Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is a fairly common illness in cats that causes chronic gastrointestinal upset. Your cat might experience a lot of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Fortunately, even though there is no best treatment for IBD, there are ways to treat this unfortunate disease and we’ve got some tips to help combat it below.
#1 – Probiotics
Probiotics are some of the most important pieces of gut health and cats with IBD are usually lacking proper bacterial growth in their digestive tract. Probiotics can greatly improve your cats symptoms and his ability to digest the nutrients he needs to stay healthy.
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#2 – Homemade Meat & Fish Broths
Store-bought broths are typically very high in sodium and should be avoided, but homemade broths are an excellent way to help ease your cat’s IBD. Meat and fish broths provide tons of nutrients to help build back up your cat’s gut lining and keep him hydrated and healthy. Just remember not to feed the cooked bones!
#3 – Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a natural anti-inflammatory and can work wonders for easing your cat’s discomfort from IBD. Although it has yet to be determined how much Omega-3 fatty acids aid in IBD treatment, their benefits are certainly high enough to give it a try.
#4 – Easily Digestible Diet
Your veterinarian likely put your cat on a special diet and this is a good thing. Cats with IBD often have trouble digesting their food, which means they aren’t getting any of the nutrients they need to stay healthy. A highly-digestible diet will ensure that your cat gets as much out of his food as possible while limiting his symptoms.
#5 – Fiber Supplements
Fiber is highly recommended for cats with IBD, although it will only benefit those that have IBD in the colon. For these cats, fiber supplements or foods like canned pumpkin will firm up the stool while providing fatty acids that will limit the growth of harmful organisms.