Last updated Mar 23, 2023
Medically reviewed by
The best probiotics for cats combine efficacy, quality control, and palatability. They’re made by reputable companies and grounded in the latest research. That’s why we’ve chosen FullBucket Health’s probiotic blend as the overall best probiotic supplement for cats.
Featuring a thoroughly researched probiotic strain with prebiotic and enzyme support, this supplement is intended to support your cat’s digestive health and overall wellbeing.
But with limited customer reviews and a high price, this probiotic supplement isn’t for every cat. To help you find the right probiotic for your cat, we’ve also included nine more of the best probiotics on the market.
At a Glance: Best Probiotics for Cats on the Market Today
Want a quick look at the products reviewed in this article? We’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
FullBucket Health Daily Cat
- Synergized with prebiotics for maximum efficacy
- Easy-to-administer powder format
- A well-known and popular supplement
Feline Prime
- 2 billion CFUs and five strains
- Easy-to-administer powder formula
- Contains beef bone broth
PetHonesty Natural Digestive Supplement for Dogs & Cats
- Powdered supplement is easy to administer
- Naturally flavored with chicken and fish
- 5 billion CFUs per 1-gram scoop
Fortiflora Nutritional Supplement for Cats
- Good for inappetent cats
- Contains a well-documented and well-researched strain of beneficial bacteria
- A well-known product with thousands of authentic customer reviews
Pet Naturals Daily Probiotic Cat Chews
- Easy-to-administer soft chew
- Contains probiotics and prebiotics
- Affordably priced around $0.20 per chew
Benebac Plus Probiotic Pet Gel
- Ideal for kittens
- Dial-a-dose syringes are easy to use
- Relatively affordable
NOW Acidophilus 8 Billion
- Made for humans, which usually translates to higher quality control standards
- One of the most affordable probiotic supplements you can buy
- Contains three beneficial strains
NOW Saccharomyces boulardii
- S. boulardii is one of the most well-researched probiotics
- Ideal for cats with diarrhea
- A human-grade probiotic, which suggests higher quality standards
FERA Probiotics for Dogs and Cats
- Contains a diverse array of probiotic strains
- Meets the USDA’s organic standards
- Formulated by a veterinarian
Nutramax Proviable-DC Capsules Digestive Supplement for Cats & Dogs
- Individually packaged to stay fresh between uses
- One capsule contains 5 billion CFUs
- May help relieve occasional loose stools and digestive upset
Why Should You Trust Us?
To find the top 10 best probiotics for cats, I’ve examined product listings, consulted with experts, read customer reviews, browsed cat health forums, and dived into scientific publications and resources like the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the NIH’s in-depth report on probiotics.
And because the probiotics space is plagued by fake customer reviews, I put the reviews’ veracity to the test on FakeSpot.com.
Do Cats Need Probiotics?
Probiotics can benefit cats, but is there a historical or evolutionary precedent for feline probiotic consumption?
Like all animals, your cat’s natural prey has their own microbiome, which is the population of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi) that live inside the body and on the skin. So, that tasty meal consisting of a fresh mouse or bird comes with a variety of both good and bad bacteria. What’s more, a bite-size pocket of fermenting plant matter and microorganisms is built into every meal.
Externally, prey animals have feathers, hair, teeth, claws, and other indigestible animal tissue. For a carnivore, this may serve a purpose similar to plant fiber. Fiber is a prebiotic, helping to promote probiotic activity in the gut and move food through the gut.
Just as humans have been eating probiotic-rich fermented foods for thousands of years, so have cats historically consumed probiotic material. This suggests that a modern-day diet lacks the beneficial organisms found in a cat’s natural prey. Unfortunately, a modern-day diet lacks the beneficial organisms found in a cat’s natural prey.
Here’s How Probiotics Can Help
You’ve probably heard some of the grandiose claims made by probiotic peddlers.
- MaryRuth’s Liquid Probiotics for Cats “Provides defense from emotional and physiological stressors”.
- PremoPet’s Premo Probiotic for Cats “will even cut LITTERBOX SMELL!”
- According to the product’s Amazon listing, iDash’s probiotic supplement “strengthens bones and muscles”.
In reality, the microbiome and its relationship with the gastrointestinal tract, immune system, and every other part of the body, is impossibly complex. It’s logical to anticipate benefits from tossing extra bugs into the billions already populating the body, but we don’t know precisely how far those benefits go.
Given the importance of the microbiome, it’s plausible that probiotics could have an impact on emotional health, bone and muscle strength, and other aspects of general health, but these benefits are little more than hypothetical at this stage.
Researchers have only scratched the surface of the human microbiome, and we know even less about the feline microbiome.
Cats can definitely benefit from probiotic supplementation, especially if they are suffering from diarrhea or other forms of digestive distress. If your cat has inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), probiotic supplementation should be part of your treatment plan.
Probiotics for IBS, IBD, and General GI Problems
Because probiotics both promote a healthy community of microorganisms and stabilize barriers in the digestive tract, they can protect the body from inflammatory substances, help the microbiota to flourish after antibiotic therapy, and aid in recovery after digestive disturbances.
According to several controlled trials, probiotic supplementation can reduce food’s transit time through the GI tract, improve stool consistency, and increase stool frequency. This means that in addition to reducing diarrhea, probiotics can treat constipation.
Probiotics for Immune Function
Certain genes and compounds derived from probiotics mediate immunoregulatory effects, enhancing innate immunity (the body’s first line of defense against foreign invaders) and modulating inflammation. Therefore, probiotics can help cats with immune-related diseases like allergies or infections.
Probiotics for Chronic Kidney Disease
IIn chronic kidney disease (CKD), the kidneys have reduced ability to detoxify the body. Instead of being filtered out in the kidneys, bacteria and endotoxins (toxins released by bacteria) have no choice but to enter the gut. Theoretically, probiotic supplementation can perform a sort of “enteric dialysis”, doing in the gut what the kidneys can no longer do.
