Regular Vomiting - any advice?

[Ashley_G]

Hi, my names Ashley.

I have an elderly female cat called Midnight who lovely but she keeps being sick with occasional diarrhea!

On average it's about once a week... sometimes twice a week. Sometimes once every 2 weeks.
Mostly undigested food. Sometimes just bile in the morning when she hasn't eaten. Sometimes hair balls.

What trumps me is how irregular it is, there doesn't seem to be a pattern, so I'm looking for any advice to help her.

Things I've already tried:
-removed anything potentially toxic in the house
-fresh water daily
-feeding her smaller, half size portions
-using a raised, 'slow eat' type cat bowl
-different diets (dry food sensitive food only - Royal Canin) / (wet food sensitive stomach brand only - Purina) currently on Purina Wet only.
-daily brushing to remove excess fur

She hardly goes outside so I don't think she's picking up anything from out there.

Every time she has a bout of vomiting I put her on plain chicken, and slowly introduce her regular diet after 24-48 hours. (she was recently sick again when we were on the just chicken stage still - which makes me think it's not the Purina wet food).

We've had blood tests and a check up at the vet - all came back very well and in great health.

So I just have no clue what's going on... she otherwise seems completely normal with energy.

I'm due to speak to a vet this weekend about the next steps but any other advice / things to try in the mean time would be very helpful. Thanks very much.

Ash + Midnight.

 

[MissClouseau]

-fresh water daily

My cat pretty much only drinks cool water - not very cold but colder than room temperature. And the water must be changed minimum twice a day. This may or may not apply to your kitty of course.

-feeding her smaller, half size portions

How many meals does she eat? When is her last meal usually? At minimum there should be 4 different meals and the last meal should be close to her night bedtime. Otherwise some cats show symptoms of acid reflux and get nauseous late in the night or early in the morning.

different diets (dry food sensitive food only - Royal Canin) / (wet food sensitive stomach brand only - Purina) currently on Purina Wet only.

You can try gastrointestinal food sold at the vet clinics. I think ProPlan Veterinary diets have the simplest formulas which I see as safer.

daily brushing to remove excess fur

Does she use something for hairballs like pastes? I would add a daily paste or at least every other day. You may also discuss adding probiotics.

She hardly goes outside so I don't think she's picking up anything from out there.

I know you said you went to the vet and they checked her blood but did they check her stool for worms? Indoor-only cats can also get worms.

 

[Ashley_G]

Hey thanks very much for replying.

- Yeah she drinks water at room temperature so thats okay

- Her meal times aren't really scheduled she has an erratic sleeping pattern so i just feed her when shes awake / hungry at the moment. Do you think I should force a timed eating schedule? But I do feed her when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed at night. The day time meals are a bit random - depending on if shes sleeping or not.

-Ok great thanks I'll bring that up with the vet when I speak to them this weekend.

-No paste but again ill ask the vet if its worth looking into

-No her stool hasn't been checked - but again ill ask the vets if this is worth doing as well.


Thanks for the reply

 

[MissClouseau]

Her meal times aren't really scheduled she has an erratic sleeping pattern so i just feed her when shes awake / hungry at the moment. Do you think I should force a timed eating schedule? But I do feed her when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed at night. The day time meals are a bit random - depending on if shes sleeping or not.

Unless there is a reason for her to not eat dry food and she doesn't eat all at one sitting, I think the best is leaving a bit dry food outside. Especially for the night. That works the best for my kitty as well. Like sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night and she looks like she's a bit nauseous - increased saliva and all. She goes and eats some and she seems fine afterward.

This is in case the problem is going hours without food of course. If the reason turns out to be something else and she does fine on a wet-only diet, then there is no reason to change.

 

[Katdog]

When you say elderly, are you talking like 8 years or 15 years? Have u taken her to the vet? Have you had her this entire time or was she recently adopted?

 

[Ashley_G]

Around 15 years. Yes I've taken her to the vets at stated in my original post - she had blood tests and all came back fine.

Sometimes I leave dry food out at night and shes thrown it up in the morning. Other times I've left no food out at night and shes thrown up bile in the morning.

I've tried peroids of wet only and she still vomits.

I've tried dry only and she still vomits.

I've tried bland only (plain chicken) and she has vomitted this up as well.

