Last Updated on April 20, 2020
When it comes to the health of your feline friend, proactive care is better than reactive care. Ensuring your cat is on a quality wet food diet and drinking plenty of water are two ways to ensure they live a full and healthy life. If you want to take it a step further as a preventative practice, here are 5 items you can add to your cat’s daily diet to boost immune function and overall health.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a superfood that is not only safe for cats to enjoy but packs loads of nutritional value and numerous benefits. The medium-chain triglycerides and fatty acids found in coconut oil protect the brain, improve digestion, and help control weight. Coconut oil can also rid a cat’s body of bad bacteria and parasites. If you have a cat that has trouble with hairballs, simply adding some coconut oil can help your kitty pass hair effortlessly while relieving constipation.
Be sure to only buy organic non-GMO virgin coconut oil as it will be free from pesticides, naturally grown, and packed with the best nutritional value. A little goes a very long way for your cat’s overall health and well-being so don’t be afraid to spend more for a quality product.
Bone Broth
Bone broth acts as a protective tonic for your cat’s overall health. It not only keeps bones and muscle tissue strong and healthy but also improves their immune system. Thanks to the gelatin contained in bone broth it can repair, restore, and maintain a healthy digestive system well into a cat’s senior years. Bone broth can be added to their daily diet or used as a medicine to enhance the immune system.
Always ensure that the bone broth you feed your kitty does not contain onions or is high in salt. The best way to ensure this is to make it yourself at home. If you are tight on cash and time, powdered options are available specifically for pets. If your cat is not a fan of the taste, some just don’t care for it, it can be added to their food.
Vitamin Supplement
A quality vitamin supplement is a great addition to your cat’s daily diet or for use when your kitty has come down with a cold. It is always good to keep on hand, especially for senior cats, kittens who frequently get colds, and FIV + cats. If you are not sure which one is best for your cat, be sure to discuss it with your veterinarian.
NUSENTIA’s Spectrin liquid cat vitamin supplement is the one I always recommend. I have used to several times for my cats. It is an excellent product that is safe for cats with food allergies, kittens, and senior cats. Unlike many other supplements out there for cats, this one contains Vitamin C which is actually very beneficial for cats.
Probiotics
When it comes to probiotics, humans aren’t the only ones that can benefit from them! Cats who have allergies, especially food allergies, can gain great improvement to their digestive health and overall well being by simply adding probiotics to their daily diet. Probiotics will not only improve the digestive system but improve the health and quality of your cat’s skin, hair, nails, teeth/gums, and more. If you have a cat that has stinky poops or issues with diarrhea, a quality probiotic can help with that too. The health of the immune system depends on a healthy gut.
Pet Ultimates offers a great 20 species blend of five billion CFUs per scoop that is safe for cats and kittens. Unlike vitamin supplements or healthy whole foods, probiotics need to be used daily to work the best. Be sure whichever probiotics you decide on that you give your cat the same dosage every day for at least one month. If your cat has any underlying health issues, be sure to speak to your veterinarian first about adding probiotics to their diet.
Hard-boiled Eggs
While raw eggs are very toxic to cats, cooked ones are actually loaded with wholesome nutrition all cats can benefit from. You can choose to feed your hard a broken up hard-boiled egg as treat pieces or scramble one in olive oil for an extra boost for their digestive system. The amino acids found in eggs are excellent for maintaining healthy muscle. Because eggs are loaded with vitamins A, D, E and K, they are excellent nutritional treats for keeping your cats fur, eyes, teeth, and skin healthy.
Eggs should be fed to your cat sparingly. One hard-boiled egg is enough to feed your cat for a week’s worth of daily treats. If you choose to feed them more in one day, be sure to not make it a daily treat. Over-feeding eggs to a cat can quickly result in rapid weight gain which is not good for the heart. If your cat has a chicken allergy, they may or may not be allergic to eggs so be sure to test this out before making it a part of their diet. If your cat is overweight, it is best to avoid eggs altogether as they are high in fat.