Cats with kidney disease are often given a synergized prebiotic and probiotic called Azodyl as part of their diet. Azodyl is marketed specifically for these cats and, according to some research, can help to move toxins and bacteria out of the gut and bloodstream, helping your cat to feel better.
Azodyl’s efficacy is unclear, but it doesn’t hurt your cat. And when they’re suffering from a chronic illness like CKD, there’s no harm in trying it out. Probiotics can increase an overall sense of wellbeing, which is definitely a good thing for CKD kitties and every cat.
Probiotics for Cats on Antibiotics
Antibiotics can wipe out both good and bad bacteria. Regular doses of a probiotic supplement help to rebuild the friendly populations destroyed during antibiotic therapy.
Probiotics and antibiotics can be friends if you give them to your cat together. You don’t have to wait until antibiotic therapy is complete. Instead, give your cat a probiotic a few hours before or after each antibiotic treatment. Your veterinarian can give you guidance on how to time giving probiotics during antibiotic treatment.
How Do You Choose Probiotics for Your Cat?
Seek Out Bacterial Species With a Reputation for Effectiveness
Currently, the only way you can do this is through a fecal transplant. Because the feces are taken from a healthy animal of the same species, fecal transplants represent the full range of microbiota found in the feline gut.
Instead of expecting humans to figure out exactly what’s going on inside of your cat’s gut and replicate it, this transplant allows us to draw out what is there, named or nameless, and move it from one cat to another.
Probiotic supplements lack this sophistication.
Because we don’t know enough about the feline microbiome to create this dream supplement, most people opt for the shotgun approach and select the probiotic with the most strains.
Remember that you’re introducing living organisms to your cat’s inner ecosystem, and like any other ecosystem, your cat’s microbiome is competitive. If you attempt to colonize with too many species, competition and dilution could result. Furthermore, it’s likely that you’re getting only a small amount of each strain and therefore not getting the full therapeutic effect of each strain.
Look for probiotics made with several thoroughly-researched species and strains.
Don’t underestimate the importance of probiotic viability. Colony forming units (CFUs) are a measure of that viability, indicating the number of live and active bacteria per probiotic dose.
Remember that when you buy a probiotic supplement, you’re not buying capsules of inert white or tan powder. You’re buying a jar of tiny bugs. Unless handled with care, the rigors of storage and transport will kill them before they reach their would-be home inside your cat’s body.
When Labdoor performed microbiological testing on 37 of the United States’ best-selling probiotics, they found that: “Total viable bacteria ranged from 0% to 308% of the products’ stated label claims.”
Dead bugs aren’t as beneficial as live ones, so you need to ensure that you’re getting well-handled, humanely treated probiotics.
Without the ability to test a probiotic supplement in a lab, that’s hard to do.
Instead, Let the Product’s Reputation Tell You Part of the Story.
While these factors are no guarantee of quality, human-grade products and those with the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) quality seal may be more likely to live up to the promises on the label.
It’s Also Important To Make Sure That Your Probiotics Are Stored Correctly.
While some—including yeast and freeze-dried probiotics in tablets or capsules—stay fresh on the shelf, other probiotics require refrigeration to stay fresh. If you buy a probiotic that needs to be refrigerated, make sure that it’s stored under refrigeration and shipped as quickly as possible.
Will the Milk Test Tell Me Whether or Not the Probiotics Are Alive?
This test involves mixing a probiotic supplement with milk, letting it sit for 24 hours, and observing whether or not the milk ferments into yogurt. If the milk goes sour and creamy, the probiotics are deemed viable. If not, they’re pronounced dead.
While the test is a valuable indicator of viability in certain probiotic strains, it’s not universally reliable. Not all probiotic strains ferment milk and some non-probiotic additives do. Coatings and supplement format may also impede the bacteria’s ability to ferment milk.
You Can’t Always Trust Customer Reviews
Reviews of probiotics are generally less trustworthy than those of other products. Here’s why—charlatans love supplements.
Whether health supplements are peddled for cats or humans, their purported benefits are usually vague, making those benefits easy to exaggerate and hard to refute. And because probiotics are so little understood but so full of potential, it’s easy to make bold claims without pushback.
Gushy reviews may be a reflection of a great-quality product, but they could be deceptive.
Before adding any product to our list of top probiotics, I checked its trust score on FakeSpot to ensure that the positive reviews were trustworthy. When doing your own shopping, this is always a good idea, especially when shopping for something pushed as panacea.
Can Cats Use Human Probiotics?
Everything we know about probiotics for cats is based on our experience with humans and other animals.
Buying probiotics for pets doesn’t mean that you’re getting a mix of strains that’s targeted to the feline microbiome, because people don’t know enough about the feline microbiome to create such a supplement.
Therefore, feline-specific probiotics aren’t necessarily better for your cat than a supplement packaged for humans. In fact, human-oriented products often give you better quality for a lower price.
Cat-specific probiotics, however, have an advantage in the flavor department. This brings us to our next point.
Look For Palatable, Easy-To-Feed Probiotics.
Probiotics come in a variety of forms. You can get them in pills, powders, and liquids. Pet probiotics may be flavored with animal digest, which is made from hydrolyzed animal tissue and is incredibly tasty to cats. If you’ve ever given your cat a Temptations treat, you’ll know how much cats love this flavor additive.
Are There Any Side Effects and How Much Should You Give Your Cat?
For healthy cats, side effects are rare. If your cat has a weak system, probiotics could overwhelm them and make them feel sick or, in rare cases, develop an infection. There are no official dosing guidelines for cats, but it’s recommended that you give your cat a supplement guaranteed at between 1 billion and 5 billion CFU’s each day.
