Are there any benefits to giving probiotics to my cat? Are they safe? I want to make sure my cat is as healthy as she can be.
Research into the effectiveness of probiotics on a cat's well-being as well as specific health problems hasn't been conclusive, although some studies have shown positive effects, according to an article in the May issue of Catnip.
Probiotics are "live bacteria" that live in the colon and balance the "bad bacteria" that can cause gastrointestinal distress. New York veterinarian Arnold Plotnick, author of the Catnip article, says good and bad bacteria exist in a "delicate balance." When the balance is disturbed, the number of bad bacteria increases, which leads to an upset tummy and flatulence.
The upside of probiotics, Plotnick explains, is related to how they affect the immune response to prevent inflammation in the intestines. Some studies about the effects of probiotics in healthy animals have revealed positive outcomes, although nothing specifically disease-related. As to whether probiotics are safe, the studies haven't shown any "major negative effects" so they shouldn't be harmful.
Plotnick, who specializes in feline care at Manhattan Cat Specialists in New York, says he has treated cats with acute gastrointestinal problems (such as severe diarrhea) with probiotics. "Some cats respond dramatically, while others show minimal improvement." He notes that he puts the cats on a prescription diet at the same time they're taking probiotics, which makes it hard to know which thing is helping the cat.
Sometimes probiotics are useful in preventing the messier side effects of antibiotics, he says, but the evidence is anecdotal rather than scientific.
The takeaway from all of this is that probiotics won't hurt your cat although they may not help. But if you want to give your cat probiotics, you should get them directly from the veterinarian. Your cat needs feline probiotics; products intended for humans are not appropriate. Plotnick says the two products safe for cats are FortiFlora and Bene-Bac.
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Any cat owner likely will tell you that he or she can read a cat's mood simply by looking at its facial expression. There hasn't been much research on the topic, but now cat owners will have the opportunity to participate in a study to provide proof positive of their beliefs.
Georgia Mason, a researcher at the University of Guelph in Ontario, is developing an online survey to determine how well people are able to assess negative and positive emotions in cats, according to neurosciencenews.com.
For the survey, people will be asked to watch video clips featuring close-ups of cat faces shot in a variety of positive and negative situations. The study focuses solely on visual clues so any sounds such as hissing, growling and meowing have been removed. After seeing the videos, participants will be asked for their opinions of the cats' emotions.
Anyone who wants to participate should keep an eye out for it at catdogwelfare.wixsite.com/catfaces.
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If you're not on Twitter, you may have missed social media's fascination with #catsquare. The hashtag designation typically accompanies photos people have taken of their cats sitting in squares of tape marked on floors. The photos are supposed to prove that cats are irresistibly drawn to the squares.
Feline behaviorist Nicholas Dodman at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University says in a post at blogs.discovermagazine.com that it's only natural for cats to plop themselves down in the middle of squares of tape. After all, cats feel safe and secure in small, clearly defined spaces.
Close contact with the walls of a box, for example, re-creates the calming contact of their kitten days when they snuggled with their mother and littermates. A taped spot on the floor doesn't provide the comfort of a real box, but must give cats some sense of security or they wouldn't be attracted to them.
You can test the theory yourself by creating a tape square on the floor for cat. When your cat sits in the square, don't forget to snap a photo and tweet or post it with #catsquare.
Family on 04/26/2017