Cat vomiting while eating after switching to timed schedule feeding - am I killing him?

jooyi

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I got "volunteered" to adopt two cats in my small apartment: Will the 3 year old male declawed Ragdoll, and Lucy the 1 or 2+ year old female fully-clawed American shorthair. Got Will back in February and Lucy came in last week.  Despite my best efforts, Will "forced" the introductions a week early by slipping a temporary barrier to sniff out Lucy and either just stares at her or following her around with his nose up her tail.  Lucy just swats him with her claws if he sniffs too close to her paws and otherwise keeps her distance.  

So following what I read on the internet to try to get these two to get along I started timed scheduled feedings from a semi-free feeding I was doing (four times daily: wet food when I wake up @5am and return from work @6pm, dry laid out when leaving for work @8am and going to bed @10pm).  The new  schedule starting Sunday is similar as before with the addition of noon-time feeding of dry but the food is out only for 30 minutes and then picked up. And occasional treat when they stay still for brushing or for good play (chasing a bird on a stick). 

Lucy is adjusting fine but Will keeps eating too fast then vomits. He'll eat his rations then start eating Lucy's.  This started yesterday.  He won't (or can't) use a puzzle feeder.  I'm worried by in changing the schedule I'm killing Will with kindness. Any advice?
 

mosimom

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Sounds like the fast eating is causing the vomiting. Try using a bowl with golfballs or a muffin tin with pieces spread out. Maybe try raising the dish as well. Good luck
 
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jooyi

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Good ideas.  Of course I'll have to do it with both cats and I have two "Texas muffins" pans.The only concern is Will doesn't seem to want to go any deeper into a bowl that's not "saucer" depth (an attempt with an automatic feeder earlier was a near disaster, before Lucy came in).  Will doesn't seem to realize that he can use his paws to fish food out of a bowl or puzzle feeder; Lucy takes to them like a champ.  Will keep you informed.
 

samus

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My cat has issues with vomiting, and one vet recommended multiple smaller meals spaced throughout the day rather than two large feeding times. That should help if your cat's problem is too much stomach acid (which can be related to kidney issues, but that's a different story). Currently, I leave some dry food out for her all day, and before I give her a whole wet food meal (that she would tend to eat too fast), I give her a little snack so she's not starving when she's faced with the food that's so delicious to her she can't hold back. For a snack, I'll either give her part of a spoon full of wet food or add a little fresh kibble to her kibble bowl (sometimes she won't eat kibble that's been sitting for a while). She vomits a lot less, and when she does it's usually if I don't feed her early