Cat Still Vomiting Weekly

[Sadee]

I've posted about my cat Sammy vomiting weekly multiple times, I'm just so worried with no money. Let me get to the basics, Sammy just turned 7 July 30th, he is 15 1/2-16 pounds, from what I see he is not losing weight, he is eating his wet and dry food normally, he is drinking normally, he is pooping and urinating normally, no diarrhea, no blood in his urine, and he acts like a total kitten (He runs around the house, he plays with his toys and gets into everything)

None of this started until he was put on 20 mg of predisone...for 7 months last year. Before all of this he vomited once or twice a year. Anyways, when he was on predisone he vomited weekly, then he went on doxycycline for a month and 1/2 and that really triggered vomiting. He was on all of this medicine because he has plasma cell pododermatitis, the vomiting got so bad while he was on his medicine, so I had to take him off of it. He stopped all oral medicine December of 2017. He slowly reduced his vomiting, it went from 1 week, to 2 weeks, to 3 weeks and then finally once a month. A lot of that vomiting then was him chowing down his food as fast as he could. He balanced the once a month vomiting until June of this year, he started doing it weekly again...well one week and two days. 45% of the time it is after/as he eats, 40% of the time it has hair in it and that 15% is random/him eating something he isn't supposed to. Most of the time after he vomits he goes to eat again. I am stumped, I know cats are good at hiding their illnesses, but wouldn't he have some sort of other symptom?

Forgot to say this, when Sammy vomited on his medicine he would do a loud meow before he did it, now he doesn't. Don't know if that helps with anything, but..

I'm as worried as you can get, my family is struggling to put food on the table, we even might not have a Christmas this year. If I had the money, he'd be at the vet getting a full blood test done right now.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I looked at a few of the posts in your other thread, did you have a chance to add some plain pumpkin? Do that, the fiber will help his system better deal with the hair.

Also, if you aren't already, try and groom him frequently, daily if possible - the more fur you get off of him, the less there will be for him to ingest.

Is he still on Purina One?

Walmart and grocery stores like King Soopers, Albertsons and Safeway etc, have decent foods that aren't "name brand", such Pet Pride, or Luvsome, Abound, Special Kitty... see if there's something his system will tolerate better.

Also, take a look at this article - he's eating too fast, and that is a big part of the problem.
18 Awesome Cat Feeding Tips By Thecatsite Staff Members
The whole article is good, but here's from the Gulper Section;

If your cat gulps down food, putting it in a melamine egg tray or in the hollows of a deviled egg serving dish will force him to eat slower.
Tip offered by @jcat

Place an object in the food bowl - be sure and keep the object clean by washing or replacing it. An upside down egg cup in the food bowl can slow down eating dry food, a ping-pong ball, a bottle cap, crumpled tin foil has been mentioned although it would need to be replaced every meal.

Try spreading canned/wet food onto a dinner plate (think putting butter or peanut butter on bread). That way kitty has to lick the food rather than gulp it. Works best for paté style foods.
Tip offered by @Columbine

 

[Sadee]

Hi!
I looked at a few of the posts in your other thread, did you have a chance to add some plain pumpkin? Do that, the fiber will help his system better deal with the hair.

Also, if you aren't already, try and groom him frequently, daily if possible - the more fur you get off of him, the less there will be for him to ingest.

Is he still on Purina One?

Walmart and grocery stores like King Soopers, Albertsons and Safeway etc, have decent foods that aren't "name brand", such Pet Pride, or Luvsome, Abound, Special Kitty... see if there's something his system will tolerate better.

Also, take a look at this article - he's eating too fast, and that is a big part of the problem.
18 Awesome Cat Feeding Tips By Thecatsite Staff Members
The whole article is good, but here's from the Gulper Section;

If your cat gulps down food, putting it in a melamine egg tray or in the hollows of a deviled egg serving dish will force him to eat slower.
Tip offered by @jcat

Place an object in the food bowl - be sure and keep the object clean by washing or replacing it. An upside down egg cup in the food bowl can slow down eating dry food, a ping-pong ball, a bottle cap, crumpled tin foil has been mentioned although it would need to be replaced every meal.

