Complex Probiotics Relieve Constipation Through Regulation of the Intestinal Microbiota in Kittens.
Shimin Zhu, Zhengrong Guo, Lin Liu, Yuan Gao, Lu Bai, Yongfu Chen, Musu Zha
Author Information
Shimin Zhu: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China. ORCID
Zhengrong Guo: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China.
Lin Liu: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China. ORCID
Yuan Gao: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China.
Lu Bai: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China.
Yongfu Chen: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China. ORCID
Musu Zha: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China. ORCID
The early developmental phase is a critical window for feline growth, during which immature digestive systems are susceptible to microbiome imbalances caused by environmental stressors. Our research employed macrogenomic analysis to evaluate how complex probiotic formulations influence growth metrics and gastrointestinal flora in juvenile felines. Two dozen healthy kittens were equally divided into the control group and the probiotics group following a 5-day environmental adaptation phase. Fecal scores were recorded daily for all kittens. Fresh fecal samples were collected on days 1 and 14 for macrogenomic analysis. The results showed a significantly lower rate of constipation in the probiotics group compared to the control group ( < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in intestinal microbial diversity or structure between the two groups. Metagenomic analysis revealed a higher relative abundance of in the probiotics group compared to the control group ( < 0.05). Additionally, the probiotics group exhibited lower relative abundances of , , and compared to the control group ( < 0.05). These results suggest that complex probiotics can regulate the intestinal microbiota, improve constipation, and promote intestinal health in kittens.
