Best probiotic for cats with IBD can reduce IBS (also known as IBD – Inflammatory Bowel Disorder) symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and stinky poop.
In this guide, we will discuss 5 of the best probiotics for cats (3 cat foods with probiotic and 2 supplements to add to your cat’s food) to provide much needed relief to your pet.
Just in case you are in a hurry, click on our short summary below to view our top 5 reviewed products for the best probiotic for cats with IBD:
- Purina Pro Plan Savor Cat Food with Probiotics
- Diamond Cat Food with Protein, Probiotics & Antioxidants
- Nulo Grain-Free Cat Food with BC30 Probiotics
- Purina Pro Plan Fortfiflora Cat Supplement
- PetNaturals of Vermont Daily Cat Probiotic Supplement
Best Probiotic for Cats with IBD – 2022 Top 5 Picks
1. Our Editor’s Pick: Purina Pro Plan High Protein Cat Food With Probiotics for Cats, Chicken and Rice Formula - 7 lb. Bag
Purina Pro Plan Savor dry cat food contains live probiotics (dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product) to ease digestion and immunity in cats with IBS.
This great probiotic cat food contains nearly 600 million CFUs per lb. of Bacillus Coagulans!
(We will explain Bacillus Coagulans and CFUs in detail, later in this guide.)
It also contains pre-biotic fibers that nourish specific intestinal bacteria for your pet’s digestive health.
Purina Pro Plan Savor also contains easy-to-digest chicken and rice as the main ingredients.
These are gentle on cat’s system and much easier to digest for a cat with IBS.
This food’s highly-digestible formula ensures that your pet receives all its nutrients. Its balanced Omegas help nourish your pet’s skin and coat.
Purina Pro Plan with Probiotics also contains antioxidants for stronger immunity to infections.
Its vitamin A and taurine content are great for vision health in your pet.
What we like about it
- Contains probiotics and prebiotic fibers
- Has helped hundreds of cats with IBS prevent diarrhea and reduce stool odor
- Uses highly digestible protein
- Contains antioxidants for immunity
What we don’t like
- Contains fillers and byproducts which some cats cannot tolerate. Speak to your vet if this food is right for your pet.
- Natural prebiotic fiber, sourced from chicory root, helps promote digestive health
- High protein formula with real chicken as the first ingredient
- Fortified with live probiotics to support digestive and immune health
- Used to be known as SAVOR Chicken and Rice Formula
- Vitamin A and Omega-6 fatty acids to nourish skin and coat
2. Diamond Adult Dry Cat Food Maintenance Formula with Protein, Probiotics and Antioxidants
Diamond brand adult cat food contains nearly 80 million CFU/lb. of active/live cultures of dried Enterococcus faecium and dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation products.
These live cultures improve digestion and help your IBS kitty get more active and energetic day-by-day.
Along with probiotics, this high-protein food with chicken is packed with antioxidants to boost your pet’s immunity.
It also contains balanced ratio of Omegas 6 and 3 to give your cat a healthy, shiny coat.
What we like about it
- Millions of CFUs of probiotics per pound of food
- Contains antioxidants and vitamins.
- Cats love the taste
- Has improved stools and reduced poop odor in many cats.
What we don’t like
- Contains by-products and wheat flour which some allergic cats cannot tolerate. This shouldn’t be an issue if your cat isn’t allergic to them.
- Carefully Determined Levels Of Protein And Fat To Support An Ideal Body Condition For Your Moderately Active Cat
- A Premium Food With 30% Protein Balanced With 15% Fat, With Fiber To Support Digestive Health; Essential Vitamins And Minerals For Health And Wellness
- Antioxidants For The Immune System; Omega Fatty Acids At Guaranteed Levels For Healthy Skin And Shiny Coat
- Made In The Usa Choosing Ingredients From Trusted, Sustainable Sources Around The World; We Want This Premium Food To Make A Difference For Your Pet.