Top 10 Best Probiotics for Cats
All of the following probiotics meet our standards for safety, viability, and effectiveness.
#1 Overall Best: FullBucket Health Daily Cat
- Format: Powder
- CFUs per Serving: 2.5 billion
- Number of Strains: 1
- Typical Cost Per Day: $0.98
Formulated for daily maintenance, this supplement is a 4-in-1 probiotic powder that supports your cat’s health by aiding in the digestion of nutrients and the formation of a healthy gut microbiome.
Each 87g tub contains about 30 servings, or a one-month supply for adult cats and a two-month supply for kittens. The formula is all-natural, made without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. The only inactive ingredient is flaxseed meal.
The key ingredient in this probiotic blend is microencapsulated Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in a dosage of at least 2.5 billion CFU per serving. It’s worth noting, however, that while S. cerevisiae is listed due to restrictions on pet product labeling, the specific strain in use is Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii (S. boulardii). The two strains are nearly identical at the molecular level and S. boulardii is a yeast-based probiotic, the digestive benefits of which are supported by a wealth of scientific research.
In addition to probiotics, this daily supplement also contains prebiotics to support microflora balance in the gut, L-glutamine for gastrointestinal health, and digestive enzymes to promote nutrient absorption.
Pros
- Contains both prebiotics and probiotics for gut health
- Includes digestive enzymes to boost nutrient absorption
- Easy-to-administer powder formula
- Microencapsulated to protect probiotics from heat and moisture
Cons
- Can be expensive if used twice daily
- Some cats may not like the flavor
#2 Runner Up: Feline Prime
- Format: Powder
- CFUs per Serving: 2 billion
- Number of Strains: 5
- Typical Cost per Day: $2.33/day
This probiotic-enzyme blend from Dr. Marty is a powdered supplement designed to support gut health. By restoring balance in your cat’s digestive tract, this supplement may help resolve common digestive issues like smelly stools, diarrhea, and constipation as well as other concerns like skin problems and bad breath.
Each jar contains 30 servings of powered supplement which can be mixed directly into your cat’s food.
Each serving contains roughly 2 billion CFUs of the following five probiotic strains:
- Bacillus coagulans
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium lactis
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Lactobacillus plantarum
In addition to these probiotics, Feline Prime contains a number of natural enzymes such as protease, amylase, and lipase. While enzymes like these may help reduce diarrhea and other digestive symptoms, your cat’s body already produces them in significant amounts.
The probiotics in this supplement are more likely to benefit your cat’s digestion than these enzymes.
While Feline Prime contains plenty of ingredients to boost your cat’s digestion, it is one of the more expensive supplements on this list. Priced over $2.00/day it may not be in every cat owner’s budget.
Pros
- Contains 2 billion CFUs of cat-friendly probiotics
- Supplemented with bone broth and fiber to boost digestion
- Easy-to-administer powdered form
Cons
- Fairly expensive per day
- May increase digestive symptoms at first
#3 Best Premium: PetHonesty Natural Digestive Supplement for Dogs & Cats
- Format: Powder
- CFUs per Serving: 5 billion
- Number of Strains: 10
- Typical Cost Per Day: $0.45
Formulated with 5 billion CFUs of probiotics per 1-scoop serving, this supplement also contains active dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) which has been shown to deliver prebiotic support for gut microbiota. The powdered formula makes it easy to sprinkle over or mix into your cat’s food and it is naturally flavored with chicken liver and heart digest to appeal to your cat’s carnivorous palate.
This probiotic contains a blend of the following bacteria strains:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus fermentum
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Lactobacillus reuteri
- Enterococcus lactis
Unlike many pet supplements, this probiotic from PetHonesty is free from chemical fillers, harsh preservatives, and artificial colors or flavors. The recommended serving is one 1-gram scoop twice a day for cats over six months which combines for a total of 10 billion CFUs per day.
Pros
- Powdered supplement is easy to administer
- Naturally flavored with chicken and fish
- 5 billion CFUs per 1-gram scoop
Cons
- Fairly expensive per day
#4 Best Probiotic For Cats With A Loss Of Appetite: Fortiflora Nutritional Supplement for Cats Review
- Format: Powder
- CFUs per Serving: 100 million
- Number of Strains: 1
- Typical Cost Per Day: $1.03
This best-selling probiotic supplement is commonly recommended by veterinarians and is probably the first product people think of when discussing probiotics made for cats. Fortiflora is different from other probiotics in several respects.
First of all, it doesn’t contain the multiple strains that we typically look for. Instead, each sachet contains 100 million CFUs of a single species of bacteria—Enterococcus faecium. Because E. faecium has well-known benefits for cats and dogs suffering from digestive issues, it is recommended for cats with diarrhea or other digestive problems. It can also promote healthy immune function.
Also, this probiotic is made with hydrolyzed animal tissue, a crazy-concentrated flavor additive that drives cats wild. For this reason, Fortiflora is well-known as an appetite stimulant and widely used among cats with kidney disease and consequent loss of appetite.
Some rail against animal digest, saying that it’s made from animal ingredients of unknown quality. This is true—we don’t know what animals went into this flavor juice. There’s a chance that the animals used aren’t of the quality you’d prefer. However, you need not worry that the animal digest will irritate your cat’s allergies. Hydrolysis renders animal proteins non-allergenic, so that’s not a concern.
Pros
- Good for inappetent cats
- Contains a well-documented and well-researched strain of beneficial bacteria
- A well-known product with thousands of authentic customer reviews
- Comes in easy-to-serve packets of powder
Cons
- Expensive
- Contains just one probiotic species
- Relatively low CFUs
#5 Best Probiotic Chew: Pet Naturals Daily Probiotic Cat Chews
- Format: Soft chew
- CFUs per Serving: 120 million
- Number of Strains: 1
- Typical Cost Per Day: $0.20
Probiotic soft chews don’t typically contain as many CFUs per serving as powdered supplements but they’re a convenient alternative for cats who won’t accept powder. These duck-flavored soft chews from Pet Naturals contain 120 million CFUs of Bacillus coagulans in each 1-piece serving.
