Can cats pass gas? Do cats fart?

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A phenomenon that is perceived from people with hostility, misunderstanding, and sometimes with concern for their health, is perceived with affection from cute pets. When a cat farts, we even want to laugh. But why does a cat fart? Perhaps there is no reason to laugh, but is this a warning to us, the owners, that the animal is not in good health? Or is the problem not so serious that you need to worry about it? Let's look at the reasons why a cat farts. And we will understand how to act and what the cat needs.

Why does the cat fart?

A cat can fart for various reasons, so before you begin treatment, you first need to find out what is causing it. Next, we will tell you about diseases in which severe gas formation occurs. Remember, if your kitten farts rarely, there is no cause for concern. But in case of systematic repetition, pay attention to this problem, as this may indicate a serious illness.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Physical exercise

The health of not only humans, but also their pets depends on physical activity. Veterinarians recommend visiting a pet store and purchasing special devices that help cats diversify their dull pastime indoors.

The climbing structure is safe; individual models can be rebuilt according to the principle of a children's construction set. It will keep your pet occupied for many hours, will increase its agility, strength, and relieve excess weight.

Toys - mice, balls, bags of catnip - will allow the animal to realize its hunting instincts. Chasing the elusive ball will arouse interest and improve the functioning of internal organs. You should not purchase toys from dubious places; toys made from toxic substances or poorly processed with sharp seams can cause serious damage to health.

Every cat should have its own toys

Important! In the absence of free material resources, you can use tennis balls, golf balls, and ping pong balls as a simulator. The owner must be able to determine the appropriate size of the device: the cat can swallow toys that are too small, or they will accidentally fall into the windpipe

The main causes of flatulence

Allergy

Any allergic reaction in a pet is accompanied by changes in the functioning of internal organs, including the digestive system. Therefore, you should not delay treatment, and if you observe such signs in your pet, you need to contact a veterinary clinic.

Infections, viruses and bacteria

Infections and bacteria are the main causative agents of intestinal disorders; these are the reasons why a cat farts. If gas formation is accompanied by severe vomiting or diarrhea, then you can be 90% sure that the cause is an infection. There is an infectious disease called parvovirus. The infection infects the intestinal cells, causing the cells to stop dividing. Therefore, the intestines stop digesting food. Against this background, intoxication and severe dehydration develop.

viruses

Constipation

Constipation often occurs in furry cats due to diseases of the internal organs or bone fractures. Constipation can also occur due to foods that absorb a lot of moisture, such as rice and oatmeal. If your cat is constipated, you may notice gas formation, and the smell is often putrid and unpleasant.

Unbalanced diet

Cats are carnivores, so protein food is primarily important for them, and only then fats and amino acids. But it often happens that the owners love their furry ones so much that they give everything that she asks for. As a result, it turns out that food begins to ferment in the intestines. The process produces a lot of gases, which will be systematically released outside.

Dysbacteriosis

When a cat has an infection or bacteria in its body, there is no need to self-treat. The fact is that using drugs without a doctor’s recommendation can not only kill bad bacteria, but also good ones. Therefore, it is possible to disrupt the functioning of the intestinal microflora. And dysbiosis is always accompanied by diarrhea and constant flatulence.

King of toilet paper

Do cats know how to fart? What should you do if a kitten or an adult cat constantly produces smelly gases?

People pass gas from time to time, and this is considered normal. Gas formation occurs in the intestines of animals, as in humans.

What are the features of this process? Is it typical for cats? Can they fart? How often do you pass gas and what should it normally smell like? What can cause increased gas formation in a kitten or adult animal? Is it dangerous? What to do if your pet constantly farts?

How often do cats fart and do they smell normal?

All cats fart, but they don't do it often. The periodic passing of gas in such a pet should not bother its owner.

It's all about the special structure of the digestive system, namely the shortened gastrointestinal tract, which makes excessive gas formation impossible.

This feature allows the cat’s body to quickly absorb nutrients and remove metabolic products.

