Have you noticed that your feline’s belly is looking a bit weird? It’s probably all puffed up and she looks like she’s experiencing discomfort. You want to help her so you’re looking for some home remedies for bloated cats that will make the pain go away.
You’ve probably experienced bloating at least once in your life and you know exactly how your kitty is feeling. This condition is fairly uncomfortable and it can be hard to find a solution for it, especially because there are many different reasons why it occurs.
You don’t want your cat to suffer so you’re determined to find a way to help her. It’s obvious that she’s not in the best mood since her bloated belly is making it hard for her to lead a happy life.
Instead of running around the house, she now spends most of the time away from everyone, probably unaware of what’s going on and how she can help herself. You may even catch her in some weird positions as she’s trying to stretch out and make the discomfort go away.
Fortunately, there are a couple of things you can do to help your feline. But first, let’s figure out what causes feline bloating.
Why is your cat bloated?
Now, there are several different reasons why your cat may be bloated. Some of them are easier to fix since they only require a few minor changes in her diet. Others may require medical attention since they could be linked to certain health issues.
Let’s start with the most common causes of bloating in cats, and we’ll work our way towards the more serious conditions.
1. She’s allergic or sensitive to a certain food
Even though your cat probably acts like she would eat everything and anything you offer her, that doesn’t mean that she can’t be allergic or sensitive to certain foods.
Maybe she ate something for the first time, and suddenly, you realized that she was not in the best mood. Once you checked her belly, you already knew what the problem was.
On the other hand, she could be eating the same food for a while but this time, her body reacted differently. Maybe we’re talking about some low-quality food that her digestive system can’t process the right way. Even if it’s not her first time eating it, it may take some time before her belly reacts to it.
2. She ate something non-digestible
Rubber bands, string, hair ties, and hairballs are some of the things your cat will sniff and sometimes even eat. These non-digestible items can cause havoc in your feline’s stomach, causing all kinds of consequences.
These things can easily cause gastrointestinal obstruction since it’s impossible to digest them. After that, your cat may experience bloating since her stomach can’t process these items the same way it can process food.
3. You recently changed her diet
Cats are creatures of habit and they don’t like changes. Sometimes, even a diet change can cause their belly to go crazy. This happens as they get used to one kind of food so when you give them something else to eat, their stomach struggles to digest it.
As a result, they experience bloating as their digestive system fights to deal with this new kind of food.
4. She’s overeating
Have you ever stumbled upon a cat who rejected food? These furry creatures are greedy and they could be eating all day long. Their appetite is so strong that you probably get worried from time to time if something’s wrong with your kitty.
If you’re dealing with a bloated cat, the cause of her issue may be the fact that she’s overeating. She can’t say no to food, so she keeps on munching on it even when her belly is full. In the end, she ends up with a full stomach that can’t digest everything she eats.
5. She’s constipated
Constipation is an uncomfortable condition which often results in bloating and gassiness. Your feline probably feels a strong need to use her litter box but it’s all in vain. So with each passing day, her stomach gets bigger and she feels more uncomfortable.
6. She has parasites
Parasite infections are common in the feline world, especially if your cat spends a lot of time outside, roaming around the garden. The most common ones are roundworms and tapeworms.
These weird-looking things can cause vomiting, gas, fluid buildup, and weight loss. All these symptoms can lead to bloating since your cat’s digestive tract isn’t working properly.
7 great home remedies for a bloated cat
Once you realize that your cat is bloated, you’ll probably want to try to solve her issue by using some home remedies. So, what are some good ways to fix this uncomfortable condition and ease your feline’s life?
She’s suffered a lot and you just want her to be her old self, meowing happily and running around your home like she has no worries in the world. Here’s how you can help her achieve that.
1. Use a slow feeder
If you’re aware that your cat gulps down her food in a matter of seconds, then you may want to prevent that from happening ever again. Eating too fast can be one of the causes of bloating so a good way to solve the issue is by getting her a slow feeder.
There are tons of options on the market so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the one that works for you and your kitty. It will make her eat her food at a slower pace which should increase her digestion and help her bloating issues.
2. Give her smaller portions
You probably know the drill with cats. No matter how much food you give them, the chances are they’re going to eat everything. Even though they’re full, they won’t stop until there’s nothing left in the bowl.
If your cat is bloated due to overeating, you should try giving her smaller portions. This way, her stomach will have enough time to digest the food she’s been munching on. It’s always better to give her a couple of smaller portions than to feed her all the food she needs at once.
3. Serve her meals on a flat plate
I know that you serve your cat food in her favorite bowl, but since she’s bloated, you should consider switching to a flat plate. This way, it will take her much longer to eat everything since she won’t be able to ingest large amounts of food all in one take.
This is an easy fix if she tends to eat her food way too fast.
4. Give her more wet than dry food
Wet food should be a must in your cat’s diet. The reason for that is the necessary hydration. We all know that cats hate drinking water, so by introducing wet food into their diet, you provide them with some sort of liquid.
Since bloating could be a result of dehydration, home remedies for bloated cats in the shape of wet food should help ease her digestion. If she’s not eating any of it be persistent and make it a part of her meal. However, if she’s already a fan of wet food and eats it daily, just make sure to increase the number of portions.
Let her have more wet than dry food and see if that will help with her bloating.
5. Don’t give her any milk
There’s a myth that cats should be drinking milk. These furry creatures are actually lactose intolerant and they aren’t best friends with milk.
If your feline has been drinking milk, make sure to rule it out of her diet and see what will happen. Even though she probably enjoys it, there’s a chance that it has been the main cause of her bloating.
6. If she’s not the only cat in the house, feed all of them separately
If you have more cats in a household, they probably fight for dominance over food. In the process, they scarf down large amounts of a meal since they don’t want to end up hungry. This is normal feline behavior when you have a couple of cats eating out of the same bowl, at the same time.
So, besides other home remedies for bloated cats, you should try to feed all of them separately. This will give them more time to enjoy their meals and it should help with bloating.
7. Introduce probiotics
Probiotics are great for gut health since they establish balanced levels of both good and bad bacteria. Introducing them into your cat’s diet should help with her digestion, including her bloating.
However, before you give them to your feline, make sure to consult with your vet. He knows best which probiotics to opt for and how much of them to take.
In the meantime, if you notice any additional symptoms in your cat such as lethargy, diarrhea, or weak appetite, you should definitely take your cat to the vet. Besides the fact that bloating is uncomfortable, it can also be a symptom of some serious condition.
So, it’s always better to have your feline checked so you can rule out any related health issues.