Best For Kittens: Instinct Grain
Oh dear – a sensitive stomach and digestive issues to boot is no way for a kitten to start their life. Luckily, there is help – in the form of Instincts grain-free wet food for kittens.
With a mix of real chicken, salmon and beef liver, its super high in animal protein and specially crafted for kittens – particularly those with a sensitive stomach. Its free from grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colours and preservatives.
The tasty pate texture contains digestion-friendly fruits and veggies such as pumpkin, cranberries, broccoli and kale. It also contains natural DHA, to help your support kittens developing brain and eyes.
Best Sensitive Stomach Cat Foods
You always want whats best for your cat. And all this time, youve been feeding her what you thought was the best cat food ever. Well, not all cat meals are created equal.
And while some formulasfrom dry to wetboast many health benefits, some cats need food that is gentler on their stomachs. Some cats experience digestive issues, causing them to become ill after each feeding.
So, how can you navigate your cats tummy troubles? By choosing a sensitive stomach cat food that fits her nutritional needs and lifestyle. Read on for some expert advice and product recommendations to help your beloved pet.
Before You Buy: Choosing The Best Kitten Foods For Sensitive Stomachs
Its easy to assume that our kittens have sensitive stomachs, but how do you know for sure? The term sensitive stomach is vague, and defining it makes you consider what normal eating behavior is. When our kittens eat their soft food or kibble, it gets broken down into smaller pieces and travels down their short esophagus and into the stomach, where it breaks down even more. The stomach is where most food sensitivities occur, though they could happen during any point of the digestive process. A classic sign of cats with a sensitive stomach is vomiting because the valve between the stomach and esophagus doesnt close properly and pushes the food out through the mouth. If your cat seems to be regurgitating their food more and more, youve discovered that they need something a little gentler.
Cats can demonstrate sensitivity by changes in appetite, defecating, and thirst. It isnt always the stomach itself that causes the issues. Food allergies and intolerances, parasites, and diseases could all play a role in their behavior. The safest way to ensure if your kitten has a sensitive stomach is to consult your vet. Grains, dairy, and extra fat in the food recipes are usually the culprit and easily fixed with better foods.
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Does Your Cat Need Sensitive Stomach Cat Food
While its common for cats to cough up hairballs, if your fur baby is vomiting after meals or suffers from diarrhea consistently, you may want to try switching up her cat food to see if things improve. Your cat may have a sensitive digestion system and require a special diet.
Signs that your cat may need a sensitive stomach diet, for the most part, may begin to manifest as inappetence , regurgitation, vomit, diarrhea, constipation or hair balls, says Dr. Brian Bourquin, founder and chief medical officer of Boston Veterinary Clinic.
Bourquin also notes that cats that have consistent hairball issues usually have underlying gastrointestinal issues or food allergies.
Any repeatable issues can be concerning, and you should seek your veterinarians opinion immediately, he says. They can then best assess and help you decide a remedy for your cat such as a different over-the-counter food, or a restricted diet, or if your feline needs further testing.
How To Choose A Sensitive Stomach Cat Food
Most mainstream sensitive stomach cat food formulas work by taking out triggering ingredients while adding soothing, gut-enriching ones.
We know from studies that beef, chicken and fish are most likely to cause allergies in cats and dogs.The path is really not all that different from when humans make gut-friendly diet changes!
Heres are things to look for when choosing a sensitive stomach cat food.
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How To Tell If Your Cat Has A Sensitive Stomach
Vomiting can be a sign of many different illnesses, not just a sensitivity to food. And coughing up a hairball can look very similar to general coughing and sneezing in a catwhich could actually be signs of feline asthma.
If your cat is vomiting food or hairballs once a month or more, or is also losing weight, a veterinary visit is recommended.
You should also try to get a video of your cat when they are exhibiting these behaviors so that your veterinarian can see what you see at home.
At the vets office, your veterinarian will check for clues as to what is causing the stomach upset. They may recommend diagnostic tests like blood work, X-rays or an ultrasound to find the cause of the GI upset.
Best For Older Cats: Now Fresh Grain
Crafted by pet nutritionists, this senior cat food contains prebiotics and fibre-rich veggies like pumpkin, which help aid your ageing kittys digestion. Oh, and did we mention it’s completely grain- and gluten-free, too?
Specifically designed with senior cats in mind, Now Fresh is made with fresh meat and fish , which is easier for your feline to digest. It also contains added omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
As an added bonus, the moderate protein and fat levels mean its ideal for helping your senior feline to maintain a healthy weight. Fortified with fibre-rich cranberries and L-carnitine, it will support your sweet kit’s heart health, urinary tract health and digestion.
Really, it’s everything a sensitive stomach senior cat could need, and pet parents tell us it even goes down well with their particularly picky felines!
