{"id":2848,"date":"2021-11-10T23:49:52","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T06:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodypaws.com\/?p=2848"},"modified":"2021-11-11T00:07:09","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T07:07:09","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodypaws.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does It Take a Cat to Digest Food in Normal Routine?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For humans, it takes 6 to 8 hours for the food to get digested. However, for the feline family, the digestion process is different. Digestion is an important process in any living being that helps turn the tasty food into useful energy for the body while releasing unwanted residue as poop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, while your cat\u2019s poop might seem like a nightmare to clean up, it talks a lot about your pet\u2019s health, here the real question is how long does it take a cat to digest food?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, it is important to keep this in mind. But first, let us get into the digestive aspect of the feline species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. How do cats digest food?<\/a>
  2. Can A Cat\u2019s Digestion Become Slower?<\/a>
  3. How To Detect Food Blockages In Your Cat\u2019s Digestive System?<\/a>
  4. Can Cats Digest Vegetables?<\/a>
  5. Dry vs Wet Food: How Do Cats Digest It?<\/a>
  6. How To Know If Your Cat Will Throw Up The Food?<\/a>
  7. Can Human Foods Cause Digestive Issues Among Cats?<\/a>
  8. Common Digestive Issues In Cats<\/a>
  9. Conclusion<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n
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    One of the necessary is the best cat food bowl <\/a><\/strong>to feed your cat either wet or dry food. Having a good quality and suitable bowl makes the eating experience more smooth for cats.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How do cats digest food?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The journey of food in a cat\u2019s digestive system is similar to ours. First, the food is grounded up in the mouth with the help of the teeth and then is mixed with the saliva for added lubrication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next, the chewed down food is pushed down through the esophagus with the help of the tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When the food goes down through the esophagus, it is crushed further with the help of the walls up until it reaches the stomach. Most of us believe that stomach acids help break down food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, it doesn\u2019t do that. Rather, it kills the harmful bacteria population in the food. Both felines and Homo sapiens have a stomach acid pH that ranges between 1 and 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Once the harmful bacteria are killed, the food is pushed towards the cat\u2019s small intestine for further digestion. The food is broken down into essential enzymes while extracting the necessary nutrients required by the body to thrive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These nutrients are passed onto the blood and then into the cat\u2019s cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Anything that the cat\u2019s small intestine cannot break down is considered a waste product and moved to the feline\u2019s large intestine. Here, the waste product is turned into poop to be excreted by the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In general, a cat\u2019s digestion process takes anywhere between 10 to 24 hours which is way longer than a human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before cats became domesticated, there was no guarantee when the animal would get its next meal. So, it was important for the metabolism to be slow to ensure the cats feel full for longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another difference between humans and cats is that the latter features tiny spines in their tongues to break up the food with ease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is why the tongue feels like sandpaper if they lick your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Can A Cat\u2019s Digestion Become Slower?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Your cat\u2019s digestion should take more than a day, depending on the daily activities your pet indulges in. For example, if your cat is an active fellow, the digestion would be faster. However, a cat that leads a sedentary life will experience slow digestion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But, the maximum time it should take your cat to digest something is 24 hours and not more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Any delay in the digestion process could point out to a health issue or even blockage in the digestive tract. These blockages can happen due to plastic, stones, sticks, or any object that doesn\u2019t come under the food category. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do not assume that the pet has ingested a rock or something that has led to the blockage. It could be the food that contains such items leading to blockages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How To Detect Food Blockages In Your Cat\u2019s Digestive System?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Checking out for any blockages in your cat\u2019s digestive system is important as early as possible. Doing this helps you get help for your ailing cat without letting the condition worsen. The direct result of blockages in the digestive system is it takes longer than normal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can know there is a blockage when your cat takes up much longer to defecate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even when they poop, they are straining too hard and struggle to get it out. The poop could also come out too hard and dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Certain indirect consequences of this happening include:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n