Cat with upset stomach: suggestions please!

[JenSen]

Okay, the family cat in this house (a tabby who I guess is about 6 or 7 years old) has suddenly started throwing up everything she eats. Dry food, wet food, doesn't matter, she runs around meowing (I think it hurts her) and then throws up somewhere. Usually on a decent rug. :sigh: I am calling the vets and I'll probably have to take her there today just in case it's something we need a "cat scan" for... but in the meantime.... any ideas? Lots of you have cats. I've never owned one, I don't have much experience with them, and the cat's main owner works during most vet office hours. We could take her to an afterhours clinic, I know. For now.... I can has practical advisez plz? Water, no water? Give her grass maybe?

Thanks.

[JenSen]

Go figure.... the cat seems to be okay now, and now we're the ones with the stomach flu

[mossrose]

Did she have a hair ball?

My one cat only throws up when she has a hairball, and she might throw up food or just liquid until she gets it up.

:nsm:

And a tip for cleaning up that I learned the hard way.

If you don't touch the vomit when it's on a rug or upholstered furniture until it is completely dry, like, leave it alone for at least a couple of days, you can usually vacuum it right up and it won't leave a stain.

If you try to wipe it up while it is wet, it will get ground into the fibres of the rug or furniture, and it will stain.

:thumb:

[Teallaura]

Sorry, didn't see this until now.

If she'd had a hairball she should have stopped vomiting after it came up. More likely she had a kitty version of the stomach flu and she's over it now. If she does something similar again then take her to the vet. if you see any blood in her vomit take her to the vet. Otherwise, she's probably fine.

The other possibility is the food. Was there anything new or different or unusual about it? If it's her same old food and the can wasn't damaged or it didn't smell bad it probably wasn't the food. Sometimes cats will react badly to a change in diet even though the food is good. If you think the food could be the cause shift back to her former food - but I doubt this since she's better.

When they're vomiting it's the same rules as for people - keep them hydrated and food only when they can handle it. You might use chicken broth - salt content is higher and it will provide some nutrition until she can handle solids again.

Give her grass - she'll like it and cats do seem to use it to settle their stomachs. I give mine grass periodically just as a treat - they love it.

[Teallaura]

Did she have a hair ball?

My one cat only throws up when she has a hairball, and she might throw up food or just liquid until she gets it up.

:nsm:

And a tip for cleaning up that I learned the hard way.

If you don't touch the vomit when it's on a rug or upholstered furniture until it is completely dry, like, leave it alone for at least a couple of days, you can usually vacuum it right up and it won't leave a stain.

If you try to wipe it up while it is wet, it will get ground into the fibres of the rug or furniture, and it will stain.

:thumb:
:yt: Same trick works for hairballs - only you can remove the hairball itself as long as you don't wipe.

[mossrose]

Yeah, the hairball is usually just a big wad of fur.

And I am not sure if it is common with most cats, but mine usually just throws up clear liquid with the hairball.

She will vomit food before she gets the ball up, and my other cat used to vomit food all the time. She didn't get hairballs.

The food vomit is the really messy stuff and stains so badly.

[Teallaura]

Yeah, it depends on what is in the tummy when they upchuck - can be messy or not so bad.

Kitty stomach acid should be bottled as a floor cleaner - that stuff will strip wax!

[Augustine2004]

Glad to know it wasn't anti-freeze poisoning. I got into this thread because I thought it was a possibility. I'll unsubscribe . . .

[JenSen]

anti-freeze poisoning? Oh boy, I hope not.

Thanks, Mossrose and Teallaura. I am just guessing that it was her catfood, because her owner mixes 2 different kinds together and it seems the one kind may have made her sick. I unmixed it by hand (dry food) and she's eating the one good brand now, for now, with no problems. If she throws up again, to the vet she goes.

And that waiting until its dry trick before you vacuum is a really good idea

[lao tzu]

Give her grass - she'll like it and cats do seem to use it to settle their stomachs. I give mine grass periodically just as a treat - they love it.

Teal, you're such a beatnik.

[Augustine2004]

Cats do need some veggies, they are not total carnivores.

[JenSen]

This one likes grass, too. And lettuce.

She's a little suck.

http://i26.tinypic.com/303ah05.jpg

[Teallaura]

Teal, you're such a beatnik.Taoist, you're such a jerk.


:hug:

[themuzicman]

If a cat throws up on my rug, it's going to have an accute (9mm) brain aneurysm.

[JenSen]

Not funny, muz.

[Teallaura]

Cut that out, Muz - it's really not funny and it upsets people. One of mine is sick now and I really don't wnat to hear that crap.