Cat Being Sick After Eating!

by Clara
(London)

Cat vomiting a hair ball! Not the case in this instance in my opinion (see below) - art work by Livia Iacolare

Cat vomiting a hair ball! Not the case in this instance in my opinion (see below) - art work by Livia Iacolare

My cat is nearly 18 and she eats mainly dry food (Hills) and some Felix senior moist food. She is fine in every other way, but for the last year or so, about once a week she is sick after eating, but then is fine within a minute and is back eating again and purring!

Often it appears that she has not chewed her food properly as there are whole biscuits in it, but the vet said her teeth seem to be fine.. I don't think it is fur balls, but it might be that she eats too quickly, or her digestion is not perfect any more, or someone said something about swallowing air..??

I just don't know why it is happening or how to prevent it, and I would be extremely grateful if anyone knows what I can do. It doesn't seem to make a difference if it is after biscuits or moist food as I have tried cutting out one or the other..

Does this happen to other cats? Please can anyone suggest anything? Thank you very much!

Clara


Hi Clara... Thanks for asking. The vomiting is sporadic, chronic (“something that continues or persists over an extended period of time”) and related to eating. You cat is old and mainly eats dry food.

First things first. A good vet is the answer but an informed customer helps! This is an attempt to inform. But it is only that - possibly one answer.

Vomiting is a symptom associated with many conditions and diseases so a definitive answer is made all the more difficult but...The symptoms indicate Feline IBD – inflammatory bowel disease (or IBS – inflammatory bowel syndrome).

This is an an immune reaction disease than can be caused by commercial cat food. And it is likely to affect the older cat.

The standard answer is to provide hypoallergenic cat food. This anyway would be a good starting point as it would check whether the problem is food based.

If your cat stops vomiting while eating hypoallergenic cat food, that would confirm that the dry food (possibly - but you say it happens after wet and dry) is causing the problem.

You cat could stay on the hypoallergenic food. The information for this answer comes from, Michael, and in reference to this page: Cat Vomiting.

I moved your submission to the above linked page.

Michael Avatar

Cat being sick after eating! to Cat Health Problems

Comments for
Cat Being Sick After Eating!

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 28, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Hi
by: MIchael

What food is your cat eating? Vomiting clear frothy liquid indicates spoiled food, grass, hairballs, indigestible substances and possible infectious enteritis. These all irritate the stomach lining.

Is their diarrhea as well?

This page on another website covers swallowing air. You may have already seen it.

Vomiting and not eating are general symptoms caused by a multitude of conditions and illnesses so it is hard to diagnose.

This page tells you the long list of reasons stopping eating.

And this page covers causes of vomiting.


Nov 27, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
swallowing air
by: Anonymous

please help!!! my 9 yr old cat stoped eating and drinking,and started throwing up bile,and also swallowing air.i took her to the vet he did blood work and xray,the blood test showed a mild bladder infection,but everything else was great,the xray showed alot of air in her intestines,he said she was swallowing air.But could not say why,i have kept her hydrated by giving her fluids under her skin with a needle{the vet showed me how}its been five days and no improvement.oh yeah she was given a shot of antibiotics,and no changes..we cant figure out whats wrong with her.....any sugestions?? i already spent $ 500.00.i just dont have any more money im afraid shes going to die...HELP US


Jan 07, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
cat vomiting linked to cat food
by: sharmistha

Dear annonymous, Michael,

Cant agree more about not giving your cat any dry food at all. After reading all the blogs and sites on cat food I realised that canned wet food is any day better than dry food.
Unfortunately in India, we don't have too many options in commercial cat food. So I had no alternative but to give Whiskas (a dry food), and Bellota, a wet food brand to my cat.
I can't say that my cat has really been very healthy, as he has been puking on and off. First it was just hairballs, then it was a yellowish, liquid that he threw up every 3rd day. My vet said it could be acidity, but also adviced me to change his diet. He adviced fish.

Whereas i read in certain blogs that fish is not realy good as cats are carnivores and survive on meat. The best and most informative blogs advice home made recipes for cats which has:
@chicken, veggies like carrots, peas, olive oil etc
They also reccomend amino acids like Taurine and Arginine and vitamin capsules.
Where do I get taurine and vitamin capsules for cats? Also can I safely mix them up at home and feed my cat?

Also I am happy to say that the day i started giving my cat freash chicken, boiled at home and mixed with a bit of canned wet food, he's stopped vomiting. I am so relieved that I have been able to stop giving Whiskas to my cat ( he was completely addicted to it)
But is just boiled chicken enough, Pls advice!
Many thanx in advance


Jan 03, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Dried food
by: Clara

Thanks for your advice! I know what you mean, I always refused to give my cat dried food in the past for this reason, but all the vets at Medivet have assured me that kidney failure is due to high phosphorus levels, not dehydration and that they will drink what they need. I was sceptical for a long time, but for the last 3 years my cat has had the dried Hills KD diet and some moist food with it, and for the first time in her life she eats well and has put on enough weight and her blood tests have shown her kidneys to be working well. They thought she had the beginnings of kidney failure 2 years ago which is why she was put on the KD diet but now she hasn't, but I kept her on the diet anyway as it is lower in protein etc.. I know the arguments against dried food and I wish it was possible to really know what to do, but there are always so many conflicting opinions from vets!


Jan 02, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
dry cat food
by: Anonymous

Much to my dismay, I have learned the damages done by giving a cat dried food of any type. The moisture is not enough to make up the difference between what a cat would eat in the wild and dried cat food.

Cats would eat mice and birds if left to nature to provide. the moisture content is much higher then ANY dried food. I thought science Diet was quality until I lost my last cat, once again, to kidney failure.

Granted the cats have been between 14 and 16 years of age. The last five cats have died of kidney failure.( I usually have three cats at a time).

When my vet told me kidney failure was due to dried food, I responded the cat drank tons of water. She assured me, no cat drinks enough water to make up for what their body requires when eating dried food. Apparently the Vet association is slow in getting the message out to the public. I am fully aware the vets continue to sell dried foods. The vet who informed me of this problem is also a natural health food advocate.

Please consider canned food. It might save your cat some painful issues further down the road. If the cat prefers dried, mix the two together for a while.


Jan 02, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
sick cat
by: Clara

Thanks for your advice, I will try raising her bowl! I forgot to mention before that she has regular blood tests (every 6 months) and nothing shows up- her kidneys, liver etc are fine, all levels are normal and even her blood pressure is right down to normal without any medication now! I have asked the vet about her being sick but he doesn't seem to know, except to say she might be swallowing air.. Often vets only seem to give text book advice which is why I am very interested in what people with their own cats have experienced and can advise! Thanks again!


Jan 02, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar
Sick kitty
by: Jan Plant

Poor old dear.If it is air,try raising her bowls a bit off the floor,this is actually helpful for all animals,as they intake less air and swallowing is easier.
But as stated by Michael,she should see a good vet to really determine what the problem is.


3 thoughts on “Cat Being Sick After Eating!”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. I have heard that by them eating fast, they don’t digest their food right and it causes swelling and makes them sick, so they bring it right back up awhile later afterwards. Just w9ndered.

    Reply
  3. I sometimes go to my sister’s for up to 4 days and I normally leave cat food for 5 days with all the water I think she may need during the time I am gone. I been giving her the Dry Indoor Cat food.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

follow it link and logo