Kitty vomitted the raw chicken again

[pawpurrints]

So yesterday, Blue threw up his meal of raw chicken.  He's 5 weeks old, and they've all been eating raw chicken once a day for the past week with no problems.  With the help from other members, we are guessing that yesterday's throw up might have been because I was a couple of hours late feeding them.

But today, an hour after his chicken meal (around 1oz), he threw it up again.  He's been otherwise playing all day and not acting any different.  I'm going to give him some KMR in a bit to fill his tummy.  Their meal wasn't late...in fact, I purposefully fed an hour earlier than I normally would.  None of them finished their meal, but they ate most of what was in their dish.  The other 2  cats seem to be fine; no throw up.  

Any ideas why it might have happened again?  Should I stop giving him milk for a day or two until his tummy settles?  They are all still drinking KMR....chicken for now is still fed only once a day but I was going to increase this.

 

[ldg]

Do you mean should you give him just his KMR for a day or two until his tummy settles? Because that might be a good idea. No matter the age, their bodies have to produce the enzymes to digest the food. Sometimes during a transition, even adult cats will just start throwing up raw when they were eating it fine before. We still don't really know what this is, but it's happened to quite a few people here now. For some, feeding canned food for a few days to a few weeks is enough (what they were eating before, or what was being used as part of the transition), and then the raw introduction starts over and things go just fine. :dk:

So given that as the backdrop... I think feeding him just KMR for a day or two and trying again would be the best idea - since he otherwise seems fine! (Poops are normal, activity level normal, etc., yes?)

 

[pawpurrints]

Thanks for the info, LDG....and yes, everything is otherwise normal....boy is it all normal  LOL he pounces and tackles his brother and sister like there's no tomorrow!

Hopefully he own't notice that during the feeding times, that his siblings are eating chicken while he gets milk. They all eat from their own tiny bowls.

 

[pawpurrints]

Ungh, and now the other boy threw up a little bit of his chicken.  Like, 1/4 of what he ate, around an hour or 2 after he ate.  Just like Blue, his behavior hasn't changed...still active and running around, peeing/pooping like normal.

Is it possible that even if they're finishing all the food, that he's just eating too much?  I've been doing one 1.5oz chicken meal a day (when I feed the chicken, I don't give milk).  The pieces are cut into pea-sized cubes, and warmed by soaking in warm water before feeding them.  I've also started using these small dipping bowls -- maybe 2" in diameter, and an inch deep.  It is small enough that the chicken pieces are in a small mound, so they can take heaping mouthfuls.  Before, I had the chicken spread out on a tupperware lid.

Luckily they're not spewing the milk meals, so at least they're retaining fluids.  I can't take them to the vet until a week or so (spent so much already, and I'm waiting for extra funds).  I read somewhere earmites might be a cause of it.  I was going to have it treated on their first checkup.  Plus they haven't been dewormed yet either.  Could any of these be the cause?

 

[ldg]

You know, that didn't occur to me - the too much food. But I suspect you've nailed the problem. My adult cats eat three meals a day: those that weigh more than 10 pounds eat 1.5 ounce portions. My 8 pound cat and my 7 pound cat eat 1 ounce portions!

Raw is SO bioavailable to them that it doesn't take a lot. A growing kitten - depending on activity level - can eat 8% - 10% of their body weight in a day, but that is at the high end for sure. I don't know that's usual.

I don't know at 5 - 6 weeks, but that's the case at 12 weeks to 4-5 months or so. I don't know how many meals you're feeding a day (in general, not just raw). But I don't know why that little bell didn't go off in my head. a 1.5 ounce meal sounds like a lot for a 5 or 6 week old kitten. :nod:

 

[pawpurrints]

Thanks.....good to have someone experienced backup my suspicions  I'll cut back on the chicken to just half.  I'm currently feeding them 4 times a day -- 3 times is milk, and mid day is the chicken.

 

[ldg]

How'd it go today? :cross:

 

[pawpurrints]

Good  But then again, I fed no chicken.  Tomorrow, I will do one chicken meal, but with just 1/2oz.