My new 8 year old cat vomits a lot and no one knows why

nucaheart

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I would like to give as much information as possible. I recently aquired an 8 year old cat my parents could no longer care for. They had him declawed and nuetered. I had my vet look at him right away and since. Blood work is clean and shots are up to date. She thinks he is maybe a pound underweight but otherwise "one of her healthist cats" he doen't over eat and is not picky.

But lately he vomits 2-3 times a week. Just yesterday we caught him chowing down on loose carpet fiber. I tried to stop him but any time we are not looking he seems to do it. Otherwise his behavior is great. He plays very happily for about 30 - 45 minutes a day (featching toys like a dog is his favorite game) and is very active. According to my mother (who is quite senile and may not remember correctly) he started doing this after he tore an ear open during a flea infestation three months ago.

Every vet that sees him swares he's fine. The constant vomitting is explained away by hairballs and nothing more. Am I worried about nothing? What should I do?
 

franksmom

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Hi and welcome to TCS!

Vomiting 2-3 times a week is not normal and is indicative of a health problem. Here is a great video from a vet who knows her stuff why cats vomit and why it isn't normal:



What are you feeding him? One of the most common reasons for GI problems in cats is species inappropriate food. Cats are obligate carnivores and they do not digest grains very well. Please read www.catinfo.org which is another site written by a vet who knows a lot about feline nutrition. 

I also have a cat with a chronic vomiting problem and what worked for him was switching to a novel protein wet food (nature's variety), shaving him and giving him vitality science supplements (http://www.vitalityscience.com/v/AllProducts/Cat-Diarrhea-Vomiting/feline-Diarrhea-Vomiting.asp). 

The other thing I worry about is your kitty is probably in some pain from being declawed and they hide it very well (http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/physical-consequences-of-declawing/) and (http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/declawing-a-physical-therapist-assistants-perspective/). Make sure you massage his feet and stretch them to help prevent arthritis. You can also try this special homeopathic remedy for declawed cats (http://store.jacksongalaxy.com/Declaw-Remedy-p/declaw-remedy.htm)
 
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nucaheart

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He currently gets Blue Buffalo Indoor Cat Formula (the kibble). My vet as well as the other two I've seen said it was fine. I haven't tried any kind of wet food yet.

Would the declaw still hurt? He doesn't mess with his paws at all and from what I understand it was done when he was very young - but again both my parents are incapable of remembering details so I don't know for sure.
 

franksmom

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Unfortunately most vets get little to no training in feline nutrition. Take a look at the video and www.catinfo.org and hear from some vets who do know quite a bit about nutrition. Here is another vet who has written a good piece on why an all dry diet is really not good for cats (http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/why-dry-food-is-bad-for-cats-and-dogs/). 

As for the declawing the reason I bring it up is that vomiting can sometimes be a sign of pain in humans and since it is so hard to tell in cats if they are in pain it may be something to think about. Phantom pain is a phenomenon that occurs in 40% of amputations in humans, since cats have a similar physiology there is reason to suspect they would also have phantom pain. Cats have ten separate amputations when they are declawed so they would logically have phantom pain in at least one of the amputation sites. As stated in the articles I posted declawing changes the way cats walk so over time this causes muscle tension and could be a contributing factor in arthritis. It also causes joint stiffness as seen in the X-rays. I would for sure try to massage his paws and back to try to prevent any stiffness. You can also at some point get an X-ray of his paws to see if he has arthritis or joint issues. 

Good luck and keep us posted! 
 

vegascatmommy

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When the cat vomits, does it look like hairballs, food, or is it more just liquid? If it's food and hairballs, it's usually not that big of deal. Older cats have more sensitive systems.

I agree that diet may be part of the problem. Try feeding some wet food in small amounts, in addition to the dry food. Get the pate or classic kind of wet food, not the weird grilled or gravy kinds. Try a tablespoon a day at first and see if that helps him at all. Best of luck to you! :)
 
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franksmom

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When the cat vomits, does it look like hairballs, food, or is it more just liquid? If it's food and hairballs, it's usually not that big of deal. Older cats have more sensitive systems.

I agree that diet may be part of the problem. Try feeding some wet food in small amounts, in addition to the dry food. Get the pate or classic kind of wet food, not the weird grilled or gravy kinds. Try a tablespoon a day at first and see if that helps him at all. Best of luck to you! :)
Actually vomiting is not normal in cats as described in the video above. Frequent hairballs are also not natural and are an indication of other health issues including IBD. Here is a great article on why hairballs are not natural http://consciouscat.net/2011/04/29/theres-no-such-thing-as-just-a-hairball/
 

mrsgreenjeens

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When the cat vomits, does it look like hairballs, food, or is it more just liquid? If it's food and hairballs, it's usually not that big of deal. Older cats have more sensitive systems.

I agree that diet may be part of the problem. Try feeding some wet food in small amounts, in addition to the dry food. Get the pate or classic kind of wet food, not the weird grilled or gravy kinds. Try a tablespoon a day at first and see if that helps him at all. Best of luck to you! :)
Actually vomiting is not normal in cats as described in the video above. Frequent hairballs are also not natural and are an indication of other health issues including IBD. Here is a great article on why hairballs are not natural http://consciouscat.net/2011/04/29/theres-no-such-thing-as-just-a-hairball/
   
 

vegascatmommy

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nucaheart

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Thanks everyone.

I took him to a fifth vet who kept him for observation. They discovered he was dehydrated. I guess I didn't notice that when I put water out for him he wasn't drinking. They were able to get him to drink from a fountain. He said some dogs and cats won't drink from standing water and suggested we buy a special water dish. He now drinks from there or straight from the sink. Either way since then he has only had one hairball and seems happier.

On a different note - the extra cuddle time FranksMom suggested hasn't changed his behavior any but I do feel we're less of a forced situation and closer to being friends. He loves playing with me now and doesn't avoid me as much.
 

vegascatmommy

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Nucaheart, I'm so glad to hear you were able to get a diagnosis! 

Did your vet suggest switching his food to soft as well as the new water dish? Now that my 9.5 year old cat eats mostly wet food, he rarely ever throws up anymore. :)
 
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