Vomiting cat

[roxynoodle]

My cat began vomiting over a week ago. She did it for 4 days, only like one incident per day though. She went to the vet on Monday, but she was already starting to feel better so he thought she may have eaten a spider or something. She was back to her normal self until this Thursday again. Thursday she vomited pretty much all day. I took her back in yesterday, but the vet felt she seemed too healthy acting to run tests. He was also convinced she is not in pain and doesn't feel obstructed. He gave me nausea meds but she is still vomiting here and there. There is no blood or anything alarming coming out of her. She is mostly acting normal despite this. But, she's not eating much, drinking some.

I don't know what to think. I've been reading about all of the causes of vomiting in cats and nothing seems to fit. I'm convinced she did not get into any kind of toxin.

She is on a prescription diet, Royal Canin for urinary issues. The food looks and smells fine, but I'm suspecting maybe there is something wrong with it.

Has anyone else experienced such a thing with a cat? Any idea of the cause? I'm half tempted right now to get her another bag of food and seeing if that makes any difference. I just don't want another bag from the same batch as this one. But, I don't want to give her anything else either in case it causes urinary issues. To be honest, we aren't certain what her urinary issues are. She kept getting infections or she has crystals that don't show up on X rays. Or she has stones and passed them before the X rays.

There is another prescription diet for urinary issues, Hill's Science. She was on that first though and the problem repeated itself anyway. Since being on the Royal Canin, she has been symptom free.

If anyone can advise, please do so. I've been worried to death about her. I even stayed home on Christmas and Christmas Eve because I was afraid to leave her.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Insist on your vet running tests. Is your kitty older? I lost my 18 year old manx to kidney failure. She occasionally vomited & has a slight bladder leak. She was eating Prescription Diet for older cats & it was among those foods that poisoned so many pets. Dawg was also poisoned from it (she stold cat food at every opportunity) canine symptoms were anemia. Cats do vomit furballs, but if you feel something more is up, the vet works for you. You pay him to give advice, its up to you whether to act on it. I think sometimes we know when something is wrong w/our pets. Trust your instincts.

 

[Spiritbird]

I had this with a young cat. It turned ouit he has swallowed one of those little gray mice and it was lodged in his intestines. He had very expensive surgery. They did barium test and sonograms and exrays but it never showed up. Exploratory surgery had to be performed. He is just fine now.

 

[roxynoodle]

I agree she probably isn't obstructed. If she was, she wouldn't have been pooping during her initial 4 days of illness, nor the 3 days she felt better. What is bothering me is that she had stopped eating altogether last weekend, got better, started eating again and then got sick again. That certainly does make it sound like there could be a toxin in this bag of food. Or she has developed some type of intolerance to an ingredient despite not being itchy or having skin issues of any kind.

I did buy her a bag of Purina One today that is for sensitive stomachs. She hasn't eaten yet, but once she does, if she gets better and stays that way, then I'm going to be suspicious of her Royal Canin prescription food.

The cat is 5.5 years old. So not young and unlikely to have eaten a toy or part of one, but not quite old enough to suspect kidney or liver disease or diabetes. She isn't showing signs of any of those either. No jaundice, or excessive thirst. No abdominal pain to suspect an intestinal perforation or pancreatitis or a telescoping intestine. No fever either.

It's very mysterious. She was dumped off here by some idiot when she was a kitten, about 4-5 months old. She had recently been spayed before she was abandoned though. She has lived inside my house for the last 2 years, prior to that in my barn.

I got her some hair ball remedy as well today. She didn't want to take it, and I put it on her paw as the instructions said to try. She got pretty mad at me about that, lol! She is quite sensitive emotionally and will refuse to speak to me after doing something like that or putting Advantage on her. She first tried to shake it off, but then did lick it off. We have made up again, and she's back in my lap.

I do know her very well. I would even say we are too emotionally enmeshed perhaps. She is the most demanding and possessive animal I've ever had. I can't even go to the bathroom without her coming along. Let's just say if she was a man, I'd be tied up in a closet or something.

If she doesn't feel better come Monday I will insist on tests. I have chronic pancreatitis, with all sorts of awful symptoms all the time. But, I know there are others with this disease, including horrible necrotic tissue, who have no symptoms and no idea there is anything wrong with them. No 2 people or animals are quite the same even with the same disease.

 

[MikeyTN]

I never listen to the vet 100%. My cat was allergic to grain within the food that caused her to have massive diarrhea and vomiting. The vet wanted to put her on more meds. I told them no and trusted my own instinct about her food allergy and I was 100% right.

 

[roxynoodle]

Mikey, just curious, how long did she eat the food before she began having issues? Sadie has been on the Royal Canin since August. I strongly considered today buying a grain free food, but to be honest my cat is weird and loves grain. When I make a sandwich she rips open the bag of bread and tries to steal that. She also likes rice and pasta. She doesn't care about meat that much, lol! I keep telling her she's a carnivore not a carbaholic Italian like me, but she doesn't believe me.

