Puking kitty :(

Hi Everyone! I am new to the forums, so I first want to say, THANK YOU to everyone who provides all of the great feedback.

So, my boy Shumba, who we've only had for about 3 weeks has just started puking today. When we fed both of the kitties this morning, he really did not eat much (maybe a few nibbles), but prior to that he ate 2-3 treats (hairball treats). He is on round 3 for today with the puking and it didn't start until maybe 4PM this afternoon (it's now 8:30PM). First round, it was mushy, almost like food digested -- but it was the consistency of maybe apple sauce. Then, on round 2, his puke was still a little thicker, but mostly liquid. After this time, I gave him some "Tummy Soothe" by Natural Care for Cats (since it has helped my other cat when she has had upset stomachs). The last round of puking he had, was all liquid and yellow, mixed with the Tummy Soothe liquid.

After reading through the forums, I checked his skin and it still seems pretty elastic (I saw him run over to drink some water, but then he just turned around and walked away) and he doesn't seem warmer than usual.

Does anyone have maybe any additional tips to consider? Or, has anyone else experienced this and it has just gone away on it's own? I was thinking if he pukes again tonight, I should call the vet in the AM since he seems pretty lethargic too.

Just to note: He is in an indoor kitty and from what I can tell, he hasn't gotten into anything he shouldn't have been into. He also just got over an URI (but the Vet cleared for him to be out and about this weekend, since he's exceeded 10 days on meds)

Thanks!
Shumba's worried momma

First of all, welcome to TCS! And I'm so sorry it's a sick kitty that brings you here.

It sounds like he just finished a round of antibiotics given in conjunction with the URI? If so, this is late for the meds to be the cause. Sometimes they upset kitty's tummies. It would also mean that whatever's bothering him probably isn't bacterial.

Has he had those treats before?

And I'm assuming he's already transitioned to whatever food you're feeding him - no new foods today/yesterday?

BTW, sometimes something like this could be as simple as a bug. Do you guys have a problem with stink bugs out that way? They're a big problem here. We've been very lucky to have very few inside... but I understand they can be very upsetting to animals' tummies.

He has had the treats before (just a different flavor). Now that I think about it though, I am wondering if it could be the food? He was on wet for a few days because I noticed he wasn't drinking as much water (Weruva), but now is he is back to dry (Before Grain - Chicken) which was what he was eating before the few days of wet (he has been back on dry for 3 days now). Since he has been back on dry, he was chowing down pretty well on it and has been drinking water normally. I just assumed he wasn't too big on the water because he was still sneezing, so we gave him some wet to help.

Also, we transitioned him to Before Grain when he was first brought into the house, off of the food they were giving him at the shelter and he was doing a-ok.

OMG... yes we do have stink bugs!!! And.... come to think of it, he was in the basement roaming around while I was doing laundry today, so he could have very well snatched up a yucky stink bug. I guess I will just be on watch today.

Well, if he didn't get sick WHILE eating the wet food, I doubt it's the weruva.

Vomiting can definitely be a food sensitivity, but he's not eating anything he hasn't had before, and he hasn't had anything that should trigger an immune response. Cats sometimes throw up from eating their dry food too fast, but this does not sound like that. That kind of puking usually happens as soon as they eat. (They eat too fast, it expands in their stomach, so some comes back up. So it's also usually undigested).

Could very well be some kind of bug from the basement.

You're familiar with the kind of hacking they do when they get hairballs? If it's not a bug (literally LOL), I wonder if it could be a hairball bothering him? They usually hack a bit before just throwing up though.

Keep an eye on him, and if he's still not feeling well tomorrow, best to give the vet a call.

Vibes for your Shumba wumba!

Thanks Laurie! Yeah, definitely not a hairball. Not much of a hacking, he just licks his lips quite a bit, bolts THANKFULLY to the hardwood floor, and lets go of his tummy contents.

I have definitely gone through my fair share of hairballs, considering my girl, Esme, is a Domestic Long Hair. Laxatone you are my savior.

Since posting, he seems to be just sleeping it off. I will definitely be keeping an eye on him tonight. Worst case scenario, he has a vet appt again on Monday to finish his round of shots.

Well let's hope it was just a stink bug or something!

Thanks!!

UPDATE --
He just went on round 4 of puking after going hours without doing so. He also had trouble pooping (or - insert "proper" word here, lol). Most definitely calling the vet in the AM.

Morning Update

I woke up this morning and he had puked 2 more times. Thankfully, in the evenings, he has to go back into isolation (since we are still introducing him to our resident cat Esme).

I called the vet this morning and they had me bring him right in. Thankfully, she said that he doesn't have any blockages, but they aren't 100% sure what's up. They gave him an IV drip with some fluids and an anti-nausea shot, so hopefully he was just in a funk and maybe it was stink bug. No more basement for Shumba! If he is still in a funk tomorrow though and still puking, then we will have to bring him back in for X-Rays.

Thanks for the feedback!

Yeah, it can be a mystery. If they've swallowed plastic or something, it won't necessarily show up on an xray. (We've been through this before ).

Our Lazlo was notorious for having problems with hairballs. He'd get to the point where he'd go into a cycle of "acid tummy," and we had to give him 1/2 tablet of the lowest dose available of Pepcid a/c once a day, along with the various things we used to help him pass the hairballs. Sometimes something "sets off" that cycle of throwing up, and you need something to break it.

Of course, there are many other things it can be. In Lazlo's case, this last round that we couldn't resolve ended up being cancer - a mass in his stomach. But your boy is only 4, so that is really, really unlikely.

Let's hope the fluids and anti-nausea treatment are all that's needed and he's feeling himself right soon!

One thing is for sure... he's got a great meowmy (and/or daddy LOL) caring for him.

Woohoo! We both just got home from work and no vomit!! He seems to have much more pep in his step and right when I put his food down, he ate. Yay! So far, so good!

Even though for Lazlo it ended up being cancer , he also has a great meowmy who took him to the vet for wonderful care!

I hope he is over it, but if it continues ask the vet to do a blood workup.

Thanks! We are most definitely on watch for the next day or 2 just to be sure.