How a New Gut Remedy Saved a Cat’s Life
Sponsored by Animal Biome
Marigold was a sweet, middle-aged, orange tabby cat found as a stray and taken to the city shelter. Affectionate and easy-going, Marigold had everything going for her, except for one problem that threatened her adoptability — she had constant diarrhea. Even though she was a favorite at the shelter, her cage was constantly a smelly mess, as was her bright orange fur. Here’s how a new gut remedy saved her life!
Marigold’s Story
Marigold went through a series of foster homes, but her chronic diarrhea always limited the duration of her stay. That is until she was fostered by Tracy, who quickly fell in love with Marigold’s sunny personality. Tracy tried every medication, diet and supplement recommended by her veterinarian and friends to remedy the cat’s diarrhea causes, but nothing worked for long and Marigold would always relapse. This went on for four years.
In the midst of a life-threatening bout of diarrhea over the winter holidays, a friend suggested Tracy check out AnimalBiome. They performed a microbiome analysis on Marigold’s poop that revealed she was missing crucial bacteria that cats need in order to have good cat gut health. Within three days, Marigold’s diarrhea began to lessen, and within a week, she was having normal stools — something she hadn’t had in more than four years.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
The gut microbiome is the term used to describe the millions of microscopic living things inside every pet’s digestive tract. These tiny organisms help determine how your pet breaks down their food, and how well they absorb it. It can also affect things like brain function and your pet’s skin, coat and oral health. The food you feed your pet, the medications they take (like antibiotics), the environment — all influence the microbiome, among other factors.
Taking Care of Your Cat’s Gut Health
More than half of pets will suffer from a microbiome-related health condition at one point in their lives! Understanding and supporting your pet’s microbiome throughout their lives can help prevent:
- Digestive conditions like inflammatory bowel disease
- Skin conditions like atopic dermatitis
- Psychological conditions like separation anxiety and aggression
- Skin and coat issues, like itchiness, redness and dryness
- Food intolerances and allergies
- Lack of appetite, low body weight and obesity
- Poor oral health, including bad breath
A balanced healthy microbiome helps your pet:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Absorb crucial nutrients
- Improve mood
- Promote healthy skin and coat quality
- Support longevity
- Maintain a strong immune system
Testing Your Pet’s Microbiome
The best way to get an understanding of the condition of your cat’s gut health is to have their microbiome tested. Results are compared to healthy pets, so it is easy to see where (or whether) there might be room for improvement. When there is room for improvement, you receive specific suggestions on diet, supplements and lifestyle. These suggestions are easy changes you can make, can have a lasting impact on your cat’s gut health and might even relieve cat diarrhea causes.
Visit the Animal Biome website to learn more about their test kits, and how they can improve your cat’s gut health.
Watch Marigold’s story below!
