The Best Probiotics for Cats in 2022

Best Probiotic for Your Cat Buying Guide

There are many reasons why you need to give your feline pal a healthy dose of good-quality probiotics. However, to do that, you must be able to identify which among the various brands of probiotics on the market can be rightfully entitled “the best”. This buying guide has been put together to help you figure out how best to narrow down your selection.

Why are Probiotics for Cats Important?

Probiotics, in simple words, are microorganisms that are naturally found in the digestive tract of mammals. They are considered to be a normal part of the gastrointestinal environment and play a variety of roles including the synthesis of certain vitamins as well as the production of short-chain fatty acids. Some clinical studies have also established the clinical usefulness of probiotic bacteria in the management of certain disorders of the central nervous system.

The feline gastrointestinal tract, as well as humans and other mammals, is the residence of a vast network of microorganisms. Like all complicated networks, there exists an important balance between healthy and unhealthy microorganisms. If the balance is maintained, then optimum health is ensured.

However, if there is an imbalance, then health problems may potentially arise. This can include problems occurring in the immune system, issues in the way nutrients are digested and metabolized, the development of obesity and allergies, the presence of bad breath, and even changes in the overall temperament of the cat.

Good bacteria levels can be negatively impacted by a variety of causes such as:

• Antibiotics cause both good and bad bacteria to be killed.
• Nutritional imbalances can also lead to the demise of many good microorganisms.
• Compromised immune system functions strengthen the pathogenicity of unhealthy microorganisms, thus overwhelming the good ones.
• Environmental toxins, chemical pollutants, and pesticides as well as other harmful chemicals.
• The aging process can also lead to changes in the microbiome of the feline gut.

It is quite easy to spot if there is an imbalance in the digestive microbiome. Typically, if the cat shows any of the following manifestations, there is a great chance that the feline is suffering from an unhealthy digestive tract:

• Diarrhea
• Flatulence
• Constipation
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Hairball
• Food allergies
• Skin allergies

It is for this reason that the healthy microbial flora of the cat’s digestive tract is restored. This is where probiotics can help. And this is why it is important for cats to receive their daily dose of good quality pet probiotics. Persistence and diligence are key to ensuring your cat is receiving the correct amount of probiotics on a daily basis in order to benefit fully from their effects.

Benefits of Probiotics for Cats

We now know that animal probiotic supplements help reestablish the normal balance of microbial biome in the digestive tract of our pet cats. But what does it really mean for our little furry friends? Here are some of the benefits of probiotics for our feline friends.

Helps Prevent and Manage Feline Diarrhea and Constipation

There are many reasons why cats experience both constipation and diarrhea. However, the most common cause of these problems is the result of antibiotics being administered either following an operation or simply to fight off an infection.

The antimicrobial agent not only kills the pathogenic bacteria that are causing an infection but also kills the healthy bacteria in the gut. This changes the way in which water is reabsorbed into the blood, either leaving more of it in the stool and causing diarrhea or having the opposite effect and causing hardened stools instead. Giving probiotics help restore the healthy levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut to reduce the severity of the issue.

Helps Maintain the Integrity of the Heart

One of the most common heart conditions experienced by cats is cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes problems in the muscles of the heart. As a result, the heart may have difficulty pumping blood efficiently. Predominantly, the cause of feline cardiomyopathy is genetics. However, it is also frequently brought about by hypertension.

Since one of the mechanisms that can increase blood pressure is the accumulation of fatty plaques within the walls of the blood vessels, it is important for cats to have low-fat diets. Probiotics can also help since these healthy microorganisms have been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels. This aids in preventing the abnormal accumulation of fat in the blood vessel walls which can contribute to hypertension.

Reduces the Severity of Food Allergies in Cats

Nobody actually knows how exactly probiotics can help with allergies, but non-experimental researches have shown quite a remarkable correlation between the introduction of probiotics and the incidence of skin and food allergies and sensitivities in dogs and cats.

It should be understood that in no way are probiotics cures for allergies as the disease is actually a multi-factorial phenomenon. However, if it can reduce the symptoms of food allergies as well as skin allergies in cats, then what you get is a happy kitty.

