Cats are animals prone to suffering from gastrointestinal discomfort, as their digestive system may poorly tolerate certain ingredients. Have you noticed that your kitty has poor digestion and are you thinking about changing its diet to a healthier one? Today we’ll tell you what hypoallergenic cat food is and what the benefits of this type of diet are.
What is hypoallergenic cat food?
Gastrointestinal disorders are one of the main reasons that bring cats to the vet. In many cases, these problems are caused by an intolerance or allergic reaction to some component of their daily food: from the ingredients themselves to certain additives. To reduce the risk of this type of reaction, the best solution is to change the animal’s diet to hypoallergenic cat food. Hypoallergenic food is a diet that rarely causes allergies in the animal, as it uses a single source of animal protein and does not contain ingredients that often cause allergies in our little felines. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of allergen-free foods specially designed for cats with some type of food sensitivity.
What are the benefits of hypoallergenic cat food?
These are all the benefits that hypoallergenic cat food can offer your furry friend:
- Fewer allergies and intolerances. Hypoallergenic foods usually contain a single source of animal protein. This allows the diet to be adapted to each pet’s needs, significantly reducing the chances of developing an allergy or intolerance.
- Easy digestion. The high digestibility of this food supports gastrointestinal health, increases nutrient absorption, and reduces the workload of the digestive system.
- Skin and coat care. Hypoallergenic food contains optimal levels of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which, in addition to controlling allergic reactions, help strengthen the skin and coat of our cats.
- Hairball control. Hypoallergenic cat food is also usually rich in dietary fiber, which helps prevent the formation of hairballs and avoids intestinal blockages.
What characteristics should the best hypoallergenic cat food have?
If you want to choose the best hypoallergenic cat food, make sure it meets the following characteristics:
- It is made with quality proteins. The best hypoallergenic food is the one formulated with a single high-quality animal protein source: fish such as salmon or hake, or meats such as turkey, rabbit, and lamb.
- It does not include animal by-products. Carefully read the labels of cat foods and discard those that contain meat meals and other animal by-products. These are low-quality proteins that are harder for cats’ digestive systems to process.
- It uses highly digestible carbohydrates. Hypoallergenic cat food should contain digestible, light, and healthy carbohydrate sources. For example, potatoes and peas can be easily absorbed by our furry friends’ digestive systems.
Hypoallergenic cat food is a highly recommended option for cats that have suffered adverse reactions to certain types of food. This diet will help preserve your cat’s gastrointestinal health, as well as promote skin and coat care.
That said, we recommend that if your cat shows digestive discomfort or skin reactions, you take it to your trusted veterinarian as soon as possible. They will examine your pet and determine which type of food is most suitable.