If it is an allergy or intolerance for an ingredient this might be very difficult to isolate. Most of these foods share a lot of common ingredients.

 

[MikeyTN]

It took her like a week to show symptom. But from my research, they can develop food allergies over a period of time so it can go longer. Do you try to give your cat can food every so often? From my understanding is they get urinary issue from not getting enough liquid in their diet. I have not had any issues after I switch them to natural balance, but recently we changed to 4health indoor cat formula and my cats are doing great, plus they get weekly can food along with fish juice added to their dry food, plus cat treats every night....spoiled rotten!!!!! My vet warned me about diabetes with my girl, but we bought kitty condo, have tons of toys, try to play little flying toys with her, etc. She doesn't move....our boy LOVES all the activity....not her....lol...she sit there and look at you thinking what did you want me do?

 

[roxynoodle]

She won't eat canned food. Yes, my cat is strange. She is the only cat I've ever met who doesn't love it. She does have a cat water fountain that she likes better than a regular dish of water. And she drinks my water as well (it's the exact same brand of bottled water, but you know, mine is better, lol!).

We had an actual fight over a bowl of rice when I first let her in. I had hold of it with my hands, she had hold of it with her paws and we tugged back and forth. Offer her meat though and she's more like, meh, I'd rather have the carbs, thank you.

 

[MikeyTN]

Wow! She sounds like a strange cat not liking canned food and meat. Both of my cats are strays so they're not super picky. My boy likes to go after my african violets. He eat them up like salad bar, he does it real quick too cause he knows ill catch him to stop him...evil!!!

 

[roxynoodle]

She is different! And she's sort of a stray. She had some owner as a little kitten, who had her fixed. Then drove her out into the country and tossed her like garbage. I'm sure it had something to do with the possessive/demanding behavior. But, she did live outside for over 3 years. She didn't like it. She kept making it clear to me that she was supposed to live in a house and not have to put up with any other cats. She is quite a bully and was always beating up the other stray cats that lived here and across the street. Everyone is very happy now that she's in my house and not causing trouble with the other cats, lol! We get a lot of abandoned cats out here from people who won't take their cats to shelters.

 

[roxynoodle]

I wanted everyone to know that my cat has returned to normal today. Now if she stays that way, I can probably be certain there is something wrong with her prescription food. If there is, I am taking it back to the vet and letting them know. Of course she is supposed to be on that diet so I will need to talk to him about what I should do now. She has not thrown up for 36 hours, is playing, running and just normal for her.

It's scary to think there could be some kind of poison or toxin in that food, but there have been other incidents of this in the news the last few years. The problem is I won't trust it again. And the other prescription food didn't work for her. Ugh!

 

[MikeyTN]

She is different! And she's sort of a stray. She had some owner as a little kitten, who had her fixed. Then drove her out into the country and tossed her like garbage. I'm sure it had something to do with the possessive/demanding behavior. But, she did live outside for over 3 years. She didn't like it. She kept making it clear to me that she was supposed to live in a house and not have to put up with any other cats. She is quite a bully and was always beating up the other stray cats that lived here and across the street. Everyone is very happy now that she's in my house and not causing trouble with the other cats, lol! We get a lot of abandoned cats out here from people who won't take their cats to shelters.

We do have a program here where people take in stray cats then release them. But they make some sort of marking on the cat to let the catchers know to release them cause they've been spayed and neutered. I think they clip their ear or something like that....

Good thing your cat is feeling better! She simply may just be allergic to that food....The very next day after I took Pearl off her food, she felt better instantly, but I was also giving her meds so to test it out, I give her the old food again, that very night the symptoms came right back. So we finish up the food with our other cat and changed the brand all together. Never had another issue since. You should try the Wellness Core cat food as it is grain free plus it helps with urinary issue. I really LOVE Natural Balance, I let my cat tried all three flavors and they love them, but they don't say that it helps with urinary issue....So far they're ok on 4health, but I might switch them back to Natural Balance as Pearl's urine is very very strong....Still using same kitty litter but it reeks...It didn't do that on Natural Balance before....

 

[roxynoodle]

Cat litter was another of her issues. She hates anything that smells perfumey or like a cleaning chemical. So she would hold her pee for a very long time. We have gone through several kinds of litters looking for one that she likes to encourage her to pee more often. She liked the Tidy Cat fragrance free, but I didn't. It would reek of poop in 2 days despite being cleaned out often. Now we are using the Special Kitty fragrance free. It doesn't smell bad (to me) and no perfume smells to bother her.

She actually chases me around the house to "clean" me after I get out of the shower. She does not want me to smell like soap and shampoo. Every time I wash my hands she wants to clean me as well. I can't use any lotion on my hands or face anymore. She can smell it and wants to lick it off. Winter is hard with no lotion!

I will check out the foods you mentioned. I don't want her sick, but I don't want her to go through urinary tract infections (or crystals or stones or whatever it is she has).

