FAQ about cats

Generally, cats are fully grown when they reach 12 months of age. However, some of the bigger breeds of cats are only fully developed later. When the cat reaches one year of age it is advisable to switch from KITTEN to ADULT. If the kitten is neutered before one year of age, it is important to be aware that the energy requirements change and so the amount of food needs to be adjusted accordingly. However, one needs to be aware that the kitten is still growing even though it is neutered so it is highly recommended to keep feeding it KITTEN but just smaller amounts. 

From birth and throughout upbringing kittens need safety, love and attention. A safe environment gives the kitten the best possible conditions for learning and growing. Other than that, it is important that the kitten be fed according to its nutritional needs. The very rapid growth kittens experience in some periods can be very stressful for them. Other than that, the immune system in young kittens is not fully developed, thus the microbiome (microflora) can easily become imbalanced. ProBiotic LIVE ensures the kitten best nutritional conditions and supplies probiotic bacteria to help maintain a balanced microbiome and healthy digestion. This way the kitten is given the best possible conditions for a good start in life. 

Most cats are lactose-intolerant, which means they are allergic to the sugar found in milk from cows. Pictures of cats drinking milk or cream from a bowl are very misleading since regular milk usually causes diarrhoea in cats. Kittens need milk from their mother, but after weaning it is neither necessary nor natural for a kitten to drink anything but water. However, if the queen does not produce enough milk, it can be necessary to supplement with a specially formulated replacer for kittens.

Cats require certain nutrients through their food in order for their bodies to function. Therefore, most dog food will not be sufficient for cats, since the protein content is too low and the nutrients within the food are not adapted to fit the cat’s requirements. However, it is not harmful to a cat occasionally to eat a little dog food.

The rough surface of the tongue of cats predisposes them to ingest hairs when they groom themselves. When these hairs gather in the stomach of the cat they form hairballs, which are either thrown up or passed through the digestive system. If the cat ingests lots of hairs, they might have problems passing them through. By adding extra fibre to the food, a better passage of the hairballs is ensured, and the risk of constipation minimized.

If the cat has big problems with hairballs, it might be a good idea to brush it regularly and possibly supplement the feed with cat-malt or oil supplements to ease the passage of the hairballs. If the cat is supplemented with cat-malt on a daily basis, it is advisable to avoid products containing paraffin oil to minimize the risk of coating of the intestinal mucosa. All variants of LIVE CAT contain high volumes of salmon oil which aid in decreasing the formation of hairballs and is, therefore, a good choice for cats with hairball-problems.

Yes, all variants of ProBiotic LIVE CAT aid to keep the pH of the urine between 6.0 and 6.5. By keeping the pH stable in this area, the risk of forming urinary crystals and infections is minimized. 

Changing a cat’s diet to ProBiotic LIVE does not require a gradual transition. The containment of probiotics ensures optimal digestion from day one.

Yes, older, neutered or inactive cats may have a tendency to become overweight. Overweight must be avoided at all costs since obesity in cats has the same consequences as seen in humans. Increased risk of joint problems, diabetes or problems with the heart are some of the consequences associated with obesity. It is important that cats not be starved because this leads to a potential risk of developing life-threatening liver disease. Therefore, it is important to change your feeding of the cat instead of trying to get it to lose weight by starving it.

LIVE ADULT NEUTERED contains the same good nutrients as ADULT LAMB only with a lower calorie content; hence ADULT NEUTERED is the optimal choice for the older cat who is not as active or the neutered cat with a tendency to overweight. 

As cats grow older many changes within the organ systems happen. These changes are important to keep in mind when choosing feed for your senior cat, thus it is important to choose a high-quality food to ensure your senior cat gets all of the nutrients it needs. The most important thing to make sure is that health and optimal weight is maintained, thus at the same time prevent or relieve any obvious signs of ageing.

Because of abovementioned factors, food for senior cats should contain a lower quantum of calories, seeing as older cats are usually less active than they used to be. It is also advisable to feed older cats a minimum of two carefully measured meals a day to prevent obesity. In some cases, it can also be beneficial to add a feed supplement to take into account any special needs e.g. concerning diseases.   

Because of the containment of probiotics, it is possible to alternate between the ADULT variants without mixing the food for a few days. When changing from KITTEN to ADULT it is advisable to mix in the ADULT with the KITTEN gradually over the course of two weeks. 

The reason for this is, that if the content of protein is increased and the amount of fat is decreased at the same time, better metabolism is achieved. Protein and carbohydrates contain almost the same amount of energy, whereas fat contains 2-3 times as much. Hence, if the amounts of fat are reduced, it is possible to add extra amounts of protein, without increasing the total energy/calorie content of the food.

Studies have shown that increasing the protein content of a food has a beneficial effect on the metabolism because metabolizing proteins requires more energy than metabolizing carbohydrates. Increased satiety is also achieved by increasing the consumption of proteins. 

Other than abovementioned, there is also a difference between which “products” protein, fat and carbohydrates are converted into. If the cat receives more fat than it needs according to its energy requirements, the excessive fat is accumulated as depots of energy within the body. The same thing applies to carbohydrates. Protein on the other hand is broken down into amino acids, is part of the formation/conservation of muscles, and are accumulated in these. Hence, by increasing the protein content the risk of overweight is decreased. 

When cats are neutered their metabolism is rapidly decreased, and it is very important to adjust the amount of food given to the cat accordingly. Overweight must be avoided at all costs since obesity in cats has the same consequences as seen in humans. Increased risk of joint problems, diabetes or problems with the heart are some of the consequences associated with obesity.

Some of the factors to be aware of are the fact that neutered cats often are less active; hence, their energy requirements are not as high. If the cat previously has had unlimited access to food, feeding it measured meals instead is advisable, because unlimited access to food might result in the cat eating more than it actually needs. Other than that making the cat work for the food by placing it up high is also a good idea. This way the cat is forced to move in order to get something to eat.

Cats with diarrhoea require an easily digested diet and nutrients that are absorbed well. By using ProBiotic LIVE one ensures these requirements are met. Other than that, the addition of probiotics quickly helps to restore the normal balance in the intestinal system, hereby aiding to a quick recovery.

There can be many causes as to why a cat stops eating. It can be signs of disease, but can also be because the food has not been stored correctly, or simply that the cat does not like a new taste or brand. Some types of pet food are not produced from an exact recipe, which means the taste of the food can vary from sack to sack. This is not the case with ProBiotic LIVE, because it is produced after the same recipe every time. This ensures the same quality and taste in every sack. Other than that, all kibbles are coated with salmon oil, which also helps to improve the palatability even for very choosy cats.

If you choose a diet from a high-quality assortment like ProBiotic LIVE the difference between wet and dry food is not very crucial for your cat's health and nutrition. When it comes to food for kittens, usually there is no difference between the two when it comes to the nutritional value. However, there are pros and cons to both types of food. The transition from milk to solid food can sometimes be smoothened by mixing the dry food in with some wet food, to begin with. Cats should not be fed only wet food though, because they need to use their teeth in order to prevent tartar from forming. Besides, feeding your cat dry food is often more economical than feeding it wet food. 

Throughout evolution, cats have gotten used to eating relatively large amounts of meat, and since cats are carnivores, they depend on meat as a protein source in their food. Cats require extra nutrients compared to dogs because there are several nutrients cats cannot form themselves, e.g. Vitamin A and several amino acids. Cats require meat in their food in order for the protein content to be sufficient and for them to receive the nutrients they need, so opposite dogs, cats cannot live as vegetarians.