In addition to probiotics, these soft chews contain prebiotic fibers to help support healthy gut flora. It’s worth noting that high-fiber plant ingredients like oat flour, rice flour, rye flour, and barley flour add to the carb content of the chews, but the serving size is so small that it won’t contribute significantly to your cat’s overall diet.
The recommended serving size for this product is one 1.2-gram soft chew per day.
Pros
- Easy-to-administer soft chew
- Contains probiotics and prebiotics
- Affordably priced around $0.20 per chew
Cons
- Lower in CFUs than powdered supplements
- High carbohydrate content
#6 Best Probiotic Gel For Cats And Kittens: Benebac Plus Probiotic Pet Gel Review
- Format: Gel
- CFUs per Serving: 20 million/g
- Number of Strains: 7
- Typical Cost Per Day: $0.63/g
This well-known probiotic gel contains seven beneficial microorganisms. Each gram of gel contains 20 million CFUs of viable bacteria. It’s recommended that adult cats take 1 gram for every 10 pounds of body weight.
This probiotic gel contains seven species of beneficial bacteria:
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus fermentum
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Enterococcus faecium
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Pediococcus acidilactici
The gel syringe is a good choice for cats who cannot or will not take probiotics in their food, like kittens who are bottle feeding. Because these kittens don’t receive an inoculation of bacteria from their mother’s milk, a probiotic supplement can help support the growth of good GI bacteria.
The gel is guaranteed viable for 1 year after the date of manufacture printed on the package.
Pros
- Ideal for kittens
- Dial-a-dose syringes are easy to use
- Relatively affordable
- Made with the prebiotic FOS
- Well-known and respected
Cons
- Contains artificial color
- Some cats won’t like the syringe application
- Relatively low CFUs
#7 Best Budget: NOW Acidophilus 8 Billion
- Format: Capsules
- CFUs per Serving: 8 billion
- Number of Strains: 3
- Typical Cost per Day: $0.06/day
If you want to get a top-quality probiotic at an affordable price, skip the pet department. Human probiotics contain the same organisms and are often more tightly-regulated than supplements for pets.
With each capsule delivering 8 billion CFUs of some of the best-known probiotic species, this supplement packs a probiotic punch.
The formula contains the following species:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Bifidobacterium lactis
At $14.00 for 120 capsules, this is one of the best values on the market. Most cats will only need half of a capsule per day.
Pros
- Made for humans, which usually translates to higher quality control standards
- One of the most affordable probiotic supplements you can buy
- Contains three beneficial strains
Cons
- Almost all reviews are from people using it for themselves, not giving the probiotic to their cats
#8 Best For Diarrhea: NOW Saccharomyces boulardii
- Format: Capsules
- CFUs per Serving: 5 billion
- Number of Strains: 1
- Typical Cost per Day: $0.15/day
If your cat has diarrhea—whether chronic or acute—S. boulardii is the probiotic to use. This probiotic yeast has a long history of treating and preventing diarrhea in both people and cats.
This NOW probiotic is sold for people, but it’s a good solution for cats who need a concentrated dose of S. boulardii. Each capsule contains 5 billion CFUs, giving your cat a beneficial dose of the probiotic yeast.
Pros
- S. boulardii is one of the most well-researched probiotics
- Ideal for cats with diarrhea
- A human-grade probiotic, which suggests higher quality standards
Cons
- Nothing
#9 Best Organic Probiotic: FERA Probiotics for Dogs and Cats
- Format: Powder
- CFUs per Serving: 5 billion
- Number of Strains: 12
- Typical Cost per Day: $0.33/day
In addition to being a well-rounded probiotic supplement with a diverse mix of beneficial bacteria and yeast, this supplement has a couple of certifications that set it apart from the rest. It’s USDA-certified organic and has earned the NASC’s quality seal. The formula was created by a veterinarian.
Each serving gives your cat 5 billion CFUs of the following twelve strains:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus casei
- Saccharomyces boulardii
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Bifidobacterium infantis
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Enterococcus faecium
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Streptococcus thermophilus
The probiotics are synergized with prebiotics for optimal performance.
Pros
- Contains a diverse array of probiotic strains
- Meets the USDA’s organic standards
- Formulated by a veterinarian
- Synergized with the prebioticsFOS and inulin
Cons
- Slightly more expensive than some similar probiotic supplements
#10 Best For Short-Term Treatment: Nutramax Proviable-DC Capsules Digestive Supplement for Cats & Dogs
- Format: Capsules
- CFUs per Serving: 5 billion
- Number of Strains: 7
- Typical Cost per Day: $0.50/day
Probiotic supplements for cats can help manage the symptoms of chronic digestive issues but some cats simply don’t need daily, long-term treatment. A short-term course of probiotics can help relieve digestive upset linked to dietary changes, stress, or occasional loose stool. These probiotic capsules are individually packaged so they stay fresh until you need them.
The following species appear in the capsules:
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Enterococcus faecium
- Enterococcus thermophilus
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus plantarum
Each capsule contains 5 billion CFUs to help restore your cat’s healthy intestinal balance. The product also contains pectin and kaolin to help firm up loose stool and soothe the digestive tract. To administer, simply open the capsule and sprinkle the powder over your cat’s food.
Pros
- Individually packaged to stay fresh between uses
- One capsule contains 5 billion CFUs
- May help relieve occasional loose stools and digestive upset
Cons
- Some cats seem to dislike the flavor
Cultivating Healthy Gut Flora
Once you’ve chosen the best probiotic for your cat, remember that creating a healthy microbiome takes more than supplementation alone. Instead, take a holistic approach by feeding your cat a diet that promotes good bacteria growth and discourages the growth of bad bacteria.
