Vomiting cat can't keep food down, has watery eye, but seems in good spirits

Hi. My cat has been throwing up about four or five times a day. It's been going on for 4 days.

At first I wasn't too concerned because he was on an antibiotic for a bladder infection, and the vet said that sometimes antibiotics cause vomiting or diarreah. Yesterday I called the vet and told her about the vomiting. She said she thought it probably wasn't the antibiotics causing it, because he had been on the antibiotics for almost two weeks before throwing up, and if it was the antibiotics he would have been vomiting since the first or second day.

I was sceptical about this because I remember when I was in grade 8 I was on antibiotics that gave me diareah, but it took about a week or more of being on the antibiotics before that started.

She said to stop giving him the antibiotics and observe him for a couple days to see if the vomiting continues. It's been about 24 hours since I called and he's still throwing up.

I noticed that he can keep water down but not food. When he eats food, he throws up. This is what I observed in the last 24 hours. Before that I wasn't too much paying attention to when he threw up because I just assumed it was the antibiotics.

He hardly eats his food now because I think he realizes it makes him throw up. But every few hours he'll take a little nibble, then throw it up. His appetite is there, though, because when I'm eating my own food he'll come beg for margarine when I’m in the kitchen. First couple days I gave him margarine (which he has been eating his entire life, just licking a bit off my finger), but then I stopped when I saw his vomiting was persistent.

Another symptom he has is that he has a very watery right eye.

Despite all this, he seems in good spirits -- energy levels seem normal, lots of purring when pet, climbs into my lap for cuddle, etc.

I'll be taking him to the vet tomorrow but I want to have other opinions, because vets don’t always get it right. Thanks!

What kind of food are you feeding?  Have you changed brands or types lately?  I am very concerned because a cat cannot go without eating for more than a couple of days.

It is good that he is going to the vet tomorrow.  It sounds like you are keeping an eye on him.

Welcome to TCS  and let us know what happens at the vet tomorrow.

Try boiling a chicken breast or chicken tender in plain water (no salt, seasonings).  When it's cooked, pull it out (save the broth) and shred it.  Add in some of the broth until it's the consistency of chicken salad.  Offer it to him and see if that will stay down.  You can also add some plain baby Pedialyte to help with enzymes.  Be sure to get the unflavored variety.  You can also try feeding meat baby food, no garlic or onions. 

Do you know how to check for dehydration?  Pull the fur up on the scruff of the neck like a tent.  If it stays up, he's dehydrated.  If it snaps back down, he's fine.

Thanks everyone. I was able to take him to the vet today. They did some blood tests (results will be in tomorrow), injected him with something to hydrate him and also something to prevent the vomiting for 12 hours. Also bought a couple cans of soft food that is easy on the stomach. So after getting him home today he was finally able to eat and keep the food down. However, I'm worried that now he is suddenly lethargic. For the last several days, even with the vomiting, he seemed to have normal energy and be in a good mood. Now suddenly he is lethargic and seems depressed. I wonder if he was vomiting as a defense mechanism and now that he's digesting the food it's actually causing some troubles, for whatever reason.

Any thoughts?

I'll be able to tell this to the vet tomorrow over the phone... he might have to go in again. So far they don't know what's wrong.

I love him so much! Please all send plenty of your good vibes!
 

Hello! So, thanks for the good vibes, because he's keeping his food down! The blood test results were unable to pinpoint what was wrong. I'm still thinking it was the antibiotics for his bladder infection.

Which leads to my other problem...

His bladder infection is back, which makes sense since I never was able to finish giving him the antibiotics. Today I saw a few drops of blood in the clump of pee in his litter box.

I don't want him swallowing pills that make him throw up. I've heard that pills are also absorbed rectally, and did some research today and this is indeed true, at least for humans. I know it's gross but it's better than making him vomit up his food. The pills are very tiny so I don't think he'll feel it. I haven't tired yet but I'm seriously considering it.

Does anyone have any experience giving cats pills rectally? Is this ok to do?

No, no pills rectally.  Ask the vet for a different antibiotic since the other one upset his tummy.  Also, talk to your vet about changing his diet to a more bladder friendly diet to reduce the occurence of the infections.  I'd advise you to feed strictly canned food.