- FAMILY OWNED & run; Made with scientifically advanced protocols for food safety; Call with questions 800 442 0402
Also Read: Best Cat Food for Smelly Poop
3. Nulo Indoor Grain Free Dry Cat Food With Bc30 Probiotic (Duck & Lentils Recipe, 12Lb Bag)
Nulo-Grain-free high-quality cat food comes in three cat-friendly flavors (duck/turkey-cod/salmon-lentils) all of which contain nearly 80 million CFUs/lb. of BC30 probiotic.
BC stands for bacillus coagulans and it is known to help cats with symptoms like diarrhea, gas, and other digestive issues.
This probiotic bacterium aids in the digestion of food and regulate your cat’s metabolism and immune response.
Being a grain-free recipe, you won’t find any corn and wheat in Nulo’s cat food. It is also free from potatoes and tapioca which IBS cats find tough to digest.
Nulo’s high-protein cat foods also meet the AAFCO guidelines for feline nourishment. It contains nearly 83% animal-based meat protein for enhanced digestibility.
Another great feature of Nulo is its low-carb content which reduces and prevents obesity and osteoarthritis in cats.
Moreover, Nulo probiotic-rich cat food comes in a small disc-shaped kibble with an appealing texture that even picky eaters are known to love.
What we like about it
- High probiotic content, low carb, no-grain, high-protein, real-meat formula
- Comes in three flavors – all probiotic rich, so there is something for every cat.
- Ideal size, texture, and flavor
What we don’t like
- Indoor cats tend to gain weight on this food, they love it so much!
- GRAIN-FREE recipe contains no corn; wheat; soy; white potatoes; tapioca; artificial colors, flavorings or preservatives. Based in Austin, TX and proudly made in the USA.
- HIGH MEAT/LOW CARB proprietary formula 83% animal-based protein for more amino acids and better flavor. Nulo FreeStyle also uses fewer carbs and low glycemic ingredients like lentils, sweet potato and chickpeas.
- PATENTED BC30 PROBIOTIC supports healthy gut flora. Also known as Bacillus Coagulans, this lactic-acid producing bacteria aids in food digestion, metabolism regulation and normal immune response.Caloric Content: 3,724 kcal/kg, 468 kcal/cup
- SUPPORTS WEIGHT MANAGEMENT through reduced carbohydrate intake. Your cat retains her youthful vitality while being less susceptible to kidney disease, respiratory infections and osteoarthritis.
- SMALL MORSELS shaped like disks with taste and texture that appeal to cats’ finicky palates. The act of chewing these morsels helps polish your cat’s teeth to prevent the build-up of plaque and tartar.
Also Read: Best Cat Food for IBD
4. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements FortiFlora Cat Probiotic Supplement for Cats with Diarrhea - 30 ct. Box
Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora is the number one vet-recommended probiotic supplement for cats and many cats and young kittens with chronic diarrhea are doing extremely well on it.
It contains 100 million CFUs/gram of live-active cultures per sachet.
The probiotics contained in FortiFlora (enterococcus faecium fermentation product) replenish your cat’s gut-microflora to ease symptoms of IBS.
Not only does this supplement promote excellent gut health; it also boosts your pet’s immunity to diseases.
FortiFlora supplement is very safe and effective and many vets recommend it for managing diarrhea, abdominal pain, allergies, and other digestive issues in cats.
You can easily administer this supplement to your pet by mixing it with its regular food.
What we like about it
- Easy to use probiotic supplement made specially for cats showing frequent digestive upsets
- Vet-recommended; the supplement has even been reviewed in scientific publications.
- Increased appetite in cats that are too sick to eat
- Great taste and flavor which cats love
What we don’t like
- Cats go nuts for this supplement. Many try to hunt it and rip open the packets. You might have to hide them!
