Persistent vomiting...for years.

I have two cats...Bean, a female 10 year old Russian Blue, and Bear, a male 11 year old DSH.

My Bear has been vomiting, on a nearly daily basis, for years. It varies from seemingly in-tact kibble to dark brown bile. There does not seem to be any pattern to it...he isn't a "gobbler" in which a cat eats too quickly and pukes. He typically throws up once a day, but sometimes more. As he is an indoor kitteh, he is not on flea meds and has no access to any other chemicals in the house.

First...please don't admonish me for not bringing Bear to the vet. I have brought this kitty to different vets, several times. None of them seemed very concerned about this issue, as his weight is fine and he is otherwise in tip-top shape. He is never diagnosed as dehydrated, either.

Second...I have tried (slowly and gradually) several different foods over the years and nothing has helped.

While the vets seem to think he just has a "sensitive stomach," I've been slowly losing my mind trying to clean up after this poor cat. He pukes on everything...on the floor, on my bed, in the laundry basket, on the furniture, in his food, etc. I just don't know what to do. I have had very understanding partners, but it's super embarrassing and disgusting and I need some advice from other people who really know cats.

Any ideas? What would make my little guy vomit with such persistence?

what foods have you tried?

What tests if any have been done by a vet?

Does the vomit have hair in it?

Is he a indoor only or a indoor/outdoor cat?

What cleaning products do you use?

I have his issue but after years figured out what causes the majority of it and learned to control it

Originally Posted by digitalbeast

I have two cats...Bean, a female 10 year old Russian Blue, and Bear, a male 11 year old DSH.

My Bear has been vomiting, on a nearly daily basis, for years. It varies from seemingly in-tact kibble to dark brown bile. There does not seem to be any pattern to it...he isn't a "gobbler" in which a cat eats too quickly and pukes. He typically throws up once a day, but sometimes more. As he is an indoor kitteh, he is not on flea meds and has no access to any other chemicals in the house.

First...please don't admonish me for not bringing Bear to the vet. I have brought this kitty to different vets, several times. None of them seemed very concerned about this issue, as his weight is fine and he is otherwise in tip-top shape. He is never diagnosed as dehydrated, either.

Second...I have tried (slowly and gradually) several different foods over the years and nothing has helped.

While the vets seem to think he just has a "sensitive stomach," I've been slowly losing my mind trying to clean up after this poor cat. He pukes on everything...on the floor, on my bed, in the laundry basket, on the furniture, in his food, etc. I just don't know what to do. I have had very understanding partners, but it's super embarrassing and disgusting and I need some advice from other people who really know cats.

Any ideas? What would make my little guy vomit with such persistence?

Click to expand...

Wow - I feel so bad for you and the kitty. I have a puker... but he is a gobbler... so that was fairly easy to diagnose and treat. I don't have advice... but just wanted to offer support.

Have any of the vets offered any sort of treatment? I have a cat who throws up often as well, and my vet suggested Pepcid AC. There might be other options, such as dietary supplements that may be useful. I would find a vet who is willing to listen to your concerns and to work with you, possibly doing bloodwork and/or x-rays to see if the cause of the vomiting can be pinpointed and treated.

I have pukers too , but my two eat too fast. Does he do it right after he eats? I have also heard of Pepcid, but that was with cats that mainly throw up bile . Hope you are able to figure it out. You might mention the Pepcid to your vet and see what he thinks. They can give you the proper dosage amount

I have pukers too , but my two eat too fast. Does he do it right after he eats? I have also heard of Pepcid, but that was with cats that mainly throw up bile . Hope you are able to figure it out. You might mention the Pepcid to your vet and see what he thinks.

My cat does this, though not as often. She's been a puker since she was 1 or 2. I always thought it was hairballs cause she'd throw up a couple of days in a row until she puked up a pellet of fur. Then it would stop and resume again in a month or two. I didn't worry about it until last summer, it became more frequent, like once a week. I figured it was an extra bad shedding season or something and started using a Furminator. But the weekly barfing continued. I noticed it was more food and little to no hair. She began grooming more excessively and getting spots around her face, which the vet said is likely a food allergy. I changed her food over last month and that has helped remarkably with the hair loss and excessive grooming, but not the vomiting. She's now on an anti-inflammatory drug. She has about a week's worth of pills left, and if she's not improved after this cycle of meds, then she will have to go back for testing.