Try spreading canned/wet food onto a dinner plate (think putting butter or peanut butter on bread). That way kitty has to lick the food rather than gulp it. Works best for paté style foods.
Tip offered by @Columbine

Thank you so much for responding, I keep on forgetting about the pumpkin, he most likely won't touch it since he's so picky, but it won't hurt to try. I am grooming him more than I did, someone told me that since he's a short-hair breed he doesn't need to be groomed as often, I disagree, he sheds like he's a long haired cat. Who doesn't love a few pieces of cat hair in their food?

Yes, he's on the sensitive systems and has been for years now. Sammy is really picky, right now I think changing his food is off limits until I get some extra money in case he doesn't like the brand of food I change him to. I tried changing him to the blue buffalo sensitive systems, after 4 days of me mixing it with his food, he basically ate less than half of his food. Same with the wet food, he would take one or two bites and be done, with the Purina wet food, he'd have the plate cleaned in a minute or two.

He does not throw up while eating his wet food, and never has. I've also heard that if he drinks after he eats dry food, it expands in his stomach and makes him feel over filled, which causes him to vomit. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

One time when he vomited, it was because he ate a piece of soft plastic. He loves to eat anything that's not edible, pieces of a plastic bag, bread ties, straw paper, ban-aid paper ect.

I forgot to mention the only medicine he's been on is some flea medicine (not oral) and some allergy cream, those were all early this year.

 

[Wile]

If he doesn't throw up wet food I would be tempted to change him to an all wet diet and see if that solves the issue. At the very least it can't hurt.

 

[Furballsmom]

He does not throw up while eating his wet food, and never has.

Oh, wow, this is marvelous--I didn't realize that.

I know what you mean about the pumpkin - my boy didn't go for it either, but you never know, Sammy just might like it.

I was thinking the same as Wile , try a week or two, or three even? and see if the vomiting doesn't stop. Do this and give his system a chance to sort of recuperate from the throwing up - it's kinda harsh on the body and tummy.

Then, try the egg tray idea for his kibble, just a few pieces in each hollow in the tray, that'll slow him down for sure. Just change out the tray frequently so it doesn't get bacteria growth going.

And, of course, try and keep EVERYthing picked up off the floor - I know this is challenging at times, but for his tummy it'll be worth it

 

[Margret]

Walmart and grocery stores like King Soopers, Albertsons and Safeway etc, have decent foods that aren't "name brand", such Pet Pride, or Luvsome, Abound, Special Kitty... see if there's something his system will tolerate better.

My cat, Jasmine, is on Luvsome, which is the Kroger store brand. And "King Soopers" is what Kroger stores are called in Colorado, where both Furballsmom and I live; they have other names in other states, and some states don't have any; I have no idea whether there are any Kroger stores outside of the U.S., but I rather doubt it. If you want to try Luvsome, you can find the nearest store here: https://www.kroger.com/stores/search.

I forgot to mention the only medicine he's been on is some flea medicine (not oral) and some allergy cream, those were all early this year.

Which flea treatment was it, and what was the allergy cream?

Every week and two days seems oddly specific. What else happens in your house once every 9 days?

Since he's only throwing up dry food, my first choice would be to switch him over entirely to wet food. As a general rule it's healthier anyway, since it's a more concentrated protein, without carbohydrate additives, plus it helps to keep the cat hydrated (though you should continue to make clean water available). My Jasmine also tends to throw up whenever she gorges on kibble. I keep a high quality kibble available to her, in addition to regular meals of canned food, but when she turns up her nose at the canned I have to remove the kibble to keep her from gorging on it.

Margret

 

[Sadee]

Update: Good news? I mentioned he never threw up whilst eating wet food, but I have to remember when he started this, which was when I put him on wet food. I didn't want to, but I had to take his wet food away to see if his vomiting slowed down and/or stopped. His first vomit took 1 week, but his 2nd vomit took almost 2 weeks, tomorrow would've been 2 weeks! He had a large chunk of hair in it, a smaller chunk of hair and a small piece of paper in it. It's improvement, I guess.