- Number 1 veterinarian-recommended cat probiotic brand to support digestive health (Kantar Veterinary Tracker, 2021), making it an excellent cat supplement
- Purina Pro Plan Sensitive stomach cat food supplement for the dietary management of kittens and adult cats with cat diarrhea
- Digestive Care Cat Food supplement containing probiotics proven to promote intestinal health and balance
- FortiFlora cat vitamins and supplements have antioxidants to support a robust immune system and contain antioxidants for cats
- Easy-to-feed probiotic powder
5. Pet Naturals Daily Probiotic for Cats, 30 Chews - Digestive and Immune Support Supplement for Cats
Many cats dislike probiotic powders mixed in their food. For such cats, Pet Naturals of Vermont have made these convenient daily probiotic chews which most cats find irresistible!
PetNaturals chews contain nearly 100 million CFUs/gram of Bacillus Coagulans.
Many cat parents have successfully used PetNatural probiotic chews to not only reduce their pet’s IBS symptoms but also reduce stress in their cats at time of boarding, travel, or other environment changes that cause anxiety and stress in cats.
Your cat can also benefit from these chews in the form of reduced gassiness, constipation, diarrhea, and blockages.
Most cats are known to love these duck-flavored chews that are free from allergens like soy, wheat, gluten, etc.
PetNaturals of Vermont have created this wonderful cat probiotic supplement only after consulting vets.
They also use USA-sourced ingredients for making this supplement which is NASC (National Animal Supplement Council) approved.
What we like about it
- Contains nearly 100 million CFUs/g of probiotics in convenient chew-form
- Tasty duck flavor which even the most finicky cats love
- Supports digestion, immunity, and helps cats adapt to environmental stressors.
- Has helped many cats with IBD, diarrhea, hair loss, weight loss, regain health within weeks.
What we don’t like
- The chews tend to get hard over time. Keep them in an air-tight container to prevent this.
- Daily Probiotic guarantees 100 million CFU’s to the gut and supports digestive regularity in cats of all ages.
- Probiotics are recommended for immune support, increased times of stress such as boarding, travel and new changes to the environment as well as when a pet has been placed on antibiotics.
- Probiotics help normalize digestive functions to reduce gassiness, diarrhea, constipation and blockages.
- Our Daily Probiotic comes a in a tasty duck flavored chew that even finicky cats will love.
- All Pet Naturals products are veterinarian formulated, NASC approved and manufactured in the USA.
What are the Benefits of the Best Probiotic for Cats with IBD?
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that can do wonders for a cat diagnosed with IBD or Irritable Bowel Disorder.
Here are the benefits of feeding the best probiotic for cats with IBD:
A) Balance the microflora in your cat’s gut
Probiotics, as explained above, are friendly microbes or bacteria that help restore imbalances in your cat’s gut.
Probiotic food or supplements work by increasing good bacteria in your cat’s intestines (which may be depleted due to illness, improper diet, constant chronic diarrhea, or use of medicines like antibiotics).
B) Could prevent and treat feline diarrhea
Vets recommend the best probiotic for cats with IBD to prevent diarrhea in cats and also reduce the severity of explosive diarrhea.
Diarrhea in cats is a symptom of a disease and not the diseases itself.
This means that there are many factors that can cause diarrhea in cats: parasites, food intolerances, allergies, spoilt food, etc.
By providing probiotic food or supplements, cat parents can reduce the risk and severity of diarrhea in their pets. It can even help with chronic diarrhea from a number of causes.
C) Could reduce severity of skin allergies
Sometimes, IBS in cats can manifest in the form of skin allergies like severe itching, patchy hair loss, dry skin, and/or eczema.
Vets recommend probiotic-fortified foods to improve not only the digestion in your cat but also help with these skin allergies.
Doctors believe that probiotics work by reducing overall inflammatory response in the IBS-affected cats which, in turn, may be responsible for reducing the risk and severity of skin allergies and eczema.
D) Could reduce symptoms of certain digestive disorders
Is your cat gassy all the time?
Does it suffer from smelly stools, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other digestive upsets frequently?
The, probiotics can help.
Just as probiotics are very beneficial for IBS symptoms, they can also help a cat having other bowel irregularities.