Here are some other tips for cultivating a healthy gut flora in your cat:
- Avoid excessive antibiotic therapy. If antibiotics are prescribed, ensure that they are appropriate for the given condition and target the culprit bacteria. Your veterinarian would need to do some extra testing to identify the culprit bacteria and determine which antibiotic would be most effective.
- Feed a diverse diet of varied whole foods. Multiple sources of animal protein can help to encourage a varied gut flora.
- Play with your cat and encourage them to exercise. Some studies have shown that physical activity may alter gut bacteria and improve gut health in humans.
- Avoid cat food that contains added sugars. Sugar isn’t only unnecessary in your cat’s food— a 2012 study suggested that it can promote unhealthy gut bacteria growth.
Take your cat for regular veterinary checkups. This will help your vet keep a close watch on your cat’s overall health and monitor your cat’s specific health issues.
I have a cat diagnosed with IBD. Which probiotic is best? Also, what Food do you recommend?
Hi Sara,
Any of the probiotics on this list could help your cat with IBD. You’ll probably want to go with the powdered probiotics or pearls rather than the Benebac gel, since it doesn’t sound like your cat is otherwise sick or inappetent. Other than that, they’re all good options.
From what I’ve gathered, IBD cats benefit from eating as close to a prey model diet as possible. This may mean a raw diet, a home cooked diet, or a simple meat-based canned food.
If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading our article on the best cat food for IBD:
https://cats.com/best-cat-food-for-ibd
It goes into depth on the relationship between IBD and diet and lists our top 5 foods for cats with this condition.
Hope this helps!
– Mallory
Hi I have a cat with IBD who suffers from vomiting and constipation, which probiotic would work best to treat his condition?
He has been taking Petdophilus for almost two years and it worked great to keep him regular; but now he’s starting to get constipated again.
Hello Gilda. I would recommend any broad-spectrum, high-CFU probiotic supplement—Dr. Mercola’s Complete Probiotics powder is one promising option.
My cat has idiopathic hypercalcaemia. Would taking probiotics help reduce calcium levels in her blood? If yes, which brand would be best choice?
Thanks
Kim
Hi Kim,
Hypercalcemia isn’t something I’m very familiar with, but I did a little research. It doesn’t appear that probiotic supplementation can help much, though I did find a couple mentions of probiotics having the potential to promote healthy vitamin K2 synthesis. Vitamin K2 carboxylates proteins that help to bind calcium to the bone and leads it away from the blood and other unwanted areas of the body. Vitamin K2 is synthesized by the body’s intestinal flora. If that flora is imbalanced, vitamin K2 production will be impacted. A wide-spectrum probiotic might help to balance the gut flora and promote healthy vitamin K2 production. Because it has a wide variety of probiotic strains, the Hyperbiotics probiotic listed as our top pick should serve well for this purpose.
Overall, however, probiotic supplementation doesn’t appear to be a promising treatment for hypercalcemia at this time. A veterinarian can probably give you more advice and help you to find a treatment plan that works for your cat.
Hope this helped and that you find more answers soon!
Best,
Mallory
Thanks Mallory.
What about digestive enzymes? I understand that fibre in this is better for cats than plant fibre in Metamucil or bene fibre. My vet has only recommended putting more fibre in my cat’s diet but this hasn’t helped. Then I read about animal fibre from the fur, feathers, etc. of natural prey is better for cats. Ant help you can provide would be appreciated.
Kim
Hi Kim,
I haven’t heard of any connection between digestive enzymes and hypercalcemia. They might help and they might not. People can’t agree on what supplemental enzymes do for digestion, much less calcium absorption.
As you mentioned, fiber like that found in Metamucil or Benefiber isn’t a natural part of the feline diet. A cat’s natural diet is around 0.55% fiber, and almost all of it comes from the GI tracts of their prey.
Feathers, fur, cartilage, etc approximate fiber in the sense that they’re fermentable and have some of the same effects as fermentable fiber, but they aren’t true fiber and function differently in the intestine. How, exactly, does “animal fiber” affect a carnivore’s health and how does it compare to plant fiber? Again, no one really knows! The benefits of fermentable animal tissues are exciting and interesting, but also under-researched and not very well understood.
While some cats have success with high-fiber diets to control hypercalcemia, it’s unclear whether or not a diet containing indigestible animal tissues will produce the same results. Since your cat hasn’t benefitted from the added fiber so far, added animal-sourced fiber substitutes might not be the answer, either.
All this being said, has your veterinarian talked to you about the acidity of your cat’s diet?
Apparently, feline hypercalcemia wasn’t reported until 1999, after acidifiers became popular as a struvite crystal preventative.
Commercial cat food has historically been too alkaline, meaning that cats tended to develop struvite urinary crystals. Cat food manufacturers realized this and started adding acidifiers like DL-methionine, phosphoric acid, and ammonium chloride. Struvite crystals became less common, but cases of calcium oxalate crystals—which form in an overly acidic environment—started cropping up more and more. Guess what also became more common? Hypercalcemia.
Avoiding acidifiers may help. You might also want to control levels of vitamin D and calcium and avoid any magnesium-restricted diets. All of these special requirements may mean that you’ll need to opt for a specially-balanced homemade diet, preferably formulated by a trusted veterinary nutritionist.
If you haven’t already, you should read this article from endocrine vet Dr. Mark E. Peterson:
https://endocrinevet.blogspot.com/2012/11/nutritional-management-of-idiopathic.html
The article goes over the pros and cons of several nutritional management plans and concludes with Dr. Peterson’s preferred diet plan for cats with hypercalcemia.
Hope this was helpful! Please let us know if you have any more questions.
