A cat’s diet largely includes other smaller animals as they are carnivorous. However, most cats avoid consuming the animal’s intestinal tract which contains most fibre. This can lead to a lack of fibre in the cat’s diet. But do cats need fibre? Yes. Lack of fibre can result in irregular bowel movement, digestive issues, and other similar health concerns.
Cats often munch on green grass and leaves to ease constipation. However, they might resist including fibre in their daily meal and only rely on it when ill. But, to ensure your cat’s best physical well-being, you should choose fibre-rich food for cats.
Fibre-rich cat food is essential as it helps in maintaining their digestive health. Thus, pet parents should try to include the necessary amount of fibre in their kitty’s diet. It will help maintain their digestive health and overall well-being. Cat food fibre can be classified based on its solubility.
While choosing cat food with fibre, you should make sure it includes both soluble and insoluble fibre. Besides, the cat’s gut bacteria can break down both soluble and insoluble fibre to produce new compound that helps in nourishing their colon cells.
Fibre-rich cat food contains prebiotics, which means they also contain good bacteria that are necessary for a healthy intestine. So, as a cat parent, you should invest in high-quality cat food with fibre to keep your little fur baby’s gut health in check. However, how much fibre does a cat require??
Although fibre is essential for cats, they require it in limited quantities. Too much fibre can risk restricting absorption of nutrients in their body, whereas too little can lead to poor digestive health. The appropriate quantity of fibre for cats is between 1.4 to 3.5% of their daily calorie intake.
Planning to include cat food with fibre in your kitty’s daily diet? Consider adding the following food options to their meal to increase fibre content in your fur baby’s diet.
Besides relying on the above-mentioned plant-based and animal-based fibre, you can also buy IAMS high-fibre cat food to ensure that your kitty gets the right amount of fibre in its meal. IAMS high-fibre cat food such as IAMS ProActive Health Adult Original with Chicken contains a moderate quantity of fermentable fibre along with the chicken. This cat food with fibre is made using fermentable fibre and chicken that your cat is sure to relish. Besides, IAMS is a popular cat food brand that is known for using best-quality ingredients, so your furry friend gets nothing but the best.
You can easily add fibre into your cat’s diet by choosing a cat food brand that offers fibre-rich cat food or by adding animal-based or plant-based fibre to their daily meal.
Yes, cats need fibre for better gut and intestinal health. However, a cat’s fibre intake should not be more than 3.5% of its daily calorie diet.
Dry food often has more fibre as it contains more bulk compared to wet food which contains more moisture.
Yes, all cats need fibre for better digestion and gastrointestinal health.
Plant-based fibre such as broccoli, lettuce, carrots, wheat brans, spinach, wheatgrass, and green beans are good for cats. You can also add animal-based fibre such as animal feathers, cartilage, bone, and ligaments to your cat’s diet for encouraging fibre consumption.
With all of the different kitten food options and ingredients available, it’s important to learn what your kitten needs and what is less essential. You may have heard of flaxseed meal, an ingredient included in some wet cat foods. Is flaxseed meal, a source of omega-3 fatty acids, a necessity for your kitten?
Learn more about this ingredient and how it can affect your kitten’s health for the better.
Flaxseed meal is the ground seed of the flax plant. The oil in flax is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids like alpha-linoleic acid, which is the parent compound of other omega-3 fatty acids.
In kitten and cat food, flaxseed meal is used to provide omega-3 fatty acids to give a balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. IAMS research shows that balancing the amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids helps maintain a healthy skin and coat.
Including omega-3 fatty acids like alpha-linoleic acid in a kitten’s diet can help:
Alpha-linolenic acid may be an essential omega-3 fatty acid; however, it may take several generations for the signs of deficiency to become evident in a cat. When choosing a wet food, consider one that contains flaxseed meal to help maintain your kitten’s health during this time of rapid growth and development. IAMS™ Perfect Portions™ Healthy Kitten Pate with Chicken is formulated with omega-3 sources, including flaxseed meal, to provide guaranteed levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
