Feline gut microbiome research is revealing connections between digestive health and overall wellbeing. Understanding the gut-brain connection informs better nutritional and welfare decisions for cats.
Feline gut health is increasingly recognized as central to overall welfare rather than isolated digestive function. The gut-brain axis means digestive health affects behavior, mood, and stress responses. Chronic gastrointestinal issues including inflammatory bowel disease cause ongoing discomfort and affect quality of life significantly. Diet quality, stress management, and appropriate antibiotic use all influence gut microbiome health. Minimizing unnecessary antibiotic courses, feeding species-appropriate high-quality diets, and managing environmental stress support gut health. When GI disease is diagnosed, multimodal management addressing diet, stress, and underlying inflammation produces better welfare outcomes than single-mode treatment.