Not sure what to try.

 

[pearl99]

Have you tried a food with a single source protein that she hasn't had before, such as rabbit, quail, etc? I'd assume the vet did thyroid testing, was that included?

 

[mewlittle]

I had a similar instance where all my cats was puking and having diarrhea and they was eating friskies dry and bits n gravy etc types of wet (purina) where they got a can of wet in the morning with dry as free feed ,on November 1st I bought Blue Buffalo sensitive stomach dry and did a 8 day transition from friskies dry I was planning to do a 12 day transition but half the cats kept picking out the only friskies pieces leaving the blue and puking up the friskies so I sped it up ,as of Nov 8th they been getting only Blue Buffalo sensitive stomach and they haven't had a vomit since besides Soar one time puking up stomach acid because she went on a hunger strike ,and half their wet is friskies Pate now (I accidentally bought the bits n gravy thinking it was pate)

They get half can an hour after I wake up (my meds puts me in a morning daze) and again about 6-8 hours later and all are free fed the blue buffalo dry wich I refill the bowls an hour after their second wet so they at least have the dry through out the night,

Next time I'm going to try not to mess up and get all Pate wet food because the bits n Gravy is still causing loose stools ,I think its bc it contains wheat gluten

Also the cats hair is starting to look a bit better still to soon to tell

Maybe try something that isn't purina?
Also put her on a set schedule where she gets wet multiple times a day so for example if she requires 8oz of wet a day and no dry then do 2oz 4 times a day but if she gets dry then do 2-3 times a day on wet and dry throughout, does that make sense? The reason I say try a non Purina brand is because besides the 5 I currently have, most the cats I had in the passed had issues with anything Purina I'm unsure why though

I hope I helped

Still wouldn't be a bad idea to get a stool sample done

 

[LTS3]

Possible intolerance to something in food? A novel protein limited ingredient type diet may be helpful. Give such a diet at least 13 weeks before calling it quits. It takes about that long to see if the diet is helping or not. Chicken and fillers like gums and grains and starches are often the cause of vomiting and other symptoms in cats. Try feeding rabbit or lamb or vension or kangaroo. Rawz is often suggested to try for a food trial. It comes in both canned and dry.

Did the vet rule out gastrointestinal issues such as IBD?

A second opinion from another vet may be helpful. An internal medicine vet would be especially helpful than a "regular" vet.

 

[Katdog]

I second the single source protein. If all the test results are normal, then id say it’s a food allergy thing.

 

[Catmom1234567890]

Feeding smaller meals rather than 2 large meals is a good idea. Feed bland diet that is easily digestible. Simple food without thickeners and too much organ. My gal was on Hills ZD ( hydrolyzed protein for IBD) and caused the most horrific diarrhea. I've learned it is probably due to too much liver, oil, and other junk in the food. For hairball, instead of doing the petroleum jelly paste, try egg yolk lecithin or give Capilex once a day. Capilex is a chewable capsule that is sold at the Vet. It contains lecithin. Petroleum jelly makes the hairball slippery so it passes easier while lecithin breaks up the hair. From research, lecithin is more effective than petroleum jelly. If you have long-haired cat, It is best to prevent ingestion rather than daily brushing. My gal had 2 hairball obstructions. She has IBD and impaired GI motility so she has to be shaved down. Adding probiotic is good if it works for your cat. I'm guessing her digestion has slowed down due to various reasons. It seems like many cats have IBD and this can lead to other problems.

 

[Meowmee]

It could be a number of things including as others said food allergies/ sensitivities, or IBD, pancreatitis, cancer and more. An internist dvm might be better to figure it out. If she goes out at all she is at higher risk for parasites and you need to do a stool test once a year anyway. Pcr panel tests are more acurate for parasites. I would try switching slowly to a home made cooked or raw diet to see if that helps. I make my guys hc with chicken, chicken liver and supplements from knowwhatyoufeed.com I hope she gets better soon

 

[moxiewild]

Please look into Dr. Gary Norsworthy’s research into frequent vomiting (and other stomach issues) in cats.

He literally wrote the textbook on feline health that many vet schools use, and his research in this area has been quite groundbreaking.

I would print out what you find and give it to your vet to look over for consideration.

