cat vomiting up undigested food

[susan denning]

Before I make an vet appointment for my cat Felix, I am wondering if there might be some things I can try at home to solve the problem. I've found a pile of undigested cat food on our garage floor and on our cat tree at least three times this last week. It looks almost like the results of choking, like he had too much in his esophagus at one time. I don't see any hair, so I doubt hairballs. His weight is stable and he is pooping normally. He is on Royal Canin SO due to a past blockage. He had a fecal in September which came back normal.

A couple of things I was thinking of are moving his food to the floor ( I had it on our cat tree to keep it our of the reach of another cat, who has since passed, and never changed the location). Also, being more diligent about washing his food and water bowls and keeping them clean (He has water and food of course, but I haven't been as diligent about making sure has has fresh water as I should be).

Thanks.

 

[verna davies]

Does he eat his food fast, that can make them regurgitate it, if so try using a slow feeder. He could also have a furball that he is trying to bring up. Keep an eye on him and if it continues, give your vet a call

 

[FeebysOwner]

If Felix is older, he could be getting a bit more sensitive regarding his food. If you don't throw out the leftover dry food after it has set out all day/night, you might consider doing so. Saliva can get into the food and start to grow bacteria, so just adding more food to uneaten food could cause the food to go bad faster. Since prescription foods are expensive you could also try to set out a smaller amount at one time and refill the bowl more often.

You can use something as simple as a Ping pong ball or golf ball, in lieu of buying a slow feeder, to place in his food bowl so he has to eat around it to help slow him down if that, as mentioned above, is the issue. If that doesn't make a difference, try elevating his bowl so that he isn't leaning over so much to eat. A book or two placed underneath his bowl might be enough elevation, otherwise you can buy an elevated bowl.

Also, pay attention to when he regurgitates - sometimes cats that have gone too long without eating some food will have acid build up in their stomachs that can cause them to throw up food right after eating. Not sure that would be his case as it sounds like his food is left out all the time, but if it were collecting bacteria he might not be as inclined to eat it and then only goes back to it when he gets really hungry.

In case it might be hairball related, you can try giving him a dab or butter or margarine from you finger or on his paw for him to lick off, once a day or every other day. If he eats any canned food, you can also add a couple of drops of olive oil to his food. Both can help a cat to pass hairballs.

 

[Twylasmom]

The above suggestions are all good ones. I found that elevating the bowl makes a huge difference. Also, do you free feed the dry or measure out smaller portions a couple of times a day? Feeding smaller portions can help if you have a cat who eats too much at once.

 

[Furballsmom]

Just to check, are you feeding just the dry version? Is he urinating normally?

For informational purposes this might be helpful;

Tips To Increase Your Cat’s Water Intake – TheCatSite Articles