Normally, the passage of gas in representatives of this family should not be accompanied by a stench. Otherwise, we are talking about some internal problem.

Why does a kitten or an adult animal have increased gas production, and why is this dangerous?

Excessive gas formation is most often observed in kittens and older cats. This problem may be caused by the following in your pet's diet:

• Dairy products. When preparing your pet’s diet, you need to ensure that the animal consumes these foods no more than 2-3 times a week.
• Soy, corn and wheat, which irritate the four-legged pet’s stomach and cause fermentation in it. Despite this, such components are used by many feed manufacturers as a source of vegetable protein.
• Garlic and onion. These products have excellent anthelmintic properties, but they can lead to serious problems with the digestive system.
• Tomatoes.

Cabbages. Potatoes.

Fatty foods

It doesn’t matter what kind of fat it is - chicken, beef or fish, in large quantities it is contraindicated for cats.

Bakery products. The yeast contained in these products provokes fermentation.

Spoiled finished food

Many people mistakenly think that animals are able to digest absolutely any food. It's not like that at all. Poor quality food can provoke irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and even cause intoxication of the body, accompanied by excessive gas formation, diarrhea and uncontrollable vomiting.

There are other causes of flatulence in cats:

• Obesity.
• Aerophagia. Swallowing air is accompanied by the cat's hasty and greedy eating of food. During the rapid absorption of food, a lot of air enters the animal’s body, which accumulates in the digestive canal. Aerophagia in representatives of the cat family can be of a psychogenic nature. For example, some cats that have suffered severe emotional shock eat very quickly, swallowing air. If an animal is stressed, it may swallow air without even eating.
• Blockage of the stomach with hair that gets into it during licking.
• Worm infestation.
• Constipation. Difficulty with spontaneous bowel movement can be caused by various factors, such as blockage of the intestine with bezoars, ingestion of a foreign body, parasitic infection, neoplasms in the intestine, etc.
• Dysbacteriosis, characterized by an insufficient number of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines of an animal.
• Intestinal inflammation of bacterial or viral etiology.
• Tumors in the intestines.
• Intestinal viruses.
• Various gastrointestinal pathologies.
• Cardiovascular diseases.
• Diseases accompanied by impaired nasal breathing.

Despite the seeming harmlessness of this phenomenon, it is extremely dangerous for the health and life of the pet. Excessive gas formation in these animals can provoke:

• chronic bloating, which will lead to exhaustion, because the intestines will not be able to fully absorb food;
• compression of internal organs, causing disruption of local blood circulation in the affected area;
• ruptures of the stomach and intestines;
• failure of the digestive system;
• inflammation of the bladder and other diseases of the urinary system.

What to do?

As soon as you notice severe gas formation in your pet, immediately take the cat to the veterinarian. There is no need to self-medicate, as this can only lead to a deterioration in health.

To accurately determine the disease, the doctor will be able to carry out the following procedures:

• Inspection.
• Palpation of the abdominal cavity.
• Ultrasound of the peritoneum.
• The cat will also be tested for urine, feces, blood, and a liver test.

The structure of the digestive system

The digestive system of cats consists of the oral cavity, pharynx, stomach, small and large intestines. The pancreas, duodenum and gallbladder also take part in the digestion process.

An adult cat has 30 teeth in its mouth. The tongue is covered with small, rough papillae, thanks to which the cat can lap up all sorts of liquids. Thanks to saliva, the digestion process begins in the oral cavity. Next, the cat pushes food into the esophagus, which can stretch if necessary.

The processed compressed waste is excreted through the large intestine. It also serves to form beneficial microorganisms and bacteria.

Prevention of flatulence

If you want to prevent the occurrence of flatulence, then you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Always watch what you feed your cat. Firstly, try not to overfeed him, and secondly, always check the expiration date of the food you buy.
• To avoid various viral enteritis, we advise you to vaccinate your pet in a timely manner.
• Give your pet anthelmintic medications every 3 months. To protect against worms, also avoid contact with street animals.