Take care,
Mallory
Hi Mallory! Thanks for your great article! We will definitely go with your recommendations. One question I haven’t been able to get answered, though, is why the better varieties of human probiotics need to be refrigerated and those for pets don’t? I’ve always assumed the refrigeration was for improved viability, but curious as to why this doesn’t come up as a topic in animal probiotics. …Anne
Anne, that’s a great observation.
I had to double-check to see how the recommended brands approach the refrigeration issue. While some of the products on this list recommend refrigeration after opening (like Probiotic Miracle), the others state that it’s not necessary. Hyperbiotics even says they use “patented technology” to make refrigeration unnecessary. Interesting.
I think there are a few factors playing into this. One is that some types of probiotic supplements don’t appear to require refrigeration. These include freeze-dried products, those in blister packs, and certain spore-forming bacteria or probiotic yeast. They’re not better or worse than any other probiotics—they just don’t need refrigeration.
On top of that variability is the fact that people don’t yet understand exactly how probiotics affect pets and which ones might be beneficial. Pet probiotics are not standardized or well-understood and that lack of understanding means manufacturers can get away with a lot. Though it appears that all the companies making the products in this article are well aware of the importance of refrigeration for the viability of some strains, others might not be.
At any rate, thank you for mentioning the refrigeration issue! I’ll have to address it next time I write about probiotics for cats.
Best,
Mallory
MY CAT IS ALLERGIC. IS PRO-GUT PASTE OK ?
Hey Julie,
You don’t mention what your cat is allergic to, but I’m thinking that ProGut paste should be fine. It doesn’t appear to contain any common allergens or irritants and furthermore, probiotics are a great choice for cats with allergies. They may help to soothe GI upset and improve overall health. If you still have any worries, consult your veterinarian before trying any new supplement.
Hope this answers your question!
Best,
Mallory
i have a 14 weeks kitten about 4 to 5 lb. can i give Hyperbiotics PRO-Pets – A Probiotic for Dogs & Cats to him? many thanks
Hey CJ, yes! That probiotic supplement is appropriate for kittens as well as adult cats.
Hi Mallory and thank you for this post. I have a young cat that had Giardia when I adopted him, but was not told. It took just over 2 months to get him in the clear. He still has bad farts and poop. And my 9yr old princess has been throwing up (hairballs, I think. She is a Maine Coon) and she also has more “messy” poops than she or I care for…which sometimes lands her in the bath tub. Then I have Bob marley (1.5 yr old), whose poop actually sometimes gets “stuck” on the way out. And I will find a random marble as I walk down the hall. Yuk
I purchased the NOW Saccharomyces boulardii after reading this post but am not sure what to do with it. Do I sprinkle half capsule in each food bowl twice a day, once a day, or does it need to be mixed with water and given orally?
I am hoping this product can help noirmalize everyone’s gut flora/biome.
Thank you in advance!!!
Eglantine, Bob Marley & Mazarine and myself.
Hello Michelle, thank you for commenting! I would go for the sprinkling route—as far as I’m aware, there is no reason why that delivery method should be any less effective and, instead, it will be more pleasant for your three kitties. This site has an excellent guide to effectively using S. boulardii for cats: https://www.ibdkitties.net/supplements/probiotics/
I’m seeing a lot of products here that use cellulose and FOS, both of which I’ve read either push the food directly for nutrients to be properly absorbed or are too high in fermentability, as well as a few other ingredients that are recommended to avoid. Do you still recommended them?
source: https://happycatshaven.org/knowledgebase/cat-food-what-to-feed-what-to-avoid/
Thank you!
Hi Alexander, thank you for sharing this article! When paired with a species-appropriate diet that is made without excessive fiber, I believe that a probiotic supplement containing FOS or cellulose should be acceptable. That said, I would recommend discussing this matter with your veterinarian.
Hi. My 9 month all abyssinian was diagnosed with trichomonia and has had chronic diarrhoea for the past 3 moths. Which probiotic would you recommend
Hi Lorena, it’s really difficult to say! S.boulardii is known for being very helpful for diarrhea, but you may want to use it in conjunction with another probiotic supplement for additional benefits. You might be able to get more help in the All About Cats community: https://cats.com/community
Hi Mallory,
My house mates cat gets crystals. I’m not sure what kind. He’s about 3years old. He’s been on Hills CD cat food. He hasn’t gotten any crystals since. He’s also on amyltriptoline for stress.
He’s long haired and grooms himself a lot. A bit obsessively. He gets big hairballs which he eats less poops less and stretches a lot before eating when he’s brewing big hairballs.
He also needs a lot of coaxing to eat. He won’t eat unless we stand with him and start off by brushing him. But if he’s passed big hairballs he will eat well.
We brush him daily, my housemate got a furminator brush. He loves being brushed.
He gets good attention, loves to play on his own and with us.
I noticed he’s also passing some gas. Quietly. So, I’ve only notice when he’s sitting next to me for a while.
I thought a probiotic might be good for him and maybe a probiotic + digestive enzyme combo. I was hoping it would
I don’t know if probiotics and or digestive enzymes are ok for cats who’ve had urinary crystals?
He had crystals a couple of times. There were a lot of changes in his environment and it rained much more than usual. Plus, his fountain water wasn’t cleaned regularly, he was also eating several types of bad foods and snacks and his schedule was all over the place. He was on two or three types of petroleum based hairball formulas.
ALL of those issues have been taken care of. (we have acclimated him to the rain sounds + it didn’t rain much this year.).
He’s only on Hills CD urinary + stress food. No snacks. He gets a little bit of yogurt every once in a while which may help with hairballs (hard to tell). He is not on a hairball product.
I was hoping that a probiotic alone or a combination probiotic digestive enzyme products would help with the hairballs, gas and that would help with him being less stressed about eating.
Can you tell me if it’s ok for a cat that get crystals to have probiotics and/or digestive enzymes? (I don’t know the type of crystals) .
