So, I've owned cats all my life and I know there are a few reasons a cat would throw up and the two most common seem to be that the cat eats too fast (just scarfs down a whole meal) and then throws it up, or that there is an intestinal blockage (hairball or otherwise) so they throw up as well. I know there are a few other reasons (food intolerance, allergies, etc.) but these two seem to be the most common. Now in my research of these two possibilities, my cat doesn't seem to fit either one.
He is 3.5 years old and I have had him on the same food for 3 months now (its a combination of Blue, Instincts and Evo). He is slightly overweight (and I've decreased his diet slightly over time) and is free fed. Now three weeks ago, I brought him in for his shots (regular yearly thing) and he had a reaction to the vaccines, so I had to bring him back that same day for an anti-histimine. He finally calmed down after that second injection. It took a day or so but he finally went back to normal, not more than 3 days later he came down with an upper respiratory infection(herpes virus he's had since he was a kitten, he was so stressed because of the vaccine reaction that it raised its ugly head again) So.. back to the vet for anti-biotics and something to fight the virus. Took about a full week to finally recover from all of that... he goes about 4-5 days being fine and then starts throwing up.
On to the real question. he threw up once a day for 3 days in a row (of course while I'm not home) Each time in the evening (again he is free fed, so it doesn't correspond to meal times). Yesterday I decided to take his food away for the evening and try to let his system calm down overnight. He woke up the house at 4:45am DEMANDING to be fed. So as we get up, he throws up again.. this time having NOT eaten anything in hours. My mom gives him a small handful of food and he eats it, and then promptly throws it back up again. I wake up later (not knowing he had gotten sick earlier) and give him a small handful of food, he keeps it down all day and hasn't been sick. I've been home all day and he hasn't thrown up at all.
So if he had a problem with eating too fast, he shouldn't have gotten sick BEFORE being fed. BUT, if he had an intestinal blockage, he would throw up every time he ate, not just once a day, and he still uses the litterbox, no diarrhea, eats and drinks like normal, acts normal, still playful and hyper and loving and wanting to eat everything, but he'll go and throw up for a second and then be fine a minute later.
And don't worry, he has a vet appointment in about 9 hours, but I'd like to post if anyone has any ideas... He doesn't seem to fit either category. he eats, he acts fine, not lethargic, uses litterbox, and doesn't throw up after every meal, but he does throw up WAY WAY more than normal, and that is what concerns me. Oh and he does like to eat/chew on anything and everything. So, my worst fear: he has a blockage requiring surgery, and there goes my bank account, and best case scenario: he eats too fast making himself sick, so I have to limit him.
I'll post again later with what the vet says. Its been a long three weeks though and all of this has cost much more money that the darn vaccines to begin with. I almost feel like if I had just NOT brought him in for his vaccines, none of this would have happened.
He is 3.5 years old and I have had him on the same food for 3 months now (its a combination of Blue, Instincts and Evo). He is slightly overweight (and I've decreased his diet slightly over time) and is free fed. Now three weeks ago, I brought him in for his shots (regular yearly thing) and he had a reaction to the vaccines, so I had to bring him back that same day for an anti-histimine. He finally calmed down after that second injection. It took a day or so but he finally went back to normal, not more than 3 days later he came down with an upper respiratory infection(herpes virus he's had since he was a kitten, he was so stressed because of the vaccine reaction that it raised its ugly head again) So.. back to the vet for anti-biotics and something to fight the virus. Took about a full week to finally recover from all of that... he goes about 4-5 days being fine and then starts throwing up.
On to the real question. he threw up once a day for 3 days in a row (of course while I'm not home) Each time in the evening (again he is free fed, so it doesn't correspond to meal times). Yesterday I decided to take his food away for the evening and try to let his system calm down overnight. He woke up the house at 4:45am DEMANDING to be fed. So as we get up, he throws up again.. this time having NOT eaten anything in hours. My mom gives him a small handful of food and he eats it, and then promptly throws it back up again. I wake up later (not knowing he had gotten sick earlier) and give him a small handful of food, he keeps it down all day and hasn't been sick. I've been home all day and he hasn't thrown up at all.
So if he had a problem with eating too fast, he shouldn't have gotten sick BEFORE being fed. BUT, if he had an intestinal blockage, he would throw up every time he ate, not just once a day, and he still uses the litterbox, no diarrhea, eats and drinks like normal, acts normal, still playful and hyper and loving and wanting to eat everything, but he'll go and throw up for a second and then be fine a minute later.
And don't worry, he has a vet appointment in about 9 hours, but I'd like to post if anyone has any ideas... He doesn't seem to fit either category. he eats, he acts fine, not lethargic, uses litterbox, and doesn't throw up after every meal, but he does throw up WAY WAY more than normal, and that is what concerns me. Oh and he does like to eat/chew on anything and everything. So, my worst fear: he has a blockage requiring surgery, and there goes my bank account, and best case scenario: he eats too fast making himself sick, so I have to limit him.
I'll post again later with what the vet says. Its been a long three weeks though and all of this has cost much more money that the darn vaccines to begin with. I almost feel like if I had just NOT brought him in for his vaccines, none of this would have happened.
