Do Cats Fart

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do cats fart

Do cats fart? All cat owners will be well aware of the fact that cats do indeed fart and quite often at that. Technically speaking, the term farting is actually ‘slang’ for the discharge of intestinal or internal gasses through the anus, also known as flatulence.

Being a carnivore, a cat’s diet is mainly protein. Protein when broken down produces sulfur, an odorous gas, which is released. Therefore, certain amount of flatulence in your pet is normal. The odor is caused by bacteria in the cat’s stomach when braking down the food your cat just consumed. A little gas in another way of your pet to get rid of waste.

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However, if it becomes much more frequent than that or begins to cause your cat pain then it can become a problem. There are many factors that cause flatulence in cats.

do cats fart

 

Do Cats Fart – The Reasons

Digestion

When food is broken down by bacteria in your cat’s stomach, a certain amount of gas is produced and released and this is a normal way for your cat’s body to remove waste products.

Over eating

do_cats_fart_with_over_eating

As the amount of food, i.e., the amount of protein is increased; a greater amount of sulfur gas is produced. This results in a greater amount of and more frequent flatulence.

Cat food fillers

Another reason for flatulence may be your cat’s diet. The low priced cat food most cat owners feed their cats contains a large quantity of fillers. These are difficult to digest and the large amount of carbohydrates can upset your cat’s stomach. An excess amount of gas is produced and your cat beings to fart more than normal. This problem can be solved by simply changing the brand of the cat food you feed your pet.

Changing diets

A cat’s stomach requires a certain amount of time to get used to a certain diet. If you change your cat’s diet frequently it will not be able to easily digest the food, thereby resulting in flatulence.

Your cat may also be allergic to the new diet and this is another reason for flatulence in cats. Therefore, any changes in your cat’s diet should be introduced gradually. Initially, to the old food add small amounts of the new food. Gradually, increase this quantity while simultaneously watching for any signs of an allergy.

You can mix 80% of the old food with 20 % of the new food. The next couple of days, mix 70 % of the old food with 30 % of the new food and so on until the old food is completely switch to new meals.

Human food

Sometimes when you feed your cat human foods, its body may not be able to adjust to the diet and this is revealed through symptoms such as flatulence and vomiting.

Rotten food

When food becomes rotten or passes its expiration date, some people tend to give it to their pets. This practice is extremely wrong and can make your cat sick and cause flatulence. If food becomes rotten it is better to throw it away.

Dairy products

do_cats_fart_drinking_milk

Lactose intolerance is common in cats. Their bodies find it difficult to digest dairy products and feeding your cat cow milk may result in adverse effects such as flatulence and an upset stomach. Therefore, in order to keep your cat healthy, avoid feeding it dairy products. Most stores sell milk specifically for cats and the extra expense is worth keeping your cat healthy.

Intestinal parasites

Parasites such as worms cause flatulence, as do single celled protozoa called giardia. These also cause vomiting and an upset stomach.

Giardia lives in the small intestine in cats and dogs. Your pet may become infected by eating the cyst form of the parasite. The cyst will open in a small intestine and releases an active form called trophozoite. The Giardia in the feces can contaminate other animals and people.

The cysts can live a few weeks to months outside the host in wet and cold environments. Kennels, parks, lawns may be contaminated with animal feces and can be a source of giardiasis for your pet. You should keep your cat away from these places contaminated by the feces of other animals.

Swallowing air 

Some cats have a habit of gulping food and swallowing air along with it. The body fulfills its need to release that air through flatulence.

Mal-absorption

This is one of the most serious and dangerous causes of flatulence in cats because it happens due to an inability in your cat to properly break down food. This inability often stems from an illness initiating in the digestive canal. In such a situation, frequent flatulence can be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease or a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes known as exocrine pancreatic deficiency. Due to the risk of such an illness, it is recommended that in case of frequent or chronic flatulence you take your cat to the vet for proper medical diagnosis.

How to Diagnose Flatulence in Cats?

Flatulence can be diagnosed by other symptoms that accompany it, such as:

  1. Rumbling stomach
  2. Vomiting
  3. Bloating of stomach
  4. Diarrhea
  5. Stomach pains

Curing Flatulence

The reasons for flatulence are usually related to the cat’s diet and are quite harmless and easy to solve. Try to feed your cat better quality cat food with less fiber. Cheaper cat food brands may add high levels of corn fillers which are harder to digest.

Avoid feeding your cat table scraps. Cats really don’t need to nibble on human foods. These foods may leave your cat with an upset stomach. Also, make sure that your cat drinks enough water. Check the drinking bowl regularly and fill it with water when it’s empty. Water will help to flush out the bacteria in the intestines and promotes better gut health.

If your cat shows any signs of intolerance or allergic reaction to certain foods then stop giving them to your cat immediately. It helps to have a detailed diary where you record every food your cat eats throughout the day and when and how often your cat has gas.  If you can’t figure out the problem food in your cat’s diet, your vet may have some suggestions for you.

Eating big portions of food in one serving may produce flatulence in your cat. Try feeding the cat more often but smaller meals at the time.

Don’t forget to de-worm your cat regularly.

However, if your cat has a chronic flatulence, it is better to take your cat to the vet just to be safe. Chronic flatulence may be due to an underlying illness that requires treatment.

When you take your cat to the vet there are some standard questions you can expect him to ask. These include your cat’s allergies, diet and changes in diet. These are investigated as reasons for the flatulence. If they are ruled out then a further analysis is carried out. This analysis includes 4 things:

  1. Checking fecal matter for worms
  2. Fecal proteolytic activity – Testing fecal matter for presence of fat and trypsin
  3. Testing blood to ensure general health
  4. Biopsy of intestine to test for inflammation of the bowel

Your vet will base a treatment plan for your cat based on the results of the analysis.

Conclusion

“Do cats fart?” Absolutely! However, 9 times out of 10 this is completely normal and not a big deal. It may seem that dogs pass gas more frequently but in fact, cats do it as well. However, the air maybe smaller expelled by cats so it doesn’t smell as bad.

Hopefully, when trying out our flatulence curing tips, you will have a less farting cat and better smelling home.

 

References:

http://lovemeow.com/2009/11/do-cats-fart/

http://www.cat-world.com.au/Cat-Health-Collection/cat-farting-causes.html

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/flatulence

http://whydoesmycat.com/articles/9

http://www.pet360.com/cat/health/do-cats-fart-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-feline-flatulence/Zi4TbU9NMkmTlNJUPahGlg

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2141&aid=142

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/cats-and-dairy-get-the-facts

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/inflammatory-bowel-disease-cats

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2135&aid=330

 

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