The gut microbiome of cats plays an increasingly recognised role in health and behaviour, with implications for dietary management and welfare across the lifespan.
Microbiome science is changing understanding of feline welfare beyond traditional disease categories. Chronic gastrointestinal problems in cats are extremely common and significantly affect quality of life through discomfort, altered food intake and owner-cat relationship stress. Understanding that these problems often involve microbiome imbalance opens new management approaches beyond conventional medication. Dietary management targeting microbiome health - including appropriate fibre levels and novel protein sources - is increasingly evidence-based in feline gastroenterology.