The 11 Best Cat Foods For Diarrhea

Reviews

Best Value Blue Buffalo Stomach Chicken Dry Cat Food
 

Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Chicken Recipe Dry Cat Food is not only beneficial to cats with stomach issues, but it is also an excellent all-around kibble.

It’s surprisingly inexpensive given the quality, which is why we believe it’s the best cat food for diarrhea money can buy.

Because the first two ingredients are chicken and chicken meal, your cat will get enough of protein (32%).

However, some of that protein originates from plant sources, which cats can not digest as well as animal proteins. The next components include brown rice and oats, which should assist your kitty’s tummy.

There are probiotics to assist digestion, as well as the LifeSource Bits that come with every Blue Buffalo bag. These are vitamin and antioxidant pieces, many of which are required for good digestive function.

However, there is dried egg product in here, which is an unusual addition because it can trigger upset tummies in certain cats.

Overall, Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach is a high-quality, low-cost option for cats with sensitive stomachs (and even those without).

Pros

• Excellent value for money
• There’s a lot of protein inside.
• Brown rice and oats help to soothe upset tummies.
• LifeSource pieces are high in antioxidants.
• Probiotics to help with digestion

Cons

• Plants provide some of the protein.
• Some cats are sensitive to dried egg products.

 

Prescription Multi-Benefit Dry Cat Food by Hill’s
 

While it’s great for cats with digestive disorders, Hills Prescription Diet Multi-Benefit Dry Cat Food is also a one-stop shop for your cat’s health.

There’s a lot of fiber (9%) within, and the first component is brewers rice, which will keep your pet’s tummy happy.

Because of the L-carnitine and low sodium levels, the meal also helps your cat’s urinary tract health. The high protein content (34%), which helps your cat grow lean muscle and metabolize fat, aids in keeping your cat at a healthy weight.

While this dish is all-inclusive, it is not without flaws. It’s not cheap, and it contains a lot of wheat, corn, and gluten, all of which might be difficult for some cats to digest.

If you can get a vet to write you a prescription for Hill’s Prescription Diet Multi-Benefit, you should take it since this food can help your kitty with more than just stomach issues.

Pros

• Fiber content is really high.
• Brewers rice is the first ingredient.
• L-carnitine is included for urinary tract health.
• Protein helps to develop lean muscle and burn fat.

Cons

• Fairly costly
• There is a lot of wheat, maize, and gluten inside.

 

Dry Cat Food Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach
 

Pro Plan Purina LiveClear Sensitive Skin & Stomach is a cat food that helps you feel less allergic to your cat while also making your cat feel less allergic to their diet.

The formula is intended to reduce allergens in the cat’s saliva, so anyone suffering from a cat allergy should notice a reduction in symptoms after the cat has been on the food for a while.

This could mean the difference between keeping your cherished pet and having to rehome them. But don’t imagine that the emphasis is solely on your well-being.

This food contains 40% protein, the majority of which comes from peas and potatoes. Nonetheless, turkey and chicken meal are the initial components, and beef fat is also stated.

The producers incorporated oats, rice, and chicory root to comfort your cat’s stomach, all of which can encourage regularity and calm irritated bowels. There’s also taurine, an amino acid that’s important for heart health.

However, this is far from a perfect food. It has very little fiber (2.5 percent) and is highly pricey.

Purina Pro Plan LiveClear Sensitive Skin & Stomach, on the other hand, may make life much easier for every member of your home if you can afford it.

Pros

• Can help persons who are allergic to cats.
• Contains a lot of protein
• For digestive health, it contains oats, rice, and chicory root.
• Taurine has been included for heart health.

Cons

• Fairly costly
• Fiber deficient

 

Sensitive Stomach Hill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food
 

Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin is the nonprescription counterpart to their Prescription Diet range. You don’t need a vet’s permission to buy it, but it’s not quite as excellent.

The first ingredient is chicken, which provides a good protein foundation for the kibble.

It is immediately followed by brewers rice, so the first two meals are focused to ensuring that your cat receives all of the nutrients they require to create lean muscle and that their gastrointestinal troubles are alleviated.

FOS, which stands for “fructooligosaccharides,” is also included in the recipe. This is a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in your cat’s digestive tract, allowing them to assimilate nutrients more efficiently.

There are added vitamins E and omega fatty acids, which not only improve their digestive health but also make their skin and coat healthy and shiny.

Unfortunately, the ingredients list includes maize and artificial flavors, both of which are bad for your cat. The fiber content is quite low, at only 3%.

However, it is high in calories (most of which are empty calories from the corn), so keep an eye on your cat’s waistline if you move to this diet.

If you prefer a non-prescription alternative, Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin is a good food for cats with diarrhea. However, as one might assume, it falls short of the bar set by certain other prescription-only foods.

Pros

• The first ingredient is chicken.
• Brewers rice soothes upset stomachs.
• FOS, an essential prebiotic, is present.
• Vitamin E and omega fatty acids promote skin and coat health.

Cons

• Corn and artificial flavors are included.
• Low fiber content
• High in empty calories

 

Hydrolyzed Dry Cat Food Purina Pro Plan
 

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Formula, a prescription-only meal, is based on basic proteins and foods that are unlikely to be allergens for the vast majority of cats.