I just worry about the increase in vomiting and the fact that she's an older cat (8 years). Her vet said it can be a symptom of kidney failure which really scares me. She seems really happy otherwise though, no appetite loss. I have her on a really high quality food, Blue Buffalo, which is supposedly easily digestible. I'd like to do a moist food, something in b/w a wet and dry because I'd think that would be more easily digestible, but the only thing I found was Tender Vittles which is not even sold in the U.S. anymore. I worry about her teeth getting messed up too with all this vomiting and her not even being able to chew hard food when she gets older. Wet food seems way too rich for Maisey to even attempt. Every time I've tried has been a disaster. my advice would be to put him on a very high quality food, a plain food - look for "easily digestible" or "for sensitive systems" on the label. This does seem to make a difference.

Is he vomiting up hair balls. You can get stuff in a tube to give them for that at Wal Mart.

Originally Posted by digitalbeast

I have two cats...Bean, a female 10 year old Russian Blue, and Bear, a male 11 year old DSH.

My Bear has been vomiting, on a nearly daily basis, for years. It varies from seemingly in-tact kibble to dark brown bile. There does not seem to be any pattern to it...he isn't a "gobbler" in which a cat eats too quickly and pukes. He typically throws up once a day, but sometimes more. As he is an indoor kitteh, he is not on flea meds and has no access to any other chemicals in the house.

First...please don't admonish me for not bringing Bear to the vet. I have brought this kitty to different vets, several times. None of them seemed very concerned about this issue, as his weight is fine and he is otherwise in tip-top shape. He is never diagnosed as dehydrated, either.

Second...I have tried (slowly and gradually) several different foods over the years and nothing has helped.

While the vets seem to think he just has a "sensitive stomach," I've been slowly losing my mind trying to clean up after this poor cat. He pukes on everything...on the floor, on my bed, in the laundry basket, on the furniture, in his food, etc. I just don't know what to do. I have had very understanding partners, but it's super embarrassing and disgusting and I need some advice from other people who really know cats.

Any ideas? What would make my little guy vomit with such persistence?

Click to expand...

I also have a Russian Blue, she pukes if she doesn't go outside a nibble on a little grass, try picking a wee side salad of grass for your kitty and see if that works!

If you think he has a sensitive stomach, have you tried any limited ingredient diets? Or foods with non-normal meats (quail, venison, bison, etc)?
He may be allergic to grains, have you tried grain-free foods?
What about low carb?

My only worry is that he is damaging his teeth and esophagus just like people with bulimia do when they purge.

I have a cat with Mega esophagus. She can have absolutely no hard food at all or it comes back up. She pukes all over the house. On the bed, in my closet, furniture anywhere she's laying it just flys out of her mouth. I can only feed her patte style food or canned food with some water in a blender. The test they do is a barium test so I don't think it would be extremely expensive but I guess I would try all soft food first and see what happens. Good luck...believe me I know the feeling its ALOT of extra work.

Originally Posted by MNJULZ

I have a cat with Mega esophagus. She can have absolutely no hard food at all or it comes back up. She pukes all over the house. On the bed, in my closet, furniture anywhere she's laying it just flys out of her mouth. I can only feed her patte style food or canned food with some water in a blender. The test they do is a barium test so I don't think it would be extremely expensive but I guess I would try all soft food first and see what happens. Good luck...believe me I know the feeling its ALOT of extra work.

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Interesting because my Imhotep can only eat dry food and pukes if he eats ANY wet food, poor bugger. I have tried all different kinds with him and nothing works. He will occasionally "binge and purge" on dry food but it is very rare thankfully.

To the OP, as others have said there are many different types of foods available out there for kitties with sensitive digestion issues. They may be a little more expensive, but your kitty's well being is worth it. I would just keep going until you find something that works for your baby. Where they're at the "senior" years it'll be even more important for your baby to keep food down. Good luck!

IMHOTEP!!!!   Awesome name!

one other thing to try is sprinkling Acidophilus Probiotic powder on his food once per day.  You buy it in the refrigerated health food area.  It comes in caplets you which you open and sprinkle over some wet food.  The caplets must be kept in the refrigerator because they contain benificial bacteria cultures like yogurt.  It helps some cats with sensitive tummys the same way it helps some people who eat yogust. Cats seems to like the flavor of the powder and I have yet to see one refuse to eat it.  Good luck