{"id":3004,"date":"2023-01-25T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/?p=3004"},"modified":"2023-01-25T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T11:00:00","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does It Take a Cat to Digest Food?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#How_Long_Does_Digestion_Take_In_Cats\" title=\"How Long Does Digestion Take In Cats?\">How Long Does Digestion Take In Cats?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#Cats_Will_Digest_Food_Between_10%E2%80%9324_Hours_After_Consumption\" title=\"Cats Will Digest Food Between 10\u201324 Hours After Consumption\">Cats Will Digest Food Between 10\u201324 Hours After Consumption<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#Digestion_in_Cats_Usually_Takes_from_10_to_24_Hours\" title=\"Digestion in Cats Usually Takes from 10 to 24 Hours\">Digestion in Cats Usually Takes from 10 to 24 Hours<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#Cats_Have_a_Simple_Stomach_Anatomy\" title=\"Cats Have a Simple Stomach Anatomy\">Cats Have a Simple Stomach Anatomy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#When_Something_Is_Ingested_by_Your_Cat\" title=\"When Something Is Ingested by Your Cat\">When Something Is Ingested by Your Cat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#Food_in_a_Cat_Will_Take_About_12_Hours_to_Digest\" title=\"Food in a Cat Will Take About 12 Hours to Digest\">Food in a Cat Will Take About 12 Hours to Digest<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#How_to_Force_Feed_a_Cat_in_Need\" title=\"How to Force Feed a Cat in Need\">How to Force Feed a Cat in Need<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#Felines_Digestion_Takes_Around_10%E2%80%9324_Hours\" title=\"Feline\u2019s Digestion Takes Around 10\u201324 Hours\">Feline\u2019s Digestion Takes Around 10\u201324 Hours<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-does-it-take-a-cat-to-digest-food\/#A_Full_Belly_of_an_Active_Domestic_Cat_Empties_Within_a_Couple_of_Hours\" title=\"A Full Belly of an Active Domestic Cat Empties Within a Couple of Hours\">A Full Belly of an Active Domestic Cat Empties Within a Couple of Hours<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>It typically takes a cat between 10 and 24 hours to digest food. This is because cats are smaller animals and have smaller digestive systems than other larger pets. The digestion process can also be affected by the type of food ingested and how active the cat is. If a cat is active and has a full stomach, it can take as little as eight to 10 hours for the food to pass through its entire digestive tract. However, if your cat is experiencing vomiting, it may take a shorter time for the food to pass through its system. It\u2019s important to keep an eye on your cat\u2019s digestion and consult with your veterinarian if you have any concerns.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"howlongdoesdigestiontakeincats\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Does_Digestion_Take_In_Cats\"><\/span>How Long Does Digestion Take In Cats?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Digestion in cats is a surprisingly lengthy process and can take anywhere from 10 to 24 hours, depending on the type of food ingested. Cats have smaller bodies than other, larger animals and take longer to digest foods. Because of their simple stomach anatomy, once their stomachs are filled with food they will be full for 8\u201310 hours, and then the rest of the digestion process will take up to 12 hours. It\u2019s important to note that if your cat has ingested something that it can\u2019t digest, like a foreign object, it may take longer for it to pass through its digestive tract.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"catswilldigestfoodbetween10-24hoursafterconsumption\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cats_Will_Digest_Food_Between_10%E2%80%9324_Hours_After_Consumption\"><\/span>Cats Will Digest Food Between 10\u201324 Hours After Consumption<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/how-long-do-cats-remember-you\/\">Remember that it takes cats<\/a> an average of 7 to 12 hours to digest their food. However, it may take up to 20 hours in some cases due to the size of their bodies. This means that you should not feed your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-do-cats-close-their-eyes-when-you-pet-them\/\">cat too close<\/a> together as it could upset their stomach and cause them discomfort. To ensure that your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/what-can-cats-eat-besides-cat-food\/\">cat is getting the most out of the food<\/a> they consume, stick to feeding them twice a day, about 12 hours apart. This will help them digest the food properly and stay healthy.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"digestionincatsusuallytakesfrom10to24hours\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Digestion_in_Cats_Usually_Takes_from_10_to_24_Hours\"><\/span>Digestion in Cats Usually Takes from 10 to 24 Hours<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When something is ingested by your cat, it usually takes between 10\u201324 hours to move through the entire digestive tract. This range might sound very long, but note that cats have smaller bodies than humans and their digestive process is different. The human digestive process takes roughly seven to eight hours, but it is a longer process for cats, typically taking around 10 to 20 hours. Cats have a simple stomach anatomy &#8211; just like humans. Because cats have a simple stomach structure, once the stomach is filled with food, it will take about 12 hours for digestion. If a <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-is-my-cat-throwing-up-white-foam\/\">cat is going to throw<\/a> up from it, it will be sooner than that because the food has not had enough time to move through the entire GI tract. Homeopet Digestive Upsets is also extremely effective for <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-cat-grass\/\">cats that throw up 20 minutes after eating<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"catshaveasimplestomachanatomy\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cats_Have_a_Simple_Stomach_Anatomy\"><\/span>Cats Have a Simple Stomach Anatomy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Cats have a simple stomach anatomy and because of this, they are able to digest food quickly. The stomach is filled with food and it is emptied within a few hours as food moves into the small intestine. The small intestine is where the majority of digestion and absorption of nutrients occur. The large intestine, also known as the colon, is where water and minerals are absorbed and any remaining food passes out as solid waste. Since cats have a simple stomach structure, it takes them between 10 and 24 hours to digest food. This is much faster than the digestion process in humans, which usually takes around 24\u201372 hours.