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Best Overall: Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin
In our mission to find the best food for cats with sensitive stomachs, one particular cat food stood out time and time again: Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin dry cat food.
This veterinarian recommended dry cat food is perfect for pernickety cats with a sensitive stomach. Its made from 100% natural and easily digestible ingredients to help support your best pals digestive health.
Packed full with vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids, itll also help nourish your kits skin and coat. Plus, it gets rave reviews from pet parents – and we can see why!
Why Homemade Diets Rule Over Commercial Diets
There are several reasons for this. First, when you make your cat food, you know exactly what ingredients are going into it. You can avoid any potential allergens or other elements that might not agree with your cats stomach.
Second, homemade diets tend to be more nutrient-rich than their commercial counterparts. This is because commercial diets often contain fillers and other additives that can strip away some nutrients.
Finally, homemade cat food is generally cheaper than buying commercial cat food. When you make your own food, you can control how much you spend on ingredients, and you dont have to worry about paying for packaging or shipping.
Some other benefits are:
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Purrfect Homemade Cat Treats To Spoil Your Kitty
If you have a cat, you know how irresistible it is to pamper them with homemade cat treats. All they have to do is give you those cute kitty eyes, or do that adorable thing where they rub their head against your hand, and as pet parents, youre ready to give them anything they could possibly want.
From toys to treats, it seems were always looking for something to spoil them with. And if youre anything like me, youre also often seeking out ways to keep your cat healthy, so they can live longer as our cute and cuddly companions. Mass produced commercial cat treats are often made with fillers and preservatives that make them shelf-stable and cost effective for manufacturers. Check out these homemade cat food recipes that you can do instead of those commercial cat foods.
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What About The Tuna
The tuna? Well, while its full of great nutrients that the kitty needs when shes feeling under the weather, its may purpose is to make the treat tasty!
Cats cant resist tuna! While you shouldnt feed them human tuna too often , its great for an occasional treat.
If your cat cant tolerate tuna, though, you can swap it out with canned chicken.
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Justcats Fish & Chicken
Our Top Pick for the Best Highly Digestible Cat Food: JustCats Fish & Chicken recipe is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet thats perfect for adult cats of all breeds. This nutritionally balanced cat food contains yuca root to absorb and retain moisture, to help ensure your cat is always fully hydrated. It is made with human-grade ingredients and delivered conveniently to your doorstep. The main source of protein is Alaskan Pacific wild-caught cod which is low-calorie and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, vitamin B12 & B6, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium. JustCats also contains yuca root which is easily digestible, helps with hydration, and is gluten free. Cat food that contains easily digestible EFAs, like those in fish, help contribute to a healthy, shiny coat. If you choose this food for your cat, you can have peace of mind knowing that it is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.
- Pros: Human grade ingredients, fresh, delivered to your doorstep
- Cons: Subscription service, cost is more than other traditional foods
What Causes A Sensitive Stomach For A Cat
So, the symptoms are identified. Now, lets see what kind of things might cause sensitive stomachs.Firstly, some breeds of cats are initially at a higher risk for having sensitive stomachs check the information about your kitty breed and opt for foods for sensitive stomach only if necessary.
Another common problem is that some cat foods may be too rich for cats, who are prone to vomiting after eating here, again, switch your cats usual snack to cat foods for sensitive stomachs.
Other causes of a sensitive stomach for a cat are:
- switching cat food too frequently
- intestinal parasites
- infections, illnesses, and diseases.
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Wellness Signature Selects Natural Canned Grain Free Wet Cat Food
Aside from providing all the nutrients needed by cats to survive, there is one more thing that this cat food is focused on which is moisture and hydration. Since cats dont naturally have a strong thirst drive, this cat food ensures that cats are properly hydrated every time it gets a serving.
It has all-natural, premium cuts of meat without any extenders or by products added. You are sure that your cat is only eating what it needs to eat. There are no irritations, no upset stomachs, only healthy and strong cats.
Pros:
- The tuna and salmon combination is very hard for any cat to resist. It will surely eat each serving any time.
- It doesnt contain any by-product, only of high-quality, premium meat.
- It is grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and also free from any artificial flavors and colors.
- Each serving is formulated to meet a cats hydration requirements.
- It has an easy-to-open can to make feeding time simple and mess-free.
Cons:
- It contains carrageenan. Although safe to consume by pets, this is made from seaweed which has a little nutritional value and is not a part of a cats natural diet.
- Since it is all natural and without preservatives, it might have a strong fish smell that might be bothersome to humans.
The Best Sensitive Stomach Cat Food: Benefits Reviews And Ingredient Analysis
By Anant Shastri | Updated November 23, 2022
Reviewed by: Ivana Crnec, DVM
If you buy something from a link on our site, we may earn a commision. See our advertising disclosure.
