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Cat throwing up weekly
Hi,
I have adopted a middle aged cat named Rudolph, age estimated at about 7 by the vet, from a shelter about one and a half months ago. He adjusted well to the environment and seems to be happy. The only issue is that he is throwing up a big hairball about once every week that comes out with pretty much the whole last meal he had. He is just a short haired cat and he is being brushed regularly and doesn't even shed that much hair at all. his diet consists of dry premium food in the morning and some nights, and about every second night he'll get a piece of chicken neck, cooked kangaroo mince or tuna.
is throwing up hair that often normal for a cat like him ? am i feeding him the right food or should i go grain-free or raw, in case his bowel is inflamed, as some people suggest ?
I grew up on a farm with lots of cats and we never seemed to have those problems with them. could it be his previous owners fault, that might have fed him the wrong food ?
Maybe it's worth mentioning that he always eats up, almost no matter how much food i would offer. he also acts like he is starving from about an hour or more before mealtime on (that might just be normal cat behaviour though :). he had tapeworms when we got him but had been given treatment almost a month ago. i haven't discovered any more traces of worms since.
Many Thanks,
Andreas
I have adopted a middle aged cat named Rudolph, age estimated at about 7 by the vet, from a shelter about one and a half months ago. He adjusted well to the environment and seems to be happy. The only issue is that he is throwing up a big hairball about once every week that comes out with pretty much the whole last meal he had. He is just a short haired cat and he is being brushed regularly and doesn't even shed that much hair at all. his diet consists of dry premium food in the morning and some nights, and about every second night he'll get a piece of chicken neck, cooked kangaroo mince or tuna.
is throwing up hair that often normal for a cat like him ? am i feeding him the right food or should i go grain-free or raw, in case his bowel is inflamed, as some people suggest ?
I grew up on a farm with lots of cats and we never seemed to have those problems with them. could it be his previous owners fault, that might have fed him the wrong food ?
Maybe it's worth mentioning that he always eats up, almost no matter how much food i would offer. he also acts like he is starving from about an hour or more before mealtime on (that might just be normal cat behaviour though :). he had tapeworms when we got him but had been given treatment almost a month ago. i haven't discovered any more traces of worms since.
Many Thanks,
Andreas
I understand your reluctance to use paraffin or petroleum jelly based products, but I've tried other products that I knew were grain free and more naturally based. Akira wouldn't have anything to do with them. But, she does like the Lax'aire so well that she acts as if I'm giving her a treat whenever I find it necessary to give some of it to her. I think as long as I'm not giving it to her very frequently, then she will be fine.
Thx everyone for the comments.
I am a bit reluctant to use paraffin based products, so i did some research online and I am trying added egg yolks now. I will also move him onto grain-free food as you suggested, just to rule out any allergies he might have. i am also monitoring feeding and puking in a spreadsheet now, just so i can reliably see any changes in the next few weeks. hope all goes well but it's probably a changing process instead of an instant cure.
of course i'll keep treating him for fleas and worms regularly as well :)
I am a bit reluctant to use paraffin based products, so i did some research online and I am trying added egg yolks now. I will also move him onto grain-free food as you suggested, just to rule out any allergies he might have. i am also monitoring feeding and puking in a spreadsheet now, just so i can reliably see any changes in the next few weeks. hope all goes well but it's probably a changing process instead of an instant cure.
of course i'll keep treating him for fleas and worms regularly as well :)
If he is throwing up the undigested meal whole, it is suggestive of a blockage (like hair) versus a problem further down in the tract. I agree with everyone's comments above. I also would recommend you take a stool sample in to the vet to have it looked at for worms. Roundworms are more common in kittens, but if there is a ball of them in his stomach, he might not have tons of extra room. Also keep in mind that if your cat is mousing or exposed to fleas, you'll probably have to give him the tapeworm meds once every three months or so. If fleas are in the vector (which you have to assume they are if there are mice), your boy can get new tapeworm exposure pretty much any time. I have to give my outdoor cats Drontal every three months, it's just standard practice if I let them outside here in the country. They also get flea treatment for the same reason, but it only takes them eating one flea (which they do, they chomp the flea that just bit them) and they're re-exposed. If a kitty has a big tapeworm in his stomach, it will indeed give them a big ole appetite.
