Vomiting - Not Hairballs?

[StanAndAlf]

I have a 1 year old neutered male cat who is vomiting frequently. For reference, he vomited on the 7th, the 11th and the 20th of July. The vomit is tube like, contains partially digested food and some grass. He was vomiting every few weeks before this, but I have finally started recording what we did that day, what he ate, ect.

His appetite is good, he has plenty of energy and isn't acting any different. Each time, the vomit has happened about 10 minutes after our daily walk outside. It doesn't happen every time, just on those occasions. He does ingest some grass during our walk each time, so I believe this is what is making him vomit.

I am aware that cats often eat grass when their stomach is upset. I don't want to just stop him eating the grass, I want to know why he is eating, or rather the cause of his upset stomach.

He has two meals a day, one in the morning and one at night. His food hasn't changed in any way. Its not after a meal, and the food in his vomit is partially digested already (before his evening meal). So I don't think its from eating too fast.

I am a little worried about IBD, but his stools are healthy, and he will run around and play after he vomits.

I started a thread on this before, and it was put down to hairballs, which I tried to treat for. However, there has only been a little hair in it, and since the treatment there is no hair in it at all. He doesn't shed much to begin with anyway.

I do plan to take him to the vet soon. However, I am on a budget, so I would like to at least know what to test for, or what tests to undergo, before I take him in.

TIA

 

[Meowmee]

So sorry he is vomiting. Def take him to dvm and do a work up. Bw, exam etc. they may want to do us which is how ibd is diagnosed usually. Then the next step is look see and biopsy etc. The grass is most likely what is causing it if it is always after that. Tubular vomit can be regurgitation. but I think that usually happens soon after eating. Ibd can be in different areas so the stool can be normal. If it is higher up vomiting can be the only symptom. Pancreatitis is another possibility or food allergies/ intolerances.


What does he eat? Maybe more smaller meals spread out would be easier for him.

How long has this been going on for? Is it several times per week?

My cat is being sick, what should I do?

Find out what to do if your cat is being sick, with Vets Now.

www.vets-now.com

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I guess you don't really have much of a choice but to have him checked over by a vet, but I am willing to bet it is the grass - and, I don't think cats necessarily eat grass just because their stomachs are upset. Some just like it.

Have you tried buying grass for him to eat inside? It is safer, in that it is the proper type of grass for a cat to eat, and it wouldn't have pesticides, fertilizers, etc. on it. It might also be enough to keep him from wanting to eat the outside grass.
Amazon.com : Cat Grass Kit (Organic) Complete with Rustic Wood Planter, Seed and Soil. Easy to Grow - Great for Indoor or Outdoor Cat, Dogs and Other Pets. Prevent Hairballs and Aid Digestion… : Garden & Outdoor

 

[fionasmom]

I agree that your cat needs to see the vet as there is a pattern here to his vomiting and it has recurred as well.

As for cat grass, I have bought it for years and keep a large pot growing at all times in the house for the dog and cats. This is a completely different subject but, yes, buy the organic specifically for cat use brands. Once in a while someone who apparently has a transitory upset tummy eats it and then spits it back out, but generally I never see it being vomited back or regurgitated.

 

[Bren224]

The grass your cat is eating could have pesticides on it. Vet is a choice, I understand about budgets. I have grown my own grass before too.
Some cats, though they might like their walks, might not be good with them. Don't stop your walk to let him eat the grass for a week. If he stops vomiting, it was the grass. If he still is vomiting. Don't walk him for a week. If that stops the vomiting then it's the walks. Add this in your tracking as to the vet when you are able to go.
I have a 16 year old car, he has been vomiting since he was one. The vet couldn't help him, we even tried the changing of the food. Synthetic antibodies for kittens. I got him when he was 9 days old. I assume your cat is not in the same boat and process of eliminating will help to narrow it down.

 

[daftcat75]

A guy tells his doctor, "Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I do this." And the doctor replies, "well, don't do that."

Taking grass out of his diet is the easiest way to determine if it is the grass that is making him vomit. If he has IBD, he'll vomit regardless of whether he ingested grass. But if the vomiting goes away when the grass goes away, problem solved. You don't need to question it further.

Cats have no need for grass; cat grass or otherwise. Some cats can eat grass with no issues. And others bring up whatever they ate along with the grass. This is a defect, not a feature. It shouldn't be encouraged. If he has tummy issues, they will present themselves regardless of the grass. Krista couldn't eat grass either. As cute as it was to watch her chomp on her own salad bar, we both could have passed on what happened next. Cats aren't cows.

 

[LTS3]

Cats aren't cows.

Tell that to my IBD cat He could eat grass all day if he could. He would only throw up if if it was close to meal time.

Outdoor grass can have any number of bacteria, parasites, pesticides, etc on it which can cause vomiting. I'd have a vet check the cat out. For future walks, discourage grass eating.