Can you can recommend a probiotic digestive enzyme product that is affordable? I saw the article about 10 best probiotics.
Thank you!
Cece
Hi Cece, thank you for commenting! Yes, cats who are prone to crystals can safely take probiotics and digestive enzymes. I am thinking that a broad-spectrum probiotic would likely be the best fit for this cat. As for an affordable option, perhaps the Hyperbiotics PRO-PETS probiotic listed as our second recommendation in the article you read. This provides a mix of strains, is relatively affordable at about $0.38 per day—assuming that you’re giving him one capsule per day. Hope this helps!
Hi Mallory,
Thank you so much. Im grateful for the information. Do you mean that the probiotic alone is sufficient and wouldn’t need a combination formula with digestive enzymes as well, for the hairballs?
My ragamuffin has the worst infection in her toes my vet has seen in 40 years. She has had it for many months and nothing has worked to cure it so far. He said her immune system is very low and needs to be on probiotics in the billions to help build it back up. Which probiotic would you recommend for this sweet girl?
Hi Mary Ann, I would first think about addressing why your cat’s immune system is so low, then look into any top-rated probiotic supplement. The Nom Nom probiotic is a good option with 20 billion CFUs per serving.
do you have a similar product(s) for a mature female cat? Thanks! Kirk
All of these products would work as well for a mature female as any other cat!
Hi Mallory! Thank you for such an informative article. My cat was very sick last week and the vet had her on a course of antibiotics. She’s thankfully all back to normal so I want to work on restoring her gut biome a bit. I was looking at the options you gave from Now Foods (Somehow I already had the S Boulardii saved to my wish list and forgot all about it!). I was wondering why you recommend the acidophilus & bifidus, which has 3 strains, over their other acidophilus mix, which has 6?
For comparison, Acidophilus & Bifidus contains:
Lactobacillus acidophilus 4.0 Billion CFU
Bifidobacterium lactis 3.2 Billion CFU
Bifidobacterium longum 0.8 Billion CFU
The 4×6 mix contains:
Lactobacillus acidophilus 2 Billion CFU
Bifidobacterium lactis 1.2 Billion CFU
Bifidobacterium longum 200 Million CFU
Streptocous thermophilus 200 Million CFU
Lactobacillus bulgaricus 200 Million CFU
Lactobacillus paracasei 200 Million CFU
The additional strains appear to be in some of your recommended supplements. Is it unwise to introduce too many strains at once?
Also, I noticed it states on both ingredient lists:
“Contains milk. Note for those highly sensitive to milk protein: This product may contain minute amounts of casein.” Is this something to be concerned about?
Thanks!!
Hi Christine, apologies for the late reply! Looking into it again, I think you may be better off using the 4×6 blend rather the one originally recommended in this article. Especially in the case of antibiotic treatment, a diverse probiotic supplement offering a wide variety of bacteria is the best choice. Regarding the casein, the amount should be trivial enough that it would not present an issue for your cat.
Is it ok to give my cats probiotics or prebiotics if no digestive issues. They all have dull fur and dander. would this be something to look into?
Absolutely! While we don’t fully understand the extent to which it does, we know that the gut microbiome affects whole-body health. Along with good diet and addressing any health issues, the addition of prebiotics and probiotics could help your cats’ coat health a lot.
Thank you Mallory for your posts. Glad to be able to get this information. I have 6 cats so any advice is gold.
This is an awesome article! Been searching for this! My cat has constant occurrence of UTI, all of which triggered by an infection of e-coli bacteria. I did read that probiotics could help with harmful bacteria like e-coli in the gut and could also help with UTI. I’m wondering which is the best probiotics in the list that would help?
In humans, Lactobacillus species have been identified as having the most promise for urinary tract infections. The Hyperbiotics PRO-Pets – A Probiotic for Dogs & Cats listed here contains multiple strains that have shown the most promise in this area.
Hi Mallory, Thanks for this helpful article. My cat is getting large rash spots on her head, in front of and inside her ears and above her eyes that she scratches until they bleed. They last for a few weeks or so and go away then come back. I recently changed her food to a Chewy all meat food and dry to one with much less useless filler but she’s still getting the rash. I had been giving her a probiotic chew from Meijer grocery but haven’t been able to get it anymore, don’t know why. I don’t actually know if they were doing any good but I don’t remember her getting this horrible rash then. Do you have any idea what is causing it? Can send pictures if helpful Thanks
Hi Alice, thanks for the email, and I apologize for the delayed response! I’d recommend seeing a veterinarian to learn more about what’s causing the rash. Identifying the underlying cause is your first step towards treating it correctly. In the meantime, I would take notes on everything that changed around the time that she started getting the rash—environmental allergies are a possible cause here, as is a flea infestation.
Thanks for your reply. I do think it’s some kind of allergy, it’s definitely not fleas. I was just hoping you might have run across this before.
Hello! I can’t see many references to encapsulation in the products listed. Because cats stomachs are so acedic I have studied that a probiotic needs to be encapsulated to be effective. Any thoughts on this?
I’m looking for a good encapsulated probiotic. I’ve been using the NOW foods recommendation.
Hello Archie, you’re right; it does appear that encapsulation increases the survival rates of these bacteria, but there don’t seem to be many pet probiotics featuring this. While marketed for humans, this product contains several well-known strains that seem to have benefits for feline health.
Read that probiotics would be beneficial to cats with mild kidney disease. What would be the best one for this? Thanks.
The one that has undergone testing and shown promise for cats with kidney disease is a supplement called Azodyl. You can learn more about it here.
Hello,
I am struggling to give my cat a probiotic. I read here that I can give him a human product, but how would I administer it? If it comes in a capsule, would I have to dump the powder from the capsule into his food? He is an EXTREMELY picky eater, and I’m worried he would notice.