http://www.amazon.com/Pfizer-11694500-Laxaire-3oz/dp/B00029JL0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392754254&sr=8-1&keywords=laxaire+for+cats
I tried to find the product I'm referring to from the Amazon site for Australia. You need to order it from the site in America if you need to order it online. I couldn't find it anywhere in sites in Australia. But, this is the product I'm talking about that has no malt in it and is grain free. It's not as inexpensive as other brands, but it is effective and is worth it if your cat is allergic to grains.
I tried to find the product I'm referring to from the Amazon site for Australia. You need to order it from the site in America if you need to order it online. I couldn't find it anywhere in sites in Australia. But, this is the product I'm talking about that has no malt in it and is grain free. It's not as inexpensive as other brands, but it is effective and is worth it if your cat is allergic to grains.
A good grain free laxative for cats is called Lax'aire. I don't know what it would be called in Australia, but both the box and the tube are yellow. The good thing about this brand is that there is no malt in it. Malt is typically made from barley. If the cat is truly allergic to grains, like my cat definitely is, then Lax'aire is the best brand here in America. I have no idea what it would be called in Australia, so you may have to order it online and have it shipped.
CML has given you some excellent advice. a raw diet can be excellent, but it can't be just protien it MUST contain all the required supplements taurine being one of the most important.
A cat that is feeling constantly hungry can be from many reasons....hyperthyroidism being one, this can also cause a cat to vomit often. it wouldn't hurt to have some blood tests done.
but to start off with I would do as CML suggested and find a good grain free canned food and stop the dry food totally.....if kitty isn't getting enough protein and feeling starved he will tend to 'scarf' down his dry food very quickly and than vomit it back up.
It also possible he could have something lodged in his throat causing an irritation...for this reason chicken bones aren't a good idea to be feeding.
heres a short article with some suggestions, good luck and let us know how he's doing okay.
http://www.catsofaustralia.com/vomiting-cats.htm
A cat that is feeling constantly hungry can be from many reasons....hyperthyroidism being one, this can also cause a cat to vomit often. it wouldn't hurt to have some blood tests done.
but to start off with I would do as CML suggested and find a good grain free canned food and stop the dry food totally.....if kitty isn't getting enough protein and feeling starved he will tend to 'scarf' down his dry food very quickly and than vomit it back up.
It also possible he could have something lodged in his throat causing an irritation...for this reason chicken bones aren't a good idea to be feeding.
heres a short article with some suggestions, good luck and let us know how he's doing okay.
http://www.catsofaustralia.com/vomiting-cats.htm
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Cats will expel hair balls, sometimes often if they constantly groom. Even if you brush them daily, so keep brushing him, it is one of the best ways to bond with your kitty.
I have to give my cat a product called Laxatone. It comes in a tube and you can get fish flavor so your cat will hopefully lick it off your finger. This helps push the hairballs through the intestines and hopefully most hair will be expelled in their stool.
Also , if I may suggest, do not feed your cat "people food". It does not have the nutrients cats need, like Taurine. People food can be too rich and cause stomach upset. Furthermore cats need wet food more than dry food. the wet food gives their system water they need for their stools to move regularly. Dry food is ok, if you must, but once a day as a snack.
Cats need to drink water or get the water from their diets (wet food). So you may want to take him off of the people food and buy some Limited Ingredient wet food like Weruva,Natural Balance, Core, or Evo, just to name a few. Some of these are grain free also. A little research will be needed. Then gradually wean him off the people food by mixing it with some of the new Cat food. Of course you could just try giving him the new food twice a day--see cans for amount, then dry food for lunch--small meals 3 times a day are best.
Hope this helps, I am sure others here will chime in with input also.
Do keep up the grooming. It is a special bonding that brings them a lot of pleasure and they know they are special.
Good Luck, and let us know what happens, k?
CML
P.S make sure to check his stools for constipation or diarrhea to make sure the plumbing is working ok.