- Best Overall Sensitive Stomach Cat Food: The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Clusters Human-grade, premium quality, and grain-free cat food suitable for cats with food allergies and sensitivities to common grains.
- Best Human-Grade Sensitive Stomach Cat Food:Smalls Cat FoodMade with selected and limited ingredients and free from grains, fillers, and preservatives, this cat food is ideal for cats with tummy issues.
- Most Premium Sensitive Stomach Cat Food: Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Natural Adult Dry Cat FoodThis dry cat food contains premium ingredients that offer beneficial nutrients that help boost your cats immunity.
- Most Affordable Sensitive Stomach Cat Food:HaloSensitive Stomach Dry Cat FoodDespite being made using premium ingredients, this cat food for sensitive stomachs is easy on the pocket for most pet parents.
- Use code VETERINARIANS30 for 30% off
- WORLDS FIRST HUMAN GRADE DRY CAT FOOD: Most pet food is something called feed grade. Whole Food Clusters are the worlds first human-grade dry food.
- MINIMALLY PROCESSED: Clusters are made by mixing human-grade nutrient-rich whole foods.
- WE SAY NO TO: This recipe contains no feed-grade ingredients, meat meals, fillers, GMO ingredients, artificial flavors, or artificial preservatives.
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The Best Cat Food For A Sensitive Stomach
Aside from balanced nutrition, digestibility is the most important quality in cat food for sensitive stomachs. Look for recipes that include beneficial supplements like prebiotic fibers and probiotics to ensure healthy and regular digestion.
Read on for our top picks for the best cat food for a sensitive stomach.
Choose Foods Featuring Highly Digestible Ingredients
Plant protein, for example, tends to be less digestible than animal protein. Animal by-products, similarly, may have lower digestibility scores than properly proportioned muscle meat, organs, and bones.
Fat follows the same carnivorous logic. Animal fat is more digestible than plant fat.
The guaranteed analysis on the label lists only crude fat and crude protein, so youll need to probe deeper to find the digestibility values of these macronutrients digestibility values indicate how digestible a particular ingredient is. You can guess by looking at the ingredient list or you can contact the company for exact digestibility values.
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Swapping Dry And Wet Foods On A Daily Basis
You may not realize it but your cat is a creature of habit. Swapping out dry and wet foods irregularity or chop changing could be the culprit giving your cat a sensitive stomach.
You might be an owner who likes to treat with wet food but wants to leave out dry food in case your daily schedule isnt always regular. This might be the problem if you are coming home to vomit or other signs of sensitivity.
Ziwi Peak Mackerel Recipe Canned Food Recipe
Our Top Pick for the Best Wet Cat Food for Sensitive Stomach and Diarrhea: If youre looking for the best wet cat food for sensitive stomach, a high-quality diet made with a limited number of ingredients like this Ziwi Peak Mackerel Recipe Canned food. This recipe features 100% ethically sourced meat and seafood including fresh mackerel for a protein-rich, highly digestible diet. It contains no grains or artificial additives to upset your cats stomach but is supplemented with chelated minerals and essential vitamins. Though not made in the United States, this brand is highly trusted in the industry and uses only the freshest, most high-quality ingredients. Plus, it is made with a novel source of protein and carbohydrate to minimize the risk of food allergies.
- Pros: Novel source of protein and carbohydrate, protein-rich, limited number of main ingredients, grain-free carbohydrate, chelated minerals, highly digestible recipe
- Cons: Not made in the United States, expensive to feed as a staple diet
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Sensitive Stomach Kitten Food
Kittens have different dietary needs than do adult cats. They need certain proteins and ingredients to help them in developing into healthy adults.
However, they still might face some stomach issues even when young.
These products ensure that kittens get the nutrition they need while also addressing digestibility issues.
Safe And Tummy Friendly Cat Treats
Cat treat options are almost as limitless as available dog treats and these treats are as great for bonding and training purposes with cats as they are in dogs. The basic principles of selecting treats that include: few ingredients, the reputation of being top quality brands, those manufactured in the USA, and containing only high-quality ingredients, should dictate your choices when looking for good cat treats. Treats are useful with cats and kittens for many purposes including training, rewards for good behavior, easier pill administration and overall general enrichment. Be careful, however, not to give your cat or kitten too many treats because the extra calories will add up very quickly. Cat treats are delicious, but not especially nutritious, so it is important that most of your cats calorie intake is derived from a balanced cat food. Use treats just for training, bonding and reward purposes.
Soft treats are generally small and squishy and are usually very well-received by most cats. They make a great reward for nail trimming and other training purposes. Some of our favorite soft cat treats include Orijen Freeze-Dried, Life Essentials Freeze-Dried and Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried cat treats. As with dogs, Greenies Pill Pockets are pocket shaped soft treats that are very helpful in administering oral medications in many cats.
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