If your cat is suffering from diarrhoea or is vomiting but otherwise seems to be in good health generally, something a cat owner can do is to withhold all food for 24 hours and restrict water intake to small drinks every few hours.
We have to make sure that the vomiting is not a one-off vomit due to a hairball or due to antibiotics for example. Antibiotics alter the normal flora in the gut. If my cat vomited twice in one day I’d watch and probably withhold food as suggested above but ultimately it is about judgment.
This is a case where careful observation and a willingness to take your cat to the vet as soon as required is the rule which guides us. Home treatments are fine but they are limited unless you are very experienced and you work with your vet. I know that some cat owners do this.
If a cat is vomiting a great deal water should be restricted to very small amounts but not withheld completely as it will cause dehydration.
This allows the digestive system to calm down and rest while preventing the loss of fluids from the body. Loss of fluids can cause dehydration.
After the cat has stopped vomiting give him some more water. If the water is kept down, larger amounts of water can be given.
For diarrhoea, an over-the-counter drug for home veterinary use is suggested by some vets: loperamide (Immodium) at 1 mg per 10 pounds of body weight given orally every 12-24 hours. No idea how you give a cat that stuff orally, however 😉 .
After 24 hours a small amount of bland food can be given. An example would be strained meat baby food (high in meat protein). We are told that well-cooked white rice mixed with pieces of skinless chicken breast which has been boiled to remove fat will normally be tolerated. There are hypoallergenic commercially made cat foods which are bland. Hill’s Prescription Diet Feline i/d is recommended.
This bland diet should be provided for several days after a bout of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Pumpkin is said to help when treating both constipation and diarrhoea.
Important note:
- Common sense tells us that our cat should be carefully observed at this time for other signs of illness, and if there are, and if the vomiting or diarrhoea persists a veterinarian should see the cat as soon as possible.
- If the patient is a young kitten – call the vet and go for advice asap.
I loved your story. Very sweet and genuine. You seem to be a nice person who cares.
Frost you sound to be a very kind person and I’m glad people are kind to you too.
Yes I agree kind hearts are inherited as well as a person’s upbringing contributing. Children learn by example and it would be good if we all learned kindness and unselfishness from being very young, as some of us have.
We have some lovely people in our town who support our local animal sanctuary even though they don’t have much for themselves, they are my sort of people. We find those with the least are those who want to help animals and other people the most.
I know a lot of good people, and I know a bad people.
I made a lot of friends with a cat rescue group in my area. When my newest cat Lucky was a newborn his momma was ran over and killed while I was at work. Someone brought Lucky to my office and said he didn’t know what to do for him. I said I did and would take Lucky. I called my roommate who had our friend’s number, and I called her at 5am. I told her about Lucky, and made arrangements with a local vet to hold Lucky until Julie could pick him up after work. Julie got him to a bottle baby rescue group. When he was old enough to be weaned Julie fostered him until he was old enough to be adopted, and I got him back. Julie kept me up to date on Lucky’s progress, and I am still doing the same now for her since she still asks about him.
I’ve also told my elderly neighbors if they ever need help just let me know. My roommates and I will always help them. My neighbor called me once to tell me she had one of my cats in her garage. I had been looking for Stowie for hours. Apparently my adopted brother accidently left a door open and Stowie got out. Cindy knew Stowie was mine since she saw me leash training Stowie and Hitch. Stowie ended up in Cindy’s garage thanks to Cindy thinking fast and getting a can of tuna for Stowie. She then locked Stowie up, and apologized for not letting Stowie into the warmer part of the house, but Dave (Cindy’s husband) is allergic to cats. I went over and got Stowie back, and a few hours later Dave was nice enough to shovel my drive way due to the snow. After all of that I baked some homemade bread and cookies, took it over to them to thank them again for everything.
I believe people do inherit a kind heart.
We do know some good people who will help others but also some selfish ones, I could never be like that, it would make me feel very unhappy.
John sounds to be a good sort. The perv and his lot are obviously horrible selfish people because they can neglect their poor innocent cat and turn their backs on someone who could do with some help. Looks like Sid is with you to stay, now didn’t you say to me you couldn’t emotionally take any more cats! lol
I’m glad he has nothing wrong with him bless him, he deserves some quality life now and you are kindly giving him it 🙂
Our late mother was the most generous woman ever, one day she even gave her spectacles away to the old man next door lol we really had to get them back for her that time.