He has IBD (diarrhea/vomiting issues) early-stage kidney disease. The main reason I want to give him a probiotic is to help him with his frequent diarrhea. The problem is that he notices if I sprinkle the powder on his food, and refuses to eat it. He loves treats, so I tried the probiotic chews, but he wouldn’t go near those either. I’m desperate, please help!
Hi Marni, it depends on the product. Some are timed-release products with an enteric coating intended to help the beneficial organisms get where they need to be, and these are best given as pills. Naturally, that’s not a fun prospect, and pilling a cat is quite difficult. Alternatively, you may be able to “trick” your cat into eating the probiotic by mixing it into something extremely palatable. I’ve had success feeding my cat a probiotic powder mixed into meat-based baby food. This may work for you as well. Alternatively, you may be able to administer a probiotic paste or mix up the probiotic powder with something tasty, then squirt it into your cat’s mouth with a syringe. Hope this helps!
Your overview says Nom Nom is the overall best probiotic. But you have Full Bucket listed as that and Nom Nom isn’t even on the list. Why is that? So what’s the overall best? A
Your overview says Nom Nom is the overall best probiotic. But you have Full Bucket listed as that and Nom Nom isn’t even on the list. Why is that? So what’s the overall best?
What about if you’re already giving your cat Benefiber? Is it alright to stick with it?
Hi Emily! Apologies for the late reply. A fiber supplement like Benefiber is a perfect complement to a probiotic, and I see no issue with using both.
Thanks for the reply! I see a lot of people use “feline” branded fiber supplements and I wasn’t sure if I should stick with it along with a probiotic! I have a Bengal and the Benefiber definitely keeps her regular. If my Bengal isn’t having any concerning gut issues, would it be beneficial to add a probiotic?
Maybe; the benefits of probiotics aren’t really that well understood, but it appears that they can have wide-ranging benefits that go beyond the gut. You can try it, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary.
Thank you!! Also do you guys do feline nutrition reviews or have someone you can refer to?
Hello, I have a 9 month old kitten who has very loose stools. He had to get de-wormed for a parasite but afterwards he seemed fine. Then randomly he started having the loose stools again. What would be the best one for him? I have not changed his food, so I am unsure what to do.
Hello, apologies for the late reply! S.boulardii would probably be the best choice, as it has great benefits for cats with diarrhea.
Hi, I was giving my ibd cat #8 saccharomyces boulardii from now food. But I am also giving other product with e.faecium and this also contains prebiotics. I’m a bit worried if there’s too much prebiotic for daily basis. Does it seem to be okay if I changed the now food saccharomyces boulardii product to https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JK30A1M/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A98IYZBO3C56&psc=1
this product? It seems like it doesn’t have any prebiotic or fillers in it.
Thanks.
Hi Nina! That’s an excellent question, and I’m afraid I don’t have a really good answer to it. Two products containing prebiotics should not be harmful, especially if your cat’s already eating a lower-fiber food. Remember that fiber content in a cat’s diet can vary quite widely, and there is no established maximum (or minimum) amount, so I can’t tell you how much is too much.
The only cat probiotics that Walmart sells seems to be a product called Pure Balance Pro + Probiotic Care. Any opinion on that one? Because that’s the one I bought.
Do you know if it’s good? Bad? Anything?
So how come Mallory Crusta is answering everybody else’s questions but mine? No fair!
What did I ever do to Mallory?
Sorry, just replied to your original comment!
Hi Tony! My apologies for the late reply! The CFUs in that product are pretty low, so I might consider trying one of the human probiotics at Walmart, which will give your cat much higher doses of beneficial bacteria.
Hi! The text of your article mentions “Nom Nom” as the best probiotic for cats. However it’s not in this list at all. Has this changed since the article was originally published? Just wondering if Nom Nom is no longer recommended. Thanks.
Hi there! Thanks for catching that—we missed it while updating the article. Will correct it now. As for the probiotic, they have discontinued their probiotic for cats, and their dog probiotic is not recommended for use in cats. From what I can tell, there’s nothing in it that would be unacceptable for a cat, but you may want to consult your veterinarian to confirm.
Hi! I’d love to get some help understanding what bacterial strains seem to be the most effective. I’m a little confused with the recommended human probiotics (At the end of the video linked in this article, Dr. Pendergrass recommends against human probiotics). In a 2022 review by Lee et al. (J Anim Sci Technol.), the authors mention evidence supporting the efficacy of L. acidophilus DSM13241 and E. faecium SF68, while Bifidobacterium seemed less important in cats and more important in dogs. The human probiotics recommended in this article (NOW acidophilus 8 billion) contain Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14), Bifidobacterium lactis (BI-04), and Bifidobacterium longum (BI-05). How different are L. acidophilus DSM13241 and Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-14)? Do you still think human probiotics would be effective in cats? Do you have any recommendations for resources where I could learn more about cat probiotics (books, papers, lectures)? Sorry for the multiple questions, I went down a google rabbit hole. Thank you!
Hi Sofia, really sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you on this! These are all excellent questions, and really, it sounds like this article needs to be updated to reflect the new information available.
For more research, here are a few papers done on probiotics in cats—you may have already seen some of these:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9962843/
https://www.dvm360.com/view/clinical-and-research-experiences-with-probiotics-cats-sponsored-nestl-purina
https://europepmc.org/article/med/35530406
Thank you!!!
After discussing my cat’s recently discovered trichomoniasis with my vet, I feel afraid to give my cat Ronidazole for this parasitic infection. My vet was also not directly with Ronidazole treatment but did not suggest an alternative.
Would any of the pre or probiotics mentioned in your very helpful article help my senior cat with his diarrhea?
He acts fine, cuddly, eats, playful. He is also being treated for hyperthyroidism, which is under control.
Hi Lonni, thank you for the comment. Yes, both pre- and probiotics are recommended for cats with this condition, alongside a high-fiber diet.