Wet food is a popular choice among cat owners due to its high moisture content and appealing taste. However, some cats may experience stomach upset after eating it. Factors like sudden dietary changes, food sensitivities, or poor-quality ingredients can contribute to digestive issues such as diarrhoea or vomiting.
Understanding the potential causes of stomach upset can help you make informed decisions about your cat's diet and ensure their digestive health.
Can Cats Be Sensitive to Wet Food?
Cats can be sensitive to wet food as they can develop allergies to any ingredient in their food, including wet food. Symptoms of the allergic reaction include digestive distress, abdominal pain, hair loss, and itchy skin. Some ingredients that are more likely to cause a reaction include beef, corn, dairy products, eggs, fish, lamb, seafood, soy, and wheat gluten. It’s also important to keep in mind that changing from dry to wet food or between wet foods can upset a cat's stomach.
To know if your cat is sensitive to wet food, you need to look out for the signs. Some signs of a sensitive stomach in cats include flatulence, smelly stools, loose stools, scooting, bad breath, and frequent bowel movements. However, some of these will occur naturally when transitioning your cat onto a new food.
Important to differentiate between cats being allergic to food and the short-term effects of changing a cat's diet.
Is There Wet Cat Food For Cats With Sensitive Stomachs?
If your cat is experiencing any signs of a sensitive stomach, you might want to consider changing their wet cat food. There are various types of wet food on the market that are specifically designed for cats with sensitive stomachs.
Is Wet Cat Food Better Than Dry Cat Food?
Whether wet cat food is better than dry cat food depends on your cat's preferences.
Wet food can be beneficial for cats with health conditions that require more water, like kidney disease, diabetes, or lower urinary tract disease. Wet food is also high in protein, which can help promote lean body mass.
However, wet food is often more expensive than dry food, and it needs to be refrigerated and thrown away after 3 days if your cat doesn't eat it all. On the other hand, dry food can be a good option for thin cats who need to consume more calories.
Can Wet Food Upset a Cat's Stomach?
For most healthy cats, high-quality wet food is easily digested when introduced gradually. However, it is important to note that most cats will get temporary stomach issues when transitioning to a new food. Wet food can upset a cat's stomach, especially if it's a new food, a sudden change from dry food, or if the cat has a food sensitivity.
How Can I Transition My Cat From Dry Food To Wet Food?
If you’re planning to switch your cat from dry to wet food, you need to do it slowly and keep an eye out for sensitivities. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind when switching your cat to wet food:
Gradual transition: Always transition your cat to a new wet food slowly by mixing it with their current food over some time to avoid digestive upset.
Food sensitivities: Some cats may have allergies to certain ingredients in wet food, so it's important to look for food with a single protein source and minimal additives if your cat has a sensitive stomach.
Quality matters: Choose high-quality wet food with real meat as the primary ingredient to minimise the risk of stomach upset.
Temperature: Ensure the wet food is at room temperature before feeding it to your cat.
What Should I Do If My Cat Has Diarrhoea?
If your cat has ongoing diarrhoea, their diet may not always be the culprit. If your cat has diarrhoea there may be an underlying health issue. Some symptoms that can show an underlying health issue include vomiting, lethargy, and frequent diarrhoea.
If your cat has diarrhoea you can feed it small, bland, frequent meals like boiled chicken or white fish. You can also give them probiotics which help to boost friendly gut bacteria and absorb toxins in the intestines. However, it is always recommended to take your cat to the vet and seek medical advice.
How Often Should I Feed My Cat Wet Food?
Your cat's needs will determine how frequently you give them wet food. You can split your cat's daily feeding quantity into two or three wet food meals if they only eat wet food. Your cat may only consume wet food once or twice a day if you offer them dry food and add wet food as a supplement.
