Effect of feeding a selected combination of galacto-oligosaccharides and a strain of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum on the intestinal microbiota of cats

Objective – The aim of the present study was to evaluate the growth kinetics of a strain of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum on four different oligo- or polysaccharides and the effect of feeding the selected synbiotic on feline intestinal microbiota. Animals – Ten healthy adult cats. Procedures – A strain of B. pseudocatenulatum was isolated from the faeces of an adult healthy cat. The selection of galacto-oligosaccharides was based on the growth rate achieved by the B. pseudocatenulatum strain (P < 0.001). During the feeding trial, cats received a diet containing 1% galacto-oligosaccharides in combination with the strain of B. pseudocatenulatum (1010 31 CFU/d); fecal samples were collected the day before supplementation started (Day 0) and 1 and 10 days after synbiotic withdrawal (Day 16 and 25, respectively). Results – Ammonia concentrations were lower on Day 16 and 25 than at the start of the trial (288 and 281 vs. 353 μmol/g of fecal DM, respectively; P < 0.05). On Day 16 fecal concentrations of acetic acid were higher compared to the initial value (171 vs. 132 μmol/g of fecal DM; P < 0.05), while concentrations of lactic, n-valeric and iso-valeric acids were significantly lower than on Days 0 and 25 (3.61 vs. 5.08 and 4.24, 1.52 vs. 18.4 and 17.3, 3.55 vs. 6.48 and 6.17 μmol/g of fecal DM, respectively; P < 0.05). A significant increase in fecal bifidobacteria was observed on Day 16 and 25 as compared to the initial value (7.98 and 7.52 vs. 5.63 Log CFU/g of fecal DM; P < 0.001). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance – The present results suggest some positive effects exerted by the synbiotic on feline intestinal ecosystem.