Dealing with Cat Soft Poop During Diet Change: Tips & S

From the moment they are born, cats are naturally inclined to consume highprotein diets.

As obligate carnivores, cats have bodies perfectly suited to digesting highprotein foods. For instance, if a cat is lucky enough to catch a rabbit, the raw meat of the rabbit contains approximately 16% protein and 70% water. Once the meat is dried, the protein content can increase to around 53%.

Therefore, from a behavioral standpoint, cats do not typically suffer from intolerance to high protein, and they are naturally predisposed to eating proteinrich foods.

Soft stools after a new diet change might indicate an intestinal adaptation issue.

Protein must be broken down by enzymes before it can be converted into absorbable amino acids. If a cat has been on a lowprotein diet for an extended period, its digestive system becomes accustomed to producing only small amounts of proteindigesting enzymes daily.

When suddenly switched to a highprotein diet, the digestive enzymes within the cat's system may not adapt quickly enough, leading to poor digestion and symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea. Digestive issues are most commonly observed when switching from a lowerquality to a higherquality diet.

Soft stools after switching to a new diet can be addressed by gradually increasing the proportion of new food using the 7day transition method.

If soft stools persist after a period of time, it may indicate an allergy to a specific ingredient.

Cat foods come in various formulations, using different types of animal proteins (such as chicken, duck, fish, beef, and fish) and various additives (like green lipped mussels, chickpeas, grains, etc.). Mild allergic reactions may include vomiting and diarrhea, while severe reactions can result in skin rashes.

If your cat develops red rashes (usually itchy, prompting frequent scratching) after a diet change, it's likely that an allergy is to blame. In such cases, consider switching to a different food.

If soft stools continue after a diet change, you might try a food with a different type of animal protein (for example, if your cat often has soft stools on a chickenbased diet, try a beef formula) or opt for a singleproteinsource canned food (such as a Ziwi chicken canned food that contains only chicken, or a beef canned food that contains only beef).

New diets often omit "sugar beet" and other "laxatives."

Many cat foods include ingredients like sugar beet, sugar beet juice, sugar beet root, and sugar beet extracts. Sugar beets are a common sugar source, high in sugar content and fiber.

There are two reasons for adding sugar beets to cat food: 1) They provide sugar and粘性, which help shape dry kibble; and 2) they can promote digestion and prevent diarrhea.

How do they promote digestion? By keeping food in the intestines longer, allowing the dry food more time to absorb water, and thus aiding in digestion. This effectively extends the digestion time of food, forcing the intestinal mucosa to work longer.

However, consuming too much sugar beet can place a burden on the cat's digestive system, leading to dependence (difficulty with diarrhea when switching to other foods) and a higher risk of constipation. Additionally, the sugar content is not beneficial for cats and can lead to abnormal weight gain.

Cats with weak intestines should be fed on a schedule.

Cats with particularly weak intestines that often experience vomiting and diarrhea should be fed on a regular schedule, allowing their digestive systems time to rest.