Last Updated: 06/05/2025
Scientific Nutrition to Support Health Conditions in Cats
Feeding your cat a diet designed to help prevent or support certain health conditions is something you can do everyday. Find out how.
Author: Dr Belinda Stancombe BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 6 minutes - short read
No one likes to see their beloved one unwell. Having a pet with health concerns, especially those suffering from chronic health conditions, can be stressful, and at times for some pet parents even leave them feeling completely helpless.
A healthy, well-balanced diet is an important starting point when it comes to any cat's health. Feeding your cat a diet designed to help prevent or support certain health conditions is something you can do everyday to optimise your pet's daily health.
Contents:
How Can Nutrition Support Health Conditions in Cats?
Science based pet foods are formulated by nutritionists and veterinarians with the backing of years of scientific research and trials. With advanced nutrient profiles, these diets are specifically formulated to support different life-stages, lifestyles and support certain health conditions.
Brands such as Advance, Royal Canin and Hills Science Diet offer a range of diets for pets predisposed to certain common health conditions such as urinary issues, sensitive stomachs or digestive issues, dental care, weight management and hairball. These diets have tailored nutrition, fortified with specific ingredients and nutrients aimed to manage, support or improve the signs of these conditions, while optimising the pet's overall health and well being.
Common Health Conditions
Sensitive Stomach and Digestion
Digestive issues are among the most common reasons that cats are seen by the veterinarian. A pet with a sensitive stomach often has a digestive system that is easily upset, and may suffer from 'on and off' bouts of mild diarrhoea, gas, vomiting and general sensitivities. These episodes can be concerning for pet parents and make the affected cat downright miserable.
How Does Nutrition Help?
These pets often respond well to sensitive stomach diets such as Royal Canin Digestive Care, Advance Sensitive Skin and Digestion and Pro Plan Sensitive Skin Stomach, which contain specially formulated ingredients to both support and improve digestive health.
- Key Benefits:
- Highly digestible protein to reduce tummy upsets
- Pre and Probiotics to aid healthy digestion
- Dietary fibres to help nourish gut bacteria
- Antioxidants to boost immune function
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids (including EPA and DHA) with proven anti-inflammatory effects
For cats with severe digestive upsets, those with food allergies or those suffering from gastrointestinal issues such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IDB) or Megacolon, a Veterinary Prescription Diet may be recommended. It is best to check with your veterinarian for the most appropriate diet for cat's health condition.
Can Supplements Help?
Digestive supplements such as pre and probiotics contain 'good' bacteria known to be beneficial for gut health. These healthy bacteria help fight infection, strengthen the immune system, digest food, and produce nutrients for absorption. Supplements such as PAW Digesticare, Pro Plan Fortiflora and Protexin can be fed in combination with a Sensitive Stomach Diet or added to your cat's regular food to boost healthy digestion.
Looking for more information? Read our veterinary written article Best Sensitive Stomach Food For Pets.
Recommended Diets for Sensitive Stomachs
Weight Management
Studies have shown that 32% of pet cats in Australia are overweight or obese, with 90% of pet owners completely unaware. While having a chubby pet may seem cute or even funny, obesity is no laughing matter. Being overweight can predispose our pets (and us!) to serious health issues including diabetes, arthritis, liver and pancreatic disease and heart issues.
How does nutrition help?
Just like for humans, diet is the first consideration when looking to manage weight in pets. Commercially prepared weight management diets such as Royal Canin Light Weight Care, Advance Healthy Weight and Pro Plan Weight Loss are formulated to encourage weight loss and limit long term weight gain.
- Key Benefits:
- Lower calories and fat to encourage weight loss and limit weight gain
- Dietary fibres to leave pets feeling fuller for longer
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids (including EPA and DHA) for proven anti-inflammatory effects
- Antioxidants for a healthy immune system
For cats diagnosed as obese, a Veterinary Prescription Diet may be recommended. It is best to check with your veterinarian as to which diet is suitable for your cat.
Looking for more information? Read our veterinary written article How To Help Your Cat Lose Weight.
Recommended Diets for Weight Management
Dental Care
Many pet parents might be surprised to learn that around 80% of cat over the age of three years have some degree of dental disease. The presence of plaque and gingivitis on the teeth not only leads to bad breath and painful gums, but chronic inflammation can have serious health consequences for pets including damage to the heart, kidneys and liver.
How does nutrition help?
Dental care diets for cats are formulated with specifically shaped kibble that mechanically grinds on the tooth surface to remove plaque build up, while the addition of sodium polyphosphate works by binding calcium in the saliva thereby reducing plaque formation.
In some cases, a Veterinary Prescription Dental Diet may be recommended. It is best to check with your veterinarian as to which diet is most suitable for your pet.
Looking for more information? Read our veterinary written article Dental Care For Cats.
Recommended Diets for Dental Care
Urinary Issues
Unwanted toileting behaviour such as urinating outside the litter box is one of the most common complaints of pet parents. While this can be a frustrating issue for owners, for cats it is often an indication of an underlying medical condition.
How Does Nutrition Help?
Urinary diets are specially formulated to help support and maintain optimal urinary tract health. Diets such as Royal Canin Urinary Care, Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health and Hills Science Diet Urianry Hairball Control may help reduce the incidence of urinary issues in adult cats.
- Key Benefits:
- Balanced mineral levels to reduce crystal and stone formation
- Lower urine pH level
- Antioxidants to support a healthy immune system
- Omega fatty acids to decrease bladder inflammation
For cats with diagnosed urinary issues such as crystals, stones or Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, a Veterinary Prescription Diet may be beneficial. It is best to check with your veterinarian which diet is most suitable to your pet.
Looking for more information? Read our veterinary written article Urinary Issues in Cats.
Recommended Diets to Support Urinary Health
Hairball Control
Cats and hairballs go paw in paw. Hairballs, or trichobezoars, are clumps of hair regurgitated by cats. Fur is swallowed during the grooming process due to the unique barbs on a cats tongue and in most cases is passed through a cat's digestive tract without causing too many issues. For some cats, underlying causes such as increased hair shedding, skin and digestive issues or anxiety and stress, can increase the incidence of hairball regurgitation.
How does nutrition help?
Hairball control diets are specially formulated to reduce the formation of hairballs. These diets contain a special blend of fibres to improve digestive health and hair passage, plus beneficial ingredients to boost skin and coat health and reduce shedding.
- Key Benefits:
- Increased fibre to enable the passage of hair in the digestive tract
- Highly digestible proteins
- Omega fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin
- Antioxidants for a healthy immune system
In some cases, a Veterinary prescription diet or laxatives may be beneficial. It is best to check with your veterinarian as to which treatment is best for your pet.
Looking for more information? Read our veterinary written article Hairballs in Cats.
Recommended Diets for Hairball Control
Further Reading
Want to know more? Check out our Discover Page for more tips on keeping your pets happy and healthy.