Simple Summary
The juvenile period is a critical stage of cat growth; in particular, the metabolic activity of the kitten’s intestinal microbiota is critical to overall health. This study investigated the effects of a probiotic complex on the intestinal health of kittens. We found that complex probiotics significantly altered the levels of metabolites associated with inflammation and constipation in the intestines of kittens. This suggests that complex probiotics may promote intestinal health in kittens by modulating changes in various metabolites. This study provides a rationale for the development of probiotic supplements for kittens.
Abstract
Cats are popular companions for humans, and their health is of importance to a growing number of pet owners. The juvenile period is a critical stage of cat growth; in particular, the metabolic activity of the intestinal microbiome of kittens is critical for processing nutrients and supporting overall health. In this study, the effect of complex probiotics on the intestinal health of kittens was explored through a metabolomics analysis. Twenty-four healthy kittens were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 12): the control group was provided a basal diet and the probiotics group was provided the basal diet supplemented with complex probiotics (given at the same time daily). The kittens were acclimatized for 5 days, and the experiment was conducted for 14 days. We collected feces from each kitten on days 1 and 14 for metabolomic analyses. Compared to the control, the probiotics group had significantly higher (p < 0.05) methylmalonylcarnitine, lysyl-hydroxyproline, phenylpropionylglycine, and vitamin K3 levels, and significantly lower (p < 0.05) gamma-glutamyl-L-putrescine, cis-gondoic acid, myristic acid, 12,13-DiHOME, and glycodeoxycholic acid levels. The results of this study suggest that complex probiotics promote intestinal health in kittens by regulating changes in various metabolites in the intestine and may have a mitigating effect on intestinal inflammation.