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The Gut-Health Secret Every Cat Parent Needs to Know with Rob Ryan
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The Gut-Health Secret Every Cat Parent Needs to Know with Rob Ryan

The simple gut fix your cat may be missing.

This week we’re diving into something unique: fermented superfoods for our cats. You’ve probably seen wheatgrass shots at juice bars, but what about cats and sprouts? My guest, Rob Ryan, is the co-founder of Gussy’s Gut, a company he started with Dr. Ian Billinghurst (known as the father of biologically appropriate raw feeding).

While most of their products have focused on dogs, Rob recently launched Youthful Grasses & Sprouts — their first formula that also supports cats. This blend of seven organic, fermented grasses and sprouts is designed to mimic the gut contents of prey animals that cats would naturally consume in the wild.


✨ Episode Snapshot

In this episode, you’ll learn:

🌱 Why Cats Need Grasses & Sprouts
How Youthful Grasses & Sprouts mimics the gut contents of prey animals—and why even indoor cats benefit from this ancestral nutrition.

🧪 The Fermentation Advantage
Why fermenting grasses and sprouts “pre-digests” nutrients, making them easier to absorb than raw powders or veggies alone.

🥦 The Seven Super Ingredients
A breakdown of the formula’s organic wheatgrass, alfalfa, barley, oat, broccoli sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, and cabbage sprouts—and the role each plays in boosting feline health.

🍲 Tips for Picky Cats
Practical tricks to introduce new supplements without battles at the food bowl—yes, even if your cat is a little “food diva.”

🧠 Gut Health = Whole Health
Why the gut is considered the “80/20 principle” of health—supporting skin, kidneys, immunity, mood, and more.

🐾 Longevity Lessons from Gus
What Rob’s own dog, Gus (who looks years younger than his age!), has taught him about nutrition, gut health, and helping our pets thrive longer.


📘 Rob’s Recommendations for Cat Owners

  • Start by focusing on your cat’s gut health — it impacts digestion, skin, kidneys, immunity, and even mood.

  • Introduce new supplements slowly and mix with foods your cat already loves (like tuna water).

  • Remember: a little goes a long way — for cats, the Youthful Grasses & Sprouts serving is often just ¼ to ½ teaspoon.

  • Be patient — real gut health changes can take weeks or months to fully show up.


🌍 Where to Find Rob & Gussy’s Gut


✨ Final Thought

What I loved most about this conversation was Rob’s reminder that we’re not just what we eat — we’re what we can absorb. That perspective hit home for me as I think back to Mia’s kidney disease and how gut health could have played a role.

With Niko and Milo still young, I’m constantly learning and experimenting — and this conversation reminded me that sometimes the biggest impact comes from the smallest shift, like a sprinkle of fermented sprouts in their dinner bowl.

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