Hello! We have a sibling pair of Ocicats. I've been coming here occasionally for advice about their health since we first got them; I really appreciate the expertise available on this forum.
The cats are now 14 years old, indoors only and in very good health. All cats I've had have vomited -- it seems to come with the territory -- but I really wish there were something I could do to mitigate it. The hairballs are not so bad but when one of them disgorges the entire contents of her stomach, it's deeply unpleasant for everyone, including the cat. Lately, the female, Pherber, has been throwing up nasty, viscous dark brown stuff about every two days.
I have taken several steps that seem to have had limited success. I feed them half as much per meal as I once did but twice as often, so that they cannot gorge themselves. I bought them an orthopedic mount for their food bowl so that their eating position does not impede their windpipe. Both of these measures seem to have helped but I am now wondering if by changing their diet to a food type more suitable for older, vomit-prone cats I might alleviate the problem further. I have always given them good quality food, wet only, supplemented by high-quality raw beef twice a week. We never feed them with scraps from our own food. At the moment I am giving them Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free chicken, beef and turkey, wet food only.
I just found this article on feeding older cats that vomit:
It's pretty specific to my issue, as you can see, but I am eager to know what you all think, based on experience. The brands recommended here are Royal Canin, Purina, Blue Adult and Hill's. I am happy to spend more if it might have a positive effect. As always I would be very grateful for your wisdom and expertise, thank you!
The cats are now 14 years old, indoors only and in very good health. All cats I've had have vomited -- it seems to come with the territory -- but I really wish there were something I could do to mitigate it. The hairballs are not so bad but when one of them disgorges the entire contents of her stomach, it's deeply unpleasant for everyone, including the cat. Lately, the female, Pherber, has been throwing up nasty, viscous dark brown stuff about every two days.
I have taken several steps that seem to have had limited success. I feed them half as much per meal as I once did but twice as often, so that they cannot gorge themselves. I bought them an orthopedic mount for their food bowl so that their eating position does not impede their windpipe. Both of these measures seem to have helped but I am now wondering if by changing their diet to a food type more suitable for older, vomit-prone cats I might alleviate the problem further. I have always given them good quality food, wet only, supplemented by high-quality raw beef twice a week. We never feed them with scraps from our own food. At the moment I am giving them Merrick Purrfect Bistro Grain-Free chicken, beef and turkey, wet food only.
I just found this article on feeding older cats that vomit:
It's pretty specific to my issue, as you can see, but I am eager to know what you all think, based on experience. The brands recommended here are Royal Canin, Purina, Blue Adult and Hill's. I am happy to spend more if it might have a positive effect. As always I would be very grateful for your wisdom and expertise, thank you!
