Supplements And Probiotics

[Robin1300]

Hello...I was curious as to possibly starting my cat on vitamin supplements or probiotics. I believe alot of the vitamins and nutrition are removed when they pressure cook canned food. Does anyone have any advice on this or have introduced into their cat's diet?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Welcome!!

For my boy, I tried a probiotic product and fish oil supplements, and the thing that made his skin and coat the best (fewer mats, less dryness and flakiness) seems to be the fancy feast fish filets.

Cat Food & Feline Nutrition With Pet Nutritionist Dr. Martha Cline

 

[Tobermory]

I give my girls Proviable probiotics, and I add fish oil to their homemade food.

Here’s a good article on probiotics with information about specific brands.
Probiotics for Cats - Why and Which Ones

 

[lisamarie12]

Yes, I've been using probiotics for my cats for awhile now. I was using Wholistic Feline Digest (the powder, must be refrigerated)for a couple years and it worked well except that after a few weeks, it develops a bad odor.

I am now using Renew Life, 15 billion cfus, (human grade, also refrigerated) and I'm pretty satisfied with it. One cat is FHV and since using probiotics, the black discharge he used to get in his eyes has mostly disappeared, probiotics did a far better job with that issue than lysine ever did.
Plus it has helped with digestive issues.

I wouldn't add any vitamins other than a fish oil supplement, as mentioned above. While it's true that canned food is processed and cooked in the can, foods being "AAFCO approved" (whatever one thinks of AAFCO) I would be concerned about possibly oversupplementing vitamins that may not be water soluble and excreted by the cat.

If you want to provide a more nutrient dense diet for your cat, you could consider a home made raw, cooked or commercial raw / cooked diet. Even adding e.g., 25% of lesser processed meals to your cats' current canned food meals, that would be beneficial.

Good luck.

 

[Tobermory]

Plus it has helped with digestive issues.

I've found that as well. Iris vomits her morning meal every couple of weeks, and the probiotics seem to help control it.

 

[She's a witch]

Yes, I've been using probiotics for my cats for awhile now. I was using Wholistic Feline Digest (the powder, must be refrigerated)for a couple years and it worked well except that after a few weeks, it develops a bad odor.

I am now using Renew Life, 15 billion cfus, (human grade, also refrigerated) and I'm pretty satisfied with it. One cat is FHV and since using probiotics, the black discharge he used to get in his eyes has mostly disappeared, probiotics did a far better job with that issue than lysine ever did.
Plus it has helped with digestive issues.

I wouldn't add any vitamins other than a fish oil supplement, as mentioned above. While it's true that canned food is processed and cooked in the can, foods being "AAFCO approved" (whatever one thinks of AAFCO) I would be concerned about possibly oversupplementing vitamins that may not be water soluble and excreted by the cat.

If you want to provide a more nutrient dense diet for your cat, you could consider a home made raw, cooked or commercial raw / cooked diet. Even adding e.g., 25% of lesser processed meals to your cats' current canned food meals, that would be beneficial.

Good luck.

Based on your post I bought Renew Life, and after two days (he gets half pill everyday) his brownish eye discharge (from calicivirus) stopped! So just wanted to say thank you!

 

[Tobermory]

Is there any preferred food with which probiotics are better absorbed?

Any wet food should work fine. I actually add a bit of water to wet food so that the various powders I add—including probiotics—dissolve better.