are relatively natural for any pet owner to use for their afflicted cat. Read up and study the treatments carefully before you go and apply it to your cat.
Fasting:
Usually, when cats lose their appetite or are afflicted with stomach problems, they stop eating for a while. This is one of the easiest as it gives the digestive system some time to rest. After the system goes back to normal, your cat will start eating. The problem with this method is that you’ll need to keep all types of canned food away from your pet. The reason being is that your pet might become enticed to the available food. You’ll need to make sure that your cat will be hydrated throughout. Make sure to feed your cat after 12 or a whole day, as cats can’t go long without eating.
Ice Chips:
When your cat’s stomach is upset, sometimes they start vomiting due to drinking water, which will make them lose even more water. You can use ice chips over here so that they’ll keep hydrated.
Bland Diets:
After the fasting, you can put your cat on these bland diets, which will last for 4-7 days.
- Feed the cat boiled hamburger and rice.
- Just boiled chicken hamburger.
Stimulate appetite:
You can cure the appetite of your cat by enticing it to eat food. You can use their smell to lure them in, boil some chicken or fish and let the cat approach you. If this does not work, then you can warm the food up a little bit.
How to introduce a sensitive stomach food to a cat?
Just like us humans, when cats are introduced to new a diet, it takes time to adapt. Changing to a new menu for your cat that has a sensitive stomach can be tough at times, but some approaches can help you to introduce fresh cat food for your pet.
First of all, you’ll need to know what condition your cat is in. By this, you need to know what age your cat is and whether it’s neutered or not. Your cat has different nutritional needs according to the stage of life it’s at, and hence you need to introduce a diet that will encompass all of the supplements that it will need. All the minerals, proteins, vitamins, and other additive nutrition need to meet for the cat to have a healthy and enjoyable life.
The transition needs to be slow; you’ll need the cat to warm up to the food. Even if your cat enjoys the new food that is introduced to it, it will take some time for its digestive system to get used to it. Small samples of the new food are the best ways to go. The process of introducing food generally takes about 4-8 days.
First, start with placing 20% of the new food and mix it with the old diet. You’ll need to moderately increase it day by day till your cat is eating the whole 100% of the new food. It’s important to notice the changes in your cat’s behavior and eating habits during this time. You’ll need to make sure that your cat is always hydrated, as some foods might drain moisture from her digestive tract. You’ll also need to watch out for its weight and the feces that it discharges.
If your cat isn’t vomiting, it generally looks active and is eating from its bowl happily, then congratulations, you’ve successfully transitioned your cat’s diet to a new one. You’ll need to l for changes in its body for a few weeks to make sure that it’s getting its due nourishment. If there aren’t any changes, then you do not need to worry anymore and can continue with your delicious new diet for your feline.
How can I help my cat with a sensitive stomach?
Sensitive stomachs, as discussed, are a difficult thing to process, because of the variable factors that are in play. However, there are some things that you can do that will help ease your cat’s discomfort. These following techniques can be used to help soothe your cat’s sensitive stomach:
Going to the vet:
This is the most obvious choice as you, the helpful tips of professionals are always better than amateurs. You can get recommendations for your cat’s diet and what brands to buy for the specific requirements of your cat, plus how you can help your cat feel at ease with its stomach aches.
Be wary of what your cat is eating:
You will need to conscious of what your cat is eating and will need to ask around your household to know if there haven’t been additions to your cat’s diet. Surprisingly, even a tad bit of a change of diet can be drastic for your cat. Your cat may also consume some harmful edibles that its digestive tract might not be able to process.
Changing its diet:
If you’re going to change its diet, you’ll need to do it steadily. It takes time for a cat’s digestive system to get used to new food, and hence you’ll need t plan out the transition over a week. Start with a 20% ratio, and steadily increase it day by day, keep observing the changes to know how your cat is developing its new dietary habit.
No human food:
Under no circumstances should you feed scraps of your food to your pet, as cats can’t handle human food. Plus, do not feed your table scraps as it will encourage begging in your pet, which will be a difficult habit to break later.
How do I stop my cat from vomiting?
If your cat is continuously vomiting, and it’s not just hairballs, then there is a problem in your cat’s gastric tract. Some strategies will help your cat to stop vomiting. They are as follows:
Put your cat on a fast:
Putting your cat on a fast for about 12 hours or a whole day gives it’s digestive tract ample time to rest and may eliminate the vomiting all together. Make sure the cat is hydrated throughout this period.
Rice and boiled chicken:
You can feed your cat cooked chicken mixed with rice. This is soothing for your cat’s digestive system and gives the needed nourishment for your cat.
Vet:
If your cat’s vomit includes blood, then you’ll need to take your cat to the vet immediately. You can also take some tips and medicines from the vet so that you can help with your cat’s vomiting.
Does my cat have a sensitive stomach?
Cats are naturally sensitive animals. If they are not fed with proper food they may get sick and even get food poisoning.There are few signs like vomiting, diarrhoea or gas; if you feel your cat have the signs consistently then it means your cat has a sensitive stomach now. you don’t have to worry about this, changing your cat food to a better one that can cure this. we are presenting 4 best foods which can cure sensitive stomach.
What causes sensitive stomach in cats?
In simple words these might be the causes for sensitive cat stomach:
1. Food allergies.
2. Intolerance from specific food.
3. Some types of inflammatory bowel disease.
4. Eating too fast.
5. Eating expired food.
What to feed cats with sensitive stomachs?
It is always wise to feed your cat with food that are listed above in this blog. But in general combination of canned and dry food is always advisible to treat your cat.