The feline gut microbiome plays a critical role in health and wellbeing, with diet, stress, and medication all affecting microbial communities.
The gut-brain axis in cats means that gut microbiome disruption can affect mood, stress responses, and behavior alongside digestive function. Cats with dysbiosis (imbalanced microbiome) experience chronic gastrointestinal discomfort that affects their quality of life and behavior. Antibiotic use, while sometimes necessary, causes microbiome disruption that may take weeks to months to resolve. Probiotic supplementation following antibiotic treatment supports microbiome recovery. The welfare implications of microbiome health extend beyond digestive comfort to affect the whole animal - a healthy microbiome supports immune function, mood regulation, and general wellbeing.