Many of the ingredients have been hydrolyzed, which means they’ve been broken down into smaller, more easily digestible pieces. This makes it an ideal alternative for cats who have difficulty digesting a wide range of meals.

However, it is not always designed in the way that “excellent” cat food should be. The fourth ingredient is meat, which is hydrolyzed chicken liver.

While liver is beneficial to cats, we’d prefer to see a more diverse nutrient profile rather than relying on a particular organ meat. Hydrolyzed chicken is also listed, although much farther down the list.

Nonetheless, this meal contains 30 percent protein, but much of that comes from hydrolyzed soy protein isolate, which isn’t ideal because it’s not a meat-based protein and cats shouldn’t eat soy in the first place.

The percentage of fat inside is only 9%. That implies your cat will be hungry sooner with this diet than with a higher fat content food, and they may overeat to compensate (we don’t recommend letting them free-feed with this kibble).

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Formula isn’t a horrible food, but it falls short when compared to similar prescription-only kibbles.

Pros

• Hydrolyzed ingredients for easy digestion
• A sufficient amount of protein
• Contains nutrient-dense chicken liver

Cons

• Meat is only the fourth ingredient on the list.
• Soy provides a significant portion of the protein.
• Low-fat diets may leave cats hungry and unsatisfied.

Buyer's Guide: Choosing The Best Diarrhea Cat Food

Any digestive troubles that your cat is experiencing should be handled seriously, and the first thing you should do is take them to your veterinarian to be evaluated.

You want to rule out any potentially serious concerns, such as infections or parasites. Assuming your cat is healthy and only has a sensitive stomach, you’ll need to select a meal that they can eat.

Here are some questions to ask yourself while searching.

What Causes Cat Diarrhea?

There are numerous factors that can disrupt your cat’s regularity. Assuming you’ve been to the vet and ruled out the more serious options, there are a few things to consider.

A food allergy or intolerance is one of the most common causes.

Many cats are allergic to particular foods, including:

• Corn
• Wheat
• Soy
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Meat that is extremely rich or fatty
• Colors or tastes that are artificial
• Byproducts of animals

This isn’t an exhaustive list (some cats are allergic to chicken! ), but it’s a good place to start. If you’re thinking about changing your cat’s diet, avoid kibbles that contain any of these components.

Other factors include altering their diet too frequently or too rapidly, stress, or consuming a non-food item that irritates their digestive tract (such as certain plants or waste).

How Do I Treat My Cat’s Digestive Problems?

The answer should begin at your veterinarian’s office. To get the condition under control, your cat may require medicine or another treatment.

If your vet determines that it’s a food or environmental issue, you’ll need to reconsider what you’re feeding your cat and how they’re living.

This may entail putting them on an elimination diet, in which you remove one element from their food at a time until you find the cause, or it may entail providing them with a less stressful living environment.

While you’re waiting for the diarrhea to stop, make sure your cat is getting lots of water because dehydration can be fatal.

Many cats, however, dislike drinking water and prefer to acquire their moisture from their diet. Most cat meals for sensitive stomachs are high in fiber and low in moisture.

There are various things you may do to combat this. One solution is to add water to the diet, however many cats will refuse to eat wet kibble (and it will not clean their teeth as well).

Another option is to combine dry and wet food, but only if you are convinced that the additional food will not cause more diarrhea.

Finally, your best bet is to try everything you can to get your cat to drink. Consider purchasing a pet fountain if they aren’t drinking from a standard bowl, as many animals prefer to drink from rushing water.

If that fails, you can always let them drink from the tap on a regular basis.

How Do I Know If the Problem Is Solved? When Should I Be Concerned?

The only way to be certain is to observe your cat’s potty habits over time.

We advocate increasing the frequency with which you clean the litter box in order to gain a better understanding of the quality of their bowel movements. This can also assist you in determining what is causing their illness.

Whatever efforts you take to cure the problem, you’ll need to see well-formed bowel motions for at least a week before you can consider the problem solved.

If you’ve ruled out disease or parasites and changed your cat’s diet or lifestyle, the consistency of his poop should tell you exactly what worked.

Simply keep doing what you’re doing, whether it’s switching to a different cuisine, providing them a particular spot in the house, or something else entirely.

If you notice other signs of illness in your cat, such as vomiting, lethargy, or listlessness, you should be concerned. Also, if your cat has diarrhea every time they go to the potty, it’s time to take them to the vet.

Finally, if you have numerous cats and they’re all in pain, it’s more possible that they’ve contracted an infection or parasite from one another. If this is the case, altering diets will not help; instead, take them to your veterinarian.

Conclusion

If your cat is experiencing digestive issues, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hopes that these reviews of the best cat foods for diarrhea will assist you in locating the best one for your pet.

After all, nothing breaks your heart more than seeing your best friend suffer. If you want to know what we think is the best, we recommend Hill’s Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin.

Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach is our selection for the best cat food for diarrhea on a budget.

But, at the end of the day, make sure that whatever meal you buy is beneficial in other ways as well as soothing their sensitive stomach.

You’re unlikely to change it once you’ve found one that works, so make sure they’ll be pleased (and healthy) eating it for years to come.