Is Your Cat Abnormally Gassy?

Every mammal expels gas from time to time, but if your cat seems to have particularly frequent or foul-smelling gas, it might be difficult to tolerate. It's important to point out here that cats shouldn't normally have excessive levels of flatulence. If you've noticed that your cat seems to fart a lot or even burp frequently, they may have a problem with their stomach that a vet could help with. Here are three of the most common culprits behind this pet care problem.

Food Sensitivities

Cats may seem independent and aloof, but the reality is, they're susceptible to stomach problems just like humans are. Not every food you feed your cat will necessarily agree with their digestion. Some cats have sensitivities to common fillers found in food, like rice or corn meal, while others may actually be allergic or sensitive to certain meats, like chicken or beef. In most cases, a cat won't get severely ill from eating things like this, but they may produce a lot more gas, and they may also end up having diarrhea when they use the litter box. Thankfully, vets can easily test your cat to determine if they have any food sensitivities, and can then help you to find a food that will suit them better.

Gut Bacteria

If your cat has ever taken antibiotics over a long period of time, it's possible that those antibiotics may have impacted their gut flora. This refers to the many different kinds of 'good' bacteria that live in the guts of cats. These bacteria are helpful in breaking down food and turning it into something that can be easily digested.

Unfortunately, antibiotics don't discriminate, and can easily end up killing some of these good bacteria. The good news is that it's easy to fix this, as a reputable probiotic from your vet can help to repopulate their good bacteria.

Worms

Finally, if your cat has ever had fleas, there's a possibility that they have worms. Worms hatch in a cat's stomach after they consume an infected flea. When this happens, the worms steal some of the food your cat eats for themselves and may produce additional gas in their gut. Alternatively, your cat's stomach may be irritated by the presence of these worms and could be creating more gas as a result.

All three of these situations can be easily taken care of with a short visit to your local vet's office. Give them a call and put an end to your cat's excessive gas problem.