 

[Sadee]

I needed to update this earlier but I didnt, he went to the vet, got checked for fiv, thankfully it came back negative, and he gained 2 pounds. His doctor wasn't worried about anything significant since he's gained weight and his age, she said he could've developed an ulcer from the steroids he was on, hes eating too fast or hea just extra sensitive. He was 17 pounds at the time, at that point he hadn't vomited in almost 2 months, I feel a lot better now, and dont worry, he is on a diet.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! This is so good to hear!!
Hopefully a really slow, gentle diet? If he's a big breed he might be at an appropriate weight.

https://www.petmd.com/sites/default/files/nestle_purina_cat_body_condition_chart_crop.jpg

Can you work in more exercise for him? That would be beneficial for a lot of things

Can you take him for walks?

Harness And Leash Training For Cats

7 Proven Ways To Get Your Cat To Be More Active

Pardon the title on this one;
17 Best Toys For Lazy Cats

How To Choose The Best Toy For Your Cat

8 Superb Automated Cat Toys That You're Going To Love!

How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats)

 

[Sadee]

Hi! This is so good to hear!!
Hopefully a really slow, gentle diet? If he's a big breed he might be at an appropriate weight.

https://www.petmd.com/sites/default/files/nestle_purina_cat_body_condition_chart_crop.jpg

Can you work in more exercise for him? That would be beneficial for a lot of things

Can you take him for walks?

Harness And Leash Training For Cats

7 Proven Ways To Get Your Cat To Be More Active

Pardon the title on this one;
17 Best Toys For Lazy Cats

How To Choose The Best Toy For Your Cat

8 Superb Automated Cat Toys That You're Going To Love!

How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats)

He is on a wet and dry food diet reccomend from his doctor, 1/3 dry food a day, 1 small can of wet food a day, I split this up into 3 different meals for him. Hes pretty active for his age, he loves playing with his toys, he runs around like a crazy man. He is ok on a leash but he loves eating grass, trying to walk him is impossible if grass is near by

 

[Furballsmom]

LOL I know about the feline grass addiction!

That seems like a really tiny amount of canned food. Are you weighing him weekly? More importantly, does he act like he's hungry? I know every cat is different, but my boy is 14 years old, weighs about 14 pounds, gets kibble and also approximately 3 small cans in a day.

 

[Sadee]

LOL I know about the feline grass addiction!

That seems like a really tiny amount of canned food. Are you weighing him weekly? More importantly, does he act like he's hungry? I know every cat is different, but my boy is 14 years old, weighs about 14 pounds, gets kibble and also approximately 3 small cans in a day.

He doesn't get weighed weekly, and yes he acts hungry. The last time he was weighed was a month or 2 ago, he was a little over 17 pounds, the diet was recommended by his doctor. She also said I could do an all wet food diet, but I didnt want to waste the dry food that I had so she recommended that. Hes going back to the vet in about 2 weeks for a weigh in and check up.

 

[Furballsmom]

I would suggest to start weighing him weekly. It's good to do that anyway so you have a benchmark for "normal" regarding anything else healthwise . A baby scale, or just use your own bathroom scale, weigh yourself, hold your cat and weigh again and subtract. The difference is his weight.

Also, and I'm not saying yours is one of these, but there are veterinarians who are overboard in their concern of cats becoming obese and end up recommending diets that are too stringent or not necessary due to a cat being a big breed cat. You have to be your cats' advocate.

You didn't want to waste the kibble, however many people have had their cats lose weight slowly and very naturally by shifting them to an all canned diet. Any TNR group or rescue shelter would be extremely grateful for that kibble especially when they're faced with extra costs now during kitten season.

In addition, not all foods are the same, including different brands of wet food.
How To Compare Cat Foods & Calculate Carbs: Dry Matter Basis

What Makes The Best Canned Cat Food?

How Much Food Should I Feed My Cat?

Here is an adult cat body chart;
https://www.petmd.com/sites/default/files/nestle_purina_cat_body_condition_chart_crop.jpg

And here are a couple of databases that may help as well;

Pet Food Guide

https://catinfo.org/docs/CatFoodProteinFatCarbPhosphorusChart.pdf