Studies have shown probiotics to improve digestion and prevent flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, and other bowel irregularities.
E) Help boost your cat’s immune system
Probiotics improve your cat’s immune system response to diseases and infections by flooding the intestines with beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful bacteria.
With regular intake of high-quality probiotics, your cat can also develop antibodies to common infections to prevent them.
Which Probiotics are Best for Cats?
The best probiotics for cats are:
BC30 or bacillus coagulans
BC30 or bacillus coagulans is found in most probiotic cat foods and cat supplements.
It is a lactic-acid producing bacterium which can halt diarrhea and prevent the symptoms of IBS or IBD in cats.
Many vets prescribe bacillus coagulans when a pet is required to take antibiotics for treating infections.
This helps replenish the good or friendly bacteria and can prevent diarrhea, flatulence, and other side effects that these medicines give.
Enterococcus faecium
Enterococcus faecium fermentation product is also a great probiotic and many cat food companies add it to their products.
This friendly bacterium is naturally present in the digestive enzymes of many animals, including cats.
It helps maintain a healthy mix of beneficial microbes in your cat’s gut and also used for balancing out the ill-effects of stomach disorders, antibiotic treatment, and inflammatory issues in cats.
Bifidobacterium animalis
Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product is also used in cat foods and probiotic cat supplements.
This natural probiotic or good bacteria grows naturally in mammalian intestine and is also found in milk.
It works by producing important digestive enzymes, digesting the fiber in food, and preventing infections.
Can I give Human Probiotics to Cats?
There are no studies currently showing that human probiotics could harm cats.
Having said that, and as most vets recommend, it is best to only consider cat-specific probiotics to administer to your pet as far as possible.
There are a few human probiotic foods which some cats tolerate quite well.
These include yogurt, kefir, and kombucha.
However, no two cats are alike – some cats might not like these foods at all.
Worse, they could even develop adverse reactions to these foods.
So always consult your vet before administering human probiotics to your cat.
What Features should You Consider When Selecting the Best Probiotic for Cats?
Here are some features to consider when selecting the best probiotic for cats with IBS:
1) Contains millions of live cultures of good bacteria
Read the food or supplement’s label.
It should clearly state the CFU number on it.
CFU stands for Colony Forming Units.
This value indicates the quantity of live or active bacteria in the food/supplement.
Ideally, the chosen product should contain millions of CFUs of BC30 or other probiotics mentioned above.
Higher the value of CFU, the better.
2) Contains other nutrients
You can consider selecting probiotic foods and supplements containing other nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, and/or prebiotic fibers.
These can further enhance the probiotic food/supplement’s immunity boosting power for your pet’s overall health and well-being.
3) Choice between Probiotic food or supplement
Speak to your vet about using probiotic cat food, drops, or powders .
This choice will depend upon your cat’s overall health profile and taste preferences.
Some cats do not like powders added to their dry food or mixed into wet food.
In such cases, you might have to consider drops or chews containing probiotics.
4) Suits your cat
Not all probiotics go down well in a cat’s delicate system.
Some cats are known to develop adverse effects like diarrhea, gas, or dark stools with certain probiotics.
Few cats do not show any improvement in IBS symptoms despite taking the best probiotic supplements for cats.
A bit of trial and error is needed to find the best probiotic that works for your pet.
Also, you must always consult your vet to ensure that your cat can handle the chosen probiotic.
Cats with a weak immune system cannot tolerate large quantities of bacteria and should not take these food/supplements.
Conclusion
The best probiotic for cats with IBD can reduce flatulence, diarrhea, smelly poop, and other IBD symptoms.
They increase friendly gut-microflora and improve immune function in your cat. The right probiotic can also reduce skin allergies and digestive disorders other than IBD.
We recommend Purina Pro Plan Savor dry cat food which contains nearly 600 million CFUs of live friendly bacteria. It also contains prebiotic fiber and easily digestible protein sources.
Do check out our other recommendations as well.
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