 

[StanAndAlf]

Tell that to my IBD cat He could eat grass all day if he could. He would only throw up if if it was close to meal time.

Outdoor grass can have any number of bacteria, parasites, pesticides, etc on it which can cause vomiting. I'd have a vet check the cat out. For future walks, discourage grass eating.

Sorry, I should have clarified, I live out of town on a property, so our walks take place in my back yard. I don't use pesticides or anything, so its relatively safe. I would like to here more about your IBD cat and his vomiting in relation to grass?

I plan to keep him inside for the next two weeks and see what affect that has, but I also worry that it will just stop the symptoms (vomiting) and not the cause of the issue (why he wants to eat so much grass). I will also consult with a vet to get their opinion as well of course.

 

[daftcat75]

I am aware that cats often eat grass when their stomach is upset. I don't want to just stop him eating the grass, I want to know why he is eating, or rather the cause of his upset stomach.

I believe you have this backwards. I believe the grass is the reason for his vomiting. Unless he’s eating whole prey on his outdoor walks, he most likely is not consuming the kind of inedible matter (feathers, fur, and bone) as his wild counterpart. He has less need for the kind of help that grass would provide. It’s not a useful instinct anymore. It’s a feature, not a requirement that some cats are able to eat grass without any ill effects.

but I also worry that it will just stop the symptoms (vomiting) and not the cause of the issue (why he wants to eat so much grass).

Cats also eat hair ties and rubber bands. They don’t always eat things in their best interest. It doesn’t matter why he wants to eat so much grass if stopping the grass eating stops the vomiting. Grass is not an essential nutrient or medicinal for cats. Don’t worry about masking anything. Cats are exceptionally talented vomiters. If he truly has an upset stomach, he doesn’t need the grass to purge. If he did, you would see an indication of that. Nauseated cats have a posture to them. They have a pained-looking loaf, often with their gaze tipped down. They may also crouch and lick their lips rapidly before vomiting. If your guy actually does have IBD (which I doubt because of his age and you don’t see any other symptoms except his grass barfs after walks), you don’t want to be encouraging vomiting. You want to eliminate triggers rather than figuring out how to add them back in. Vomiting is irritating and chronic vomiting feeds the inflammation (the I in IBD) in a cycle that’s very difficult to break. If you find that the vomiting stops when the grass is taken away, thanks the stars, and consider yourself lucky. IBD cats are much more difficult than this.

 

[LeiLatte]

I would not let him eat grass anymore.

My 1 year old cat recently started losing weight and vomiting in June unable to keep food down, likely from acid. I initially thought he ingested foreign objects. Vet thought it was FIP. After ER trip and many tests and thousands spent, the vet thinks it is IBS or cancer but I didn’t want to do a biopsy.

If your cat is still eating, that is good. Mine had stopped eating and now he only eats somewhat depending on the day. I have started syringe feeding 2-3 times a day to make sure he gets enough calories. We are also trying a steroid, maybe chemo pill if steroid doesn’t help, but I will consider his current quality of life before deciding to treat further.

Good luck and I would go to vet sooner rather than later because the cat gets more weak.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I believe the grass is the reason for his vomiting...It doesn’t matter why he wants to eat so much grass if stopping the grass eating stops the vomiting...If you find that the vomiting stops when the grass is taken away, thanks the stars, and consider yourself lucky. IBD cats are much more difficult than this.

I am in total agreement with the above.

As I said earlier, during your experiments to see if the outside grass is causing the issue, one of those experiments can be to buy/grow grass that is more suitable. Even if your grass outside does not contain insecticides/fertilizer/etc. it DOES contain bacteria that the inside grown/bought grass would not.

 

[dragonlady2]

I had a similar issue of vomiting with one of my cats. She doesn’t eat grass. The vet and tests couldn’t find anything wrong and suggested a specific food for sensitive stomachs. I did not take that route. Instead I started investigating the food she was eating. I eliminated all dry food, even treats. Any food that had carrageenan in it was eliminated. She still had the odd time of vomiting and I eventually found that 4 small meals a day, with one of them having some pumpkin and hard boiled egg in it stopped the vomiting. This is just what worked for me. I suspected she might have acid reflux and I am really suspicious of carrageenan.
Try keeping a food diary and start checking out the ingredients.
We found her as a kitten on the road when she was 4 weeks old, near death. She only has one kidney, only had one ovary. I suspect that cats that have a rougher start in life are more sensitive to store bought food with ingredients that I can’t even pronounce sometimes. What seems like a common ingredient that most cats tolerate, like carrageenan, may be not so great for those cats.

 

[artiemom]

I am suspicious of a chicken allergy in Geoffrey. Also, sensitivity to agar-agar and/or carrageenan