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"whensomethingisingestedbyyourcat\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Something_Is_Ingested_by_Your_Cat\"><\/span>When Something Is Ingested by Your Cat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When something is ingested by your cat, it usually takes between 10\u201324 hours to move through the entire digestive tract. This range is quite wide and can depend on the type of <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/is-cat-food-bad-for-dogs\/\">food being consumed as well as the activity level of the cat<\/a>. For example, an active domestic cat\u2019s full belly may empty within a couple of hours, while a more sedentary cat may take up to 20 hours or more to digest their food. Regardless, note that cats have a simple stomach anatomy and it usually takes them around 10\u201324 hours for ingested items to pass through their systems.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"foodinacatwilltakeabout12hourstodigest\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Food_in_a_Cat_Will_Take_About_12_Hours_to_Digest\"><\/span>Food in a Cat Will Take About 12 Hours to Digest<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once the food is inside the stomach, it will take between 7\u201312 hours for it to digest. This is because cats have smaller bodies and take longer to break down food than other larger animals. In addition, <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-human-foods\/\">cats have a simple stomach anatomy &#8211; just like humans &#8211; which means once the stomach is full of food<\/a>, it will take longer to digest. So, if you\u2019ve just fed your cat, it should take around 10\u201324 hours for something it has ingested to work through its system.<\/p>\n<p>Note that if your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-heart-meat\/\">cat has not been eating<\/a> for more than 24 to 72 hours, you should take them to the vet immediately and might require force feeding them.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"howtoforcefeedacatinneed\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Force_Feed_a_Cat_in_Need\"><\/span>How to Force Feed a Cat in Need<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Forcing feed a cat should only be done with guidance from a veterinarian. It is important not to push food into a cat\u2019s mouth, as this can cause stress and medical complications. It is best to use a small syringe to dribble a thin slurry of <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-do-cats-never-finish-their-food\/\">cat food<\/a> into the cat\u2019s mouth. If the cat is willing, hold the mouth closed until they swallow. If the cat is not willing, simply stroke the throat gently with your right hand while still holding the head firmly &#8211; this can help encourage swallowing. If your <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-artichokes\/\">cat is not eating<\/a>, you may need to force-feed them 4\u20138 times daily. Make sure the food is at room temperature, and <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-do-cats-put-things-in-their-water-bowl\/\">put it on your finger before placing it on the cat\u2019s<\/a> gums. If vomiting occurs, use <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-baby-food\/\">baby food or canned cat<\/a> food in the form of meatballs. Never force feed a <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/can-cats-eat-worms\/\">cat if they are refusing to eat &#8211; this can increase the risk<\/a> of inhaling the food.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"felinesdigestiontakesaround10-24hours\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Felines_Digestion_Takes_Around_10%E2%80%9324_Hours\"><\/span>Feline\u2019s Digestion Takes Around 10\u201324 Hours<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When something is ingested by your cat, it usually takes between 10\u201324 hours to move through the entire digestive tract. This is because cats have a simple stomach anatomy, which makes it easier for food to pass quickly through their system. Additionally, cats have a shorter digestive tract than humans, so it takes less time for food to be fully digested. On average, it takes <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-do-cats-scratch-around-their-food\/\">around 7 to 12 hours and may reach up to 20 hours for a cat to digest food<\/a>. A full belly of an active domestic cat empties within a couple of hours and its last meal will be out of its system in 12 hours.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"afullbellyofanactivedomesticcatemptieswithinacoupleofhours\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Full_Belly_of_an_Active_Domestic_Cat_Empties_Within_a_Couple_of_Hours\"><\/span>A Full Belly of an Active Domestic Cat Empties Within a Couple of Hours<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A full <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-do-cats-like-belly-rubs\/\">belly of an active domestic cat<\/a> can empty within a couple of hours, and its last meal will be digested within a time period of 10\u201324 hours. This is due to cats having a simple stomach structure, which enables food to move quickly through the small intestine and into the large intestine, completing the digestion process. The digestion process can take up to 20 hours for some cats, and anything longer than this should be monitored by a vet.<\/p>\n<p>Cats have a simple stomach anatomy, which consists of a single chamber that serves both to store and digest food. This part of their digestive system is not complex, with the stomach only able to hold food for a few hours before it needs to be emptied. The small intestine is also relatively short, meaning that food can move through quickly and be digested in a relatively short period of time. This is why <a href=\"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/why-do-cats-make-a-mess-with-their-food\/\">cats are able to digest food<\/a> so quickly, even an active domestic cat will empty its stomach within a couple of hours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It typically takes a cat between 10 and 24 hours to digest food. This is because cats are smaller animals and have smaller digestive systems than other larger pets. The digestion process can also be affected by the type of food ingested and how active the cat is. If a cat is active and has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"modified_by":"admin","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food.jpg",1536,1024,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food-1024x683.jpg",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food.jpg",1536,1024,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food.jpg",1536,1024,false],"yarpp-thumbnail":["https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/cat_eating_food-120x120.jpg",120,120,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/author\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"It typically takes a cat between 10 and 24 hours to digest food. This is because cats are smaller animals and have smaller digestive systems than other larger pets. The digestion process can also be affected by the type of food ingested and how active the cat is. If a cat is active and has&hellip;","_wp_old_slug":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3004"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fluffytamer.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}