Goodies for the night

Changing your diet

Improper feeding is one of the main sources of indigestion and gas in a cat. A lack or excess amount of food, an incorrectly selected diet, and eating waste from the master’s table provoke gastrointestinal dysfunction. Mature pets are in a subgroup at increased risk for the disease, and their weakened bodies require a sufficient supply of vitamins and minerals.

Note! Good expensive food has a high price, but does not harm animals. They are classified by age, activity level and body weight

They cannot overfeed or underfeed your furry pet.

Why are cheap options not suitable? They have added foreign components - legumes, soybeans, corn. For a carnivorous predator, they are foreign and are poorly digested in the gastrointestinal tract. Artificial flavor enhancers and other flavorings become a favorable source of proliferation of pathogenic microflora.

You cannot buy food according to your pet’s taste preferences. If earlier he avoided foods that were dangerous to health, now manufacturers manage to lull his vigilance with third-party additives

Inexpensive food is made from components that attract attention and interest the animal. The result of saving is a storm in the stomach due to active fermentation

Manufacturers of branded mixtures indicate on the packaging the constituent ingredients: proteins, a mixture of poultry, beef, rabbit and other animals, vegetable fats. They do not contain soy, corn and other components that increase the weight of the feed.

Does my cat pass gas after feeding? They can be caused by disruption of the feeding schedule. Three meals a day are allowed; the best option is morning breakfast and evening dinner. If an animal has access to food all day, overeating results in flatulence and other unpleasant symptoms.

Important! A hungry pet is not able to patiently wait for the time when a careless owner remembers his responsibilities. He starts looking for food in trash cans, on the table, and tries to escape into the street.

This behavior is not the result of curiosity, but a problem that leads to serious illness.

Hungry cats often look in the trash

How to determine that the problem is pathological

To identify serious pathologies, you need to pay attention to the following signs:

1. Diarrhea. If copious release of gases is accompanied by severe diarrhea, then this almost always indicates an infection or bacteria. They can enter the body with food. It is better to immediately contact the clinic, and then the doctor will quickly make a diagnosis.
2. Vomit. Most often, vomiting occurs due to helminthic infestation. Infection with parasites is especially dangerous for kittens, especially those under 3 months of age.
3. Constipation. This sign indicates a serious pathology. If the animal also stops eating and drinking, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Such constipation can only be eliminated in a specialized clinic; if this is not done, the cat may die.

Statistics indicate that most often those owners who feed their pets dry food turn to the veterinarian. Therefore, we advise you to switch to wet food or canned food, as it is healthier for cats. All the best!

How can you reduce or get rid of gas?

You can record what your cat eats throughout the day to find out which foods may be causing the gas. Next, you can follow these tips:

• Gradually change your diet to a low-fiber diet. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations for a smooth transition.
• Feed your cat smaller meals more often.
• Feed several cats separately to avoid competition for food.
• Keep your cat away from trash and spoiled food.
• Keep your cat active and make sure she gets regular exercise.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with Ternetia - a fish with a black skirt

Features of the stomach

A cat's stomach is single-chamber. The inside is lined with a mucous membrane that produces gastric juice. There are two openings from the stomach: one opens into the esophagus, and the other opens into the small intestine.

The cat's stomach serves to store food and control the rate at which food enters the intestines and secretes enzymes necessary for the digestion process. Mixing and grinding of food occurs in it. With muscle movements, it directs food into the small intestine.

When food enters the stomach, its bottom relaxes to reduce intragastric pressure. The smell and taste of food causes the secretion of gastric juice. Digested food is sent to the intestines, and its undigested part remains in the stomach. The more caloric a food is, the slower it is digested.

Spicy vegetables

Onions, garlic, spices - all this irritates the intestines of a pet and can cause gastritis and colitis. Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa is accompanied by stool disturbances and flatulence.

Some owners mistakenly believe that garlic can be used to fight helminthic infestations in cats. There is such a folk method of getting rid of intestinal parasites in humans. Even for humans, it is controversial, although popular. You should not use it on your pet under any circumstances.