Gassy Cat? Help?

[Kiah-Muz]

Hello there!
So about a month ago, I adopted a sweet little tailless cat named Cricket.

He's 9 months old, and as soon as he came into our home, I started to mix my dry blue buffalo cat food into his normal Purina (I think?) cat food. Slowly, but surly, we have made a successful transition into all blue buffalo... but Cricket is so... gassy!

He was gassy when we first adopted the little guy... and it's became less frequant... but my little kitten is still... imitting horrible smells several times a day/night.... so I'm getting a little concerned.

Are kittens normally this gassy? Should I keep feeding him blue buffalo? I don't want to cause any tummy damage, but I'm afraid he's already having damge due ot the amount (and smell)....

So how about this for a unique problem...? Heh. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[eroomlorac]

I wonder if he has worms or other parasites. Maybe the Blue Buffalo cat food is too high in protein for that particular cat.

 

[Rickman]

I believe kittens are supposed to stay on kitten food 'til about a year - but it's been a long time!
Never the less, I'd switch to something more commercial, as I've never had a cat with gas, and I had them for about 20 yrs.

 

[Kiah-Muz]

Eroom- he was checked for worms before we adopted him in feburary and in his recent vet visit, they didn't feel a need to get a "sample"

As for food- that's what I'm so confused about! It's supposed to be the fatter, commercialized food that has fillers like corn that would cause gas. I'll agree blue spa may not be THE top of the best cat food.... But it's high ranking. Also, when I asked the vet about kitten vs cat food the vet said Cricket was ready for adult food.

 

[eroomlorac]

I just know some dogs get gassy on very high protein foods and actually do better on a 'cheaper' brand of food. I would maybe give a lower protein food about a 3 month try. If that's not it, then go back to the Blue Buffalo if you want.

And as for the parasite check, I would ask to have it done anyway. I once took in a pregnant stray. When she had her kittens, and they were a little older, I took stool specimens in. The stool specimens came back negative for worms. About three weeks later one of the kittens coughed up a couple round worms. At first I didn't know what they were as they looked like the springs in 'clicky' pens. As I stared at it wondering what the heck it was and what could the kitten have gotten into, it started to uncoil and it was a small roundworm. I was mortified. I brought those worms in to the vet who finally gave me something to medicate the kittens with. So I guess what I'm trying to relay is they may have a negative fecal if the cat isn't shedding worms or eggs at the time of collection. I'd try one more fecal on your cat. It may NOT be worms but I think you have to really rule everything out.

 

[Nancy]

I'd do another fecal then remove one or the other foods. Often a food change or addition will give them gas but it usually doesn't continue for a month unless the food is disagreeing with them. Depending on the results of the fecal, I would slowly switch him to something else.

 

[paris26]

Another thing to do is consider the protein source in your cat food. It's possible your kitten just has a sensitive stomach. Maybe gradually switch to something with lamb? Lamb is easier to digest and most cats like the taste. Also, does your kitten have formed stool?

 

[Kiah-Muz]

Our kitten's stool... is still pretty messy.

I'll call the vet tomorrow to ask about getting another fecal test for worms. I was really hoping Blue Buffalo would be ok for him- is seems to be such a "good decent quality" food.... and he seems to love it.

 

[mishalaa]

Get that stool checked. Gassy, smelly, messily pooing cats sounds like giardia to me - which is not a worm, and is transmissible to people/other pets.

 

[Kiah-Muz]

Ok... so we called the vet... and as it turns out I'm kind of worrying over nothing.

Simply- Blue Buffalo is just too rich of food for my cat (which is sad since I was to try to give him the best/healthy choice). In fact they suggested Purina (yuck.) And though I'm planning to follow that suggestion, they re assured me that giving him blue buffalo isn't killing him. We're going to slowly transit blue buffalo to Purina.... and if the messy poos and gas continue, they said I could drop off a fecal specimen.

I got a few other healthy suggestions after I asked thousand of questions so...Hopefully we can figure out this gasiness! Thanks for the suggestions! I guess I never though dry food would be "too rich".... anyone else use Purina around here?

 

[Sesame]

If they suggested Purina, maybe try the Purina ProPlan line dry food? I think it's marketed as a higher level of Purina, but I'm not sure if there is much difference. I do feed my cat the ProPlan can food and she does love it a lot (the saucy rice and meat/fish ones).

 

[crazychin]

I wouldn't do purina, vets aren't usually educated on what foods are good at what aren't. There are foods out there that are just as good and better than blue buffalo. Try Merricks, Felidae, Innova, EVO, Taste of the Wild, Eagle Pack, Nature's variety, solid gold etc. Purina isn't a good food, and in the long run it won't help your cat out at all.

 

[Terbear24]

Pro Plan is the higher quality of the purina foods so I would try that first and see if he does better.
Or give Nutro a try you can do the Max Cat brand and it may not be as rich!
I've given all my animals nutro for years and have never had gassy problems!

 

[Sesame]

I would not try Nutro. Recently, they had a massive food recall on the cat dry food line. Although not all cats had ill symptoms (many did fine), I now have doubt about the company's cat food line. I was feeding my cats Nutro Complete Care, but have switched due to a unfortunate recent death and the recall.

 

[Kiah-Muz]

Thank you for all the suggestions everyone... though I'm still very confused on what food path to take..... I want to give my kitten great food, but obviously food that's easier on his tummy...
Maybe I'll check through some feline threads... just thought I'd come here first

 

[Jeanette]

Get that stool checked. Gassy, smelly, messily pooing cats sounds like giardia to me - which is not a worm, and is transmissible to people/other pets.

Also known as 'beaver fever'. It can last quite a while. I would think that you would have gotten pretty sick with it yourself by now.

 

[Kiah-Muz]

Also known as 'beaver fever'. It can last quite a while. I would think that you would have gotten pretty sick with it yourself by now.

Actually... neither of us has... is that any indication that we may not have it? I'm really starting to think it's the food...
We have recently change his diet (not the brand yet) to a (ish) cup a day... and now to 1/2 of it in the morning... half at night... it seems to have helped gas wise anyways...
​

 

[mishalaa]

Not necessarily. I had a kitten come through who tested positive for giardia. I kept him separate from my other cats until I could get him tested and I'm glad I did because I got him treated and my other cats never caught it, nor did I. But he was gassy, and that is the ONLY time I have ever had a gassy cat.

I wouldn't be so sure it's the food. Rich food can cause diarrhea, but I don't think it would cause the gas. Flatulence in any animal is typically caused by intestinal flora being out of balance.