Natural Treatment for Cat Digestive Problems

Natural treatment for cat digestive problems is essential to good pet care for your cat. If you've been a cat-parent for any length of time, I'd bet that you've dealt with the occasional hairball. You might even think that this is just a natural part of cat parenthood. But what if the hairballs or other expulsions from your cat are more than occasional? Could there be a problem here?

Frequent vomiting is not normal for cats or dogs and there is a cause for it. It's up to you to do the detective work, however, as the cause could be any number of things, from a need for more brushing to a food allergy or worse-your cat is ingesting something toxic. If you are observant and pay close attention to the clues, a successful resolution with natural treatment for cat digestive problems is not far behind.

The Clues

Let's say your cat has made a little deposit on the floor, from the front end so to speak and making a face, you proceed to pick it up with a paper towel or rag. Before disposing of it-look at it. Does is contain an oblong wad of hair? What you have is a hairball and the best cure for hairballs is frequent brushing. And, the rule is the longer the hair on the cat, the more frequent the brushing. If you have a long-hair breed or mix, you need to be brushing daily. In fact, during the shedding season, usually early spring, you'll even want to brush your shorthair cat daily to rid her of excess winter coat that could be the building block for more hairballs. The Furminator, hands down is the best tool I've used to rid my kitty-kids of their extra fur. And yes, it costs a little more than a regular brush, but the performance of this tool is exceptional, groomer-quality.

Aside from frequent brushing, treat your cat to a little cod liver oil or butter (cod liver oil is better for her). The oil helps any hairball that may yet be lodged in the throat travel out the other direction, ending up in the litter box instead of on your living room sofa. Keep in mind however, that cod liver oil contains vitamin A and too much of this is not good for your cat. The omega fatty acids are also valuable nutritional supplements to her diet.

Perhaps your cat has regurgitated food or a bile-like liquid? What on earth could this be? Well, it could be something as simple as your new food doesn't agree with your cat's "delicate" system, or perhaps he's allergic to an ingredient in the food. Remember, if you're going to change diet, do it slowly and watch for reactions to the change in your cat. While she may love the taste of the new food, it may not agree with her past that point. You may need to back up and start over with the change, mixing small amounts of the new food into the old, gradually replacing the old over time. If you notice that even a small amount of the new food causes her to regurgitate, she may be allergic to an ingredient in this new choice. Carefully compare labels on the old and new foods, noting which ingredients are present and in what quantity.

On the other hand, if this is a daily or ever-other-day occurence, your cat may have irritable bowl syndrome or pancreatitis, both of which require patience in diagnosis and treatment.