 

[Ashley_G]

Thanks for all your replies..
I've just spoken with my vet today and she decided that if she's only being sick once a week on average and is otherwise normal & not losing weight that she's just clearing her system and to let her get on with it. I brought up all of your suggestions. IBD, stool samples, raw diets. And she said if it's only once a week vomit / diarrhoea then it's just 'her' and shes otherwise normal and just let her get on with it.
But I feel like there's more that I should be able to do for her.

To all those who've suggested it could be a food allergy let me ask... if 95% of the time I feed her this Purina wet food (which by the way is just chicken and carrots) and she keeps it down and is absolutely fine. And only 5% of the time she brings it back up - is it still an alergy to this food? If it was wouldnt she be throwing it up after every meal?

 

[Meowmee]

Thanks for all your replies..
I've just spoken with my vet today and she decided that if she's only being sick once a week on average and is otherwise normal & not losing weight that she's just clearing her system and to let her get on with it. I brought up all of your suggestions. IBD, stool samples, raw diets. And she said if it's only once a week vomit / diarrhoea then it's just 'her' and shes otherwise normal and just let her get on with it.
But I feel like there's more that I should be able to do for her.

To all those who've suggested it could be a food allergy let me ask... if 95% of the time I feed her this Purina wet food (which by the way is just chicken and carrots) and she keeps it down and is absolutely fine. And only 5% of the time she brings it back up - is it still an alergy to this food? If it was wouldnt she be throwing it up after every meal?

I think your dvm is wrong. I don’t think vomiting once or twice a week is normal or clearing herself out. She is older, something is wrong. If it were a matter of hairballs maybe, but that can also be a sign of something in cats. Vomiting bile is def a possible sign of any of the things I mentioned. Plus the runs.
Yes a food sensitivity can be inconsistent from my experience anyway. You can try switching to a hc diet very slowly and see if it helps her. Do the stool tests & pcr, get us to see if it shows issues and get an exam with a better dvm if there is one in your area. If she has ibd and not cancer you may be able to keep it at bay with meds and diet.

There also could be multiple issues going on. If something is going on lower down it could make her vomit and not poop, if it is ibs she could alternate between runs/ constipation etc. Have you tried pumpkin? That can help both. If she is vomiting everything up right after eating that is usually from eating too fast and the esophagus regurgitates.

I am not sure about the purina but it prolly has a lot of additives that can cause problems, many commercial foods do. My Quinn had sensitivities from when he was a baby and I had to put him on a hc diet. The only commercial food he & Merlin can eat is fussie cat super premium grain free chicken & chicken liver in pumpkin gravy. Otherwise they get soft stool/ runs. Quinn needs pumpkin added in to the hc or he gets dry poop.

 

[Ashley_G]

Thanks for replying so fast.

I agree so I've already booked another appointment at a different practice next week for a second opinion.
I'll ask for a stool test as well. Whats PCR?

And no I havent tried pumpkin.. haven't even heard of it for a cats diet?? I'll look into it.

Could you also quickly breakdown your hc diet for me? Like just a really brief recipe. thank you so much

 

[Catmom1234567890]

Ask your vet about complete GI panel. This blood test is used to rule out pancreatitis and EPI. As for diet, stick with single protein. Most canned food contain one or more protein especially if the main protein source is expensive. Need to read the label.

Many recommend single protein Rawz. Amazon has it but you have to buy a whole box. Rawz has store locator on their website

my vet said fillers like gum and thickeners are not problematic but I disagree. Homemade with completer is best if you have time and energy.

.

 

[Meowmee]

Thanks for replying so fast.

I agree so I've already booked another appointment at a different practice next week for a second opinion.
I'll ask for a stool test as well. Whats PCR?

And no I havent tried pumpkin.. haven't even heard of it for a cats diet?? I'll look into it.

Could you also quickly breakdown your hc diet for me? Like just a really brief recipe. thank you so much

The PCR test is done on the stool it’s just a more detailed test and they check by pcr for a whole panel of parasites. It’s more accurate, it costs more money but it’s worth doing it. Just ask the new DVM they will know. Here is a link at one lab online. I don’t remember how much it cost when I had it done on Merlin. He tested positive for C. difficile which I never would’ve known if I had not done the PCR.