Reduces the Symptoms of Certain Disorders of the Cat’s Digestive Tract

Inflammatory bowel disease is quite common in cats. This causes vomiting and diarrhea as well as a host of other symptoms. While these healthy microorganisms are not known to cure the disease itself, studies have shown that they can reduce the severity of the symptoms associated with these digestive tract disorders. At the very least, your feline friend will lead an otherwise more normal life.

Boosts the Functioning of the Immune System

There are a variety of ways in which probiotics for cats can help improve immune system functioning. First, it helps prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Second, some probiotics are known to aid in the synthesis of natural antibodies while also boosting the capability of natural killer cells, T-lymphocytes, and even cells that produce immunoglobulins. What this simply means is that probiotics have the uncanny ability to help our pets ward off infections.

Helps Reduce Body Weight in Obese Cats

If your feline friend happens to be your version of Garfield, then giving a healthy dose of feline probiotics can help reduce its weight to more ideal levels. Some probiotic microorganisms are known to prevent the absorption of fat in the cat’s intestine. This is then passed out as oily feces. There are also those that lead to the increased synthesis of certain hormones that help burn more calories while increasing satiety. Examples of such microorganisms include the rhamnosus and gasseri species from the Lactobacillus genera of bacteria. You may also like our guide on Cat Food for Weight Loss.

What to Look for in a Good Probiotic

Like all things, not all probiotics are created equal. Despite having the same healthy microbial content, some would have undergone tests that ensure their increased viability from the time of manufacture to the time of use until their expiry. As such it is important to be knowledgeable of the things to look for in a good probiotic for your feline pal.

Living or Dead?

Ideally, you would want a probiotic with live healthy microbial strains. This helps ensure that your cat is getting the full range of health benefits afforded to them. But be sure to check the lifespan of the probiotics you have chosen. Live bacterial strains can only survive in packaged form for a limited period of time.

There are also those bacteria that are already considered “dead”. There are some dead microbes available that are specially formulated to have a positive impact on the health of your cat’s digestive tract. However, they are not considered probiotics. As such, it is crucial that you get probiotics with certified live bacteria.

Pure Microbial Strains

Aim for probiotics that contain only live microorganisms where possible. It is usually common to find products that also contain digestive enzymes or even prebiotics. This is technically okay since both substances work synergistically with probiotics to improve digestive health.

What you should try to avoid is using additional supplements alongside your probiotics (such as prebiotics) as these may interfere with the effectiveness of the probiotics. Experts say cats will benefit a lot from Bifidobacterium and Enterococcus species as these can be exceptional in promoting healthy digestion and colonic health, respectively.

Additional Ingredients

As usual, try to avoid unnecessary flavor enhancers as well as artificial flavors or preservatives and other unnecessary filler ingredients that may be added to the mix. Some contain animal digest, a flavor enhancer. You may or may not want to have this in your chosen probiotic. Of course, this doesn’t count for probiotic cat treats. But when looking for purely probiotic treatment, the fewer fillers, and flavorings it contains, the better.

How to Give Probiotics to Your Cat

Probiotics can come in various forms. Each form can have an impact on the way you administer the probiotics to your cat. Powdered forms are easily mixed into the food of felines. Many of these come without added flavors and as such will not affect the taste of your kitty’s favorite food. There are also preparations that come in tablet or capsule forms.

Tablets can be administered hidden in cat treats or slathered in pate. Capsules can be given both in tablet form or broken apart to release the granules and mix them in with their food. There are also probiotics that come in liquid form which can also be mixed with your cat’s wet food, or dropped straight into their mouth. Most probiotics tend to come in powder form, but it’s helpful to know the variations.

Can I Give My Cat Human Probiotics?

While it is easy to see why you would want to give human-grade probiotics to your cat, veterinarians strongly advise against it. The normal bacterial flora of the human gut is significantly different from that of cats. Although there are no studies to show that giving human probiotics to our pets is necessarily harmful, there are also no studies proving that it isn’t. Therefore it is better to err on the side of caution to prevent any unfortunate side effects.

Probiotics are amazing microorganisms that provide a host of health benefits. So it is important that we exercise diligence when it comes to selecting the best cat probiotic for your kitty. The probiotics we have listed in this guide are what we could consider to be the best starting point. However, that’s not to say that you might not find another brand that you prefer. Each brand works in slightly different ways, and one might be more effective for your cat than another, so feel free to experiment.