When people were dumping cats on me all the time, it did get very expensive for me getting them fixed. She is the ONLY cat dropped off here that was already fixed. I can do vaccinations and worming myself fairly cheaply. I really wish everyone would get their cats and dogs fixed! That would end this problem of all these animals who have no homes. I've been pretty successful finding homes for the kittens, but not the adult cats. Of course it would also be nice if people wouldn't take animals in the first place if they are not committed to keeping them. Just because someone has a farm does not mean we want everyone else's unwanted animals. I used to wonder if there was an invisible sign in my yard that said "Humane Society"! Twice I've come home to find roosters in cardboard boxes on my porch. I don't have chickens as I'm very allergic to them. So I was the one who had to rehome them with people who did have chickens.

I'm nearly certain it is some issue with the food. An allergy, intolerance or toxin in the food. Yes, a week ago she had stopped eating and drinking for 24 hours. She felt better, began eating and drinking again and then 3 days later was sick the second time. Now if she once again gets sick, we will probably need to have tests run. If she doesn't, I'm going to bet it is the food.

 

[MikeyTN]

Gosh, you've got a finicky cat!!! Mine would tell me to clean the litter box if it needs to be cleaned. We scoop it daily!!! As I am allergic to ammonia so it must not reek as the litter must absorbed the ammonia. So now im getting sick just from cleaning litter box.

 

[roxynoodle]

I don't have any issues with cleaning the litter box, which I do at least once a day. Don't laugh, but I am allergic to cats. I didn't even know until it turned up on an allergy test, I was so used to my own cat. I am also allergic to pretty much the environment like everything green that grows in the ground. If you are surrounded by allergens you don't necessarily notice one more, like a cat, lol!

Yes, my cat is very, very particular about what her human smells like. It is her opinion that I am some kind of idiot for getting in a shower and using those smelly soaps and what not. So it is her duty to "wash me properly"

Remember I said earlier that if she were a man instead of a cat, I would be tied up in a closet? I have no doubt whatsoever that is true.

For anyone who thought parrots were demanding and possessive, you need to meet my cat!

 

[MikeyTN]

I used to be highly allergic to cats too. But I was never sick with my boy Fiyero. But when we got Pearl I was sick everyday for a month taking benedryl daily, otherwise I couldn't breath without choking myself to death. But after a month later I developed a immunity to my cats. But other cats bothered me still but not as bad as it used to be.

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, other people's cats will also bother me as well. My new amazon's dander bothers me as well. I just need to keep him well showered to help.

 

[Anna]

As far as your cat's UTI's go, my cat also suffers from this and we have spent much time and money with the vet only for her to have attacks whilst in the middle of taking anti-biotics for it! She only eats tinned food and I even save the water from any chicken I boil and mix a little in with her tinned food so she is getting the extra fluids. What seems to be working for us best though is apple cider vinegar. I mix half a tsp in with her morning and afternoon feeds and no more blood spots on my carpet! Yay! You have to get the cold pressed, raw stuff with 'The Mother' in it but it really does work! It might even help with her tummy problems. Its pretty awesome stuff.

 

[Spiritbird]

Roxy: The cat litter called The Worlds Best is really good. Clumps well and has no odor or dust which I like. That silica dust can do a number on your lungs. I cannot believe I am talking about cat litter on the bird forum. The

The litter is all natural and made from corn.

 

[roxynoodle]

Roxy: The cat litter called The Worlds Best is really good. Clumps well and has no odor or dust which I like. That silica dust can do a number on your lungs. I cannot believe I am talking about cat litter on the bird forum. The

The litter is all natural and made from corn.

I believe that's one we tried. Did you notice the corn smell though? I could smell it and she seemed to find it not as bad as other litters that have deodorant scents, but still preferred clay litter without fragrance.

I really wish she would eat canned food to get more moisture, but I've tried several brands and flavors I thought she would like. For instance, roast beef really gets her attention, yet she wouldn't eat roast beef flavored wet food. She has rejected pretty much all of it. Won't even take one bite. Most cats come running the second they hear the can opener and this is the only one I've met who doesn't like it.

I did get her a cat water fountain and she likes that better than a bowl.

If she truly is better now I will need to discuss with the vet what her best option are for controlling her UTIs. There is one more prescription food for it made by Purina. I don't care what she has to eat as long as she's healthy. If she has to eat boiled hamburger mixed with rice, I will feed her that, lol!

Yeah, I know I posted this on a bird forum, but most bird people are animal people in general. I figured it was worth a shot since I was perplexed and so were the vets. And I know they are very good vets because they saved my male Dalmatian. Ohio State even used him as a research dog because they said he was the worst case of bladder stones they ever saw that lived. And he lived a full lifespan, to age 13. So I have a lot of respect and trust for these vets. Even though I have separate vets for my birds and horses that could also take care of my cat, I use those vets for all my dogs and cats, and have for 25 years.