Diarrhea Tracker - Fecal PCR tests - Cat

The diet I feed Quinn & Merlin has only chicken liver chicken and supplements from knowwhatyoufeed.comthe recipe is there for whatever diet you choose it can be done with raw meat or cooked meat I do it with cooked chicken.
They have several different recipes there. If you are using raw or cooked meat that is not ground up with the bone you have to add the supplement that has calcium in it. If you email them they will help you pick the right supplement for you.

The recipe I use: I add .666 g of the supplement powder per each pound of chicken. I add 1 to 2 ounces of chicken liver per each pound of chicken. I bought a special scale to measure out the supplement in grams you can do that at Amazon.

The supplement comes in a powder form, if you buy the large bags it’s cheaper- you measure out what you need for how much chicken you are making. I put mine into the water that I’m going to add to the food first, I let it sit and then I mix it up with a hand-mixer- it takes a while for it to dissolve in the water. You have to keep stirring it as you add it to each batch because it sinks to the bottom. I make three or four batches and freeze some.
An important step when I make their food is I grind up the cooked chicken with the chicken liver in a Cuisinart food processor then I put it in a big stainless steel bowl and I add in the water, the chicken juice and the supplements and stir it all up together. I find it’s better to grind everything up because I would not trust the supplements and liver to be properly mixed if the meat is in larger pieces but I guess you could do it that way too.

Pumpkin is a common remedy for cats with tummy troubles it can help both constipation and diarrhea. You just don’t wanna overdo it if they have constipation because then they can get diarrhea too. You use plain canned pumpkin. Whatever you don’t use right away you can freeze in ice cube trays because you’re not going to use the whole can quickly enough- it goes bad quickly. Then defrost 3 to 4 ice cubes to last three or four days.

 

[moxiewild]

Thanks for all your replies..
I've just spoken with my vet today and she decided that if she's only being sick once a week on average and is otherwise normal & not losing weight that she's just clearing her system and to let her get on with it. I brought up all of your suggestions. IBD, stool samples, raw diets. And she said if it's only once a week vomit / diarrhoea then it's just 'her' and shes otherwise normal and just let her get on with it.
But I feel like there's more that I should be able to do for her.

To all those who've suggested it could be a food allergy let me ask... if 95% of the time I feed her this Purina wet food (which by the way is just chicken and carrots) and she keeps it down and is absolutely fine. And only 5% of the time she brings it back up - is it still an alergy to this food? If it was wouldnt she be throwing it up after every meal?

I don’t agree with writing this off (not you, but your vet). People and vets write off vomiting in cats far too easily. But it’s no more normal for a cat to vomit once a week than it is for a human!

I would again urge you to take a look at Dr. Norsworthy’s research. He’s a feline specialist. We take all cats with unexplained vomiting issues to him, and he has saved several of their lives where other vets had dismissed the vomiting as some normal idiosyncrasy for the cat.

Here’s an article by him to get you started -

Cats Vomiting Frequently is Abnormal Behavior

Please note that chronic vomiting is defined as vomiting at least two times a month, and your cat is vomiting at about double that.


Trust your gut. This isn’t normal.

 

[Catmom1234567890]

I don’t agree with writing this off (not you, but your vet). People and vets write off vomiting in cats far too easily. But it’s no more normal for a cat to vomit once a week than it is for a human!

I would again urge you to take a look at Dr. Norsworthy’s research. He’s a feline specialist. We take all cats with unexplained vomiting issues to him, and he has saved several of their lives where other vets had dismissed the vomiting as some normal idiosyncrasy for the cat.

Here’s an article by him to get you started -

Cats Vomiting Frequently is Abnormal Behavior

Trust your gut. This isn’t normal.

I have to agree here. My babe has thickened small intestine and things move slowly downward. Therefore, she had so much hair that became hairball obstruction. Like many, I ignored vomiting as she is trying to cough up the hairball as that is what normal cats do. I was wrong.

She had 2 hairball obstructions back to back. First one, the vet tried to remove via endoscope and that was a huge failure. This not only damaged her throat, she became obstructed again and ended up with surgery. Biopsy was taken came back thickened duodenum, hence why she had so much hair.

Vomiting is not normal. Do not overlook. It can save your cat and your wallet if you act early.