How can I add fiber into my cat's diet?

Question

My cat seems to be having.....digestion issues. He's a 6 month old black domestic short hair.

He tends to splatter it everywhere and drag it along his long butt fur all over my apartment. He's a strictly indoor cat, but I worry about his health. We've tried Blue Mountain, Royal Canin, The Petsmart brand, Fancy Feast, Avoderm, (a couple others I can't remember) and are currently trying the Hill Science Diet for kitten.

I always give it 3-4 weeks on a single food before I switch it out if it's not working. I THINK (I'm no vet) that he's not getting enough fiber in his diet. I've tried the "no grains, soys, etc." foods, but it seems his stomach still struggles. I have a bowl that always has dry food in it, and a single can every night.

Is there any sort of sensitive stomach food or food I can feed him to get a bit more fiber in his diet? It seems there's a distinct lack of variety/health options for kittens, but it could be I'm just looking in the wrong places.

In thanks, here's a very flattering picture of the little guy.

Update: I bought some catgrass, and in combination with the new food, my kitten seems to be happier and less liquid. Thank you all for the help!

Answer 1

Cats who are kept indoors do not have access to the plant matter that outdoor cats would instinctively seek out to supplement their protein heavy diet, so this is an important factor you should consider. Many animals, including our domestic pets, are able to self medicate certain bodily issues by seeking out plants that will aid their digestion. If an outdoor cat is feeling like it has a bit of a dodgy stomach, it will seek out grass or other plant matter to help aid it's digestion. Therefore, it is very important to offer these options to all indoor cats. A 'wild' cat would be getting a huge range of food types in its diet simply from eating prey items, as the stomach contents of said prey would usually be full of plant matter. So, whilst a cat is an obligate carnivore, they still need a lot of other types of food in their diet. A few plants that are safe for cats that you can easily grow indoors are catnip, catgrass, catmint, lemon grass and valerian, but there are many others.

The best thing to do is get your cat seen by a vet to rule out any disease that is causing this poor digestion, and then making a few simple changes to your home setup to accommodate for the parts of the outside world he is missing out on.

Answer 2

Cats tend to have sensitive digestive systems, which can be heavily disrupted by diet changes; ultimately, it may be that by constantly switching his food to try to find the "remedy," you have in fact actually worsened the issue.

Properly switching a cat's food takes about 1-2 weeks of blending the foods together in a ratio that slowly phases in the new food while phasing out the old, giving their digestive system time to adjust. A sudden switch (or even one executed too quickly) can trigger diarrhea and stomach upset. You make no mention of transitioning the food between the short bursts of time on each variety; it's highly likely this is the cause.

Cats can also be sensitive to specific proteins or other ingredients, and may need to stick to or avoid specific ingredients. Each cat is unique in this; two of my cats can eat almost anything, while the third will get severe diarrhea if she eats anything other than a chicken recipe diet; a previous one vomited if fed a recipe containing red meat. As no mention was given of the food recipes being offered, there may be protein(s) that are causing sensitivities, or protein shifts that are exacerbating the issues coming from transitioning the food constantly.

In any case regarding chronic digestive upset, a visit to the vet is a must. You should give the vet all information about all foods you've been offering (brand, wet vs dry, and specific recipe) so they can help you determine the best course of action to relieve the issue; simply adding fiber isn't going to fix the underlying cause.

Answer 3

My cat has the same problem, and the vets had suggested euthanasia. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

I have addressed the situation by feeding him dry food (grain free, but I did have to experiment with all types of grain free dry foods to see which didn't blow his gut up), then offer a little wet food (¹/₄ small can), and then (after he finished eating) pouring a bit of gravy (sold in the packets next to the canned cat food) into a clean bowl and adding two pinches (between your thumb and index finger) of fiber (like unflavored dry Metamucil).

He laps it up. With this method, he doesn't get the squirts. He is only allowed to eat twice a day, and I leave his food out for ¹/₂ hour each time. That gives his gut a time to rest. This has really helped him, and he is the sweetest, happiest cat. Occasionally he has a little accident, but it is no big deal. The dry fiber added to gravy plumps up the poop and makes his life (and mine) so much better.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Cats can take Fibersure you just have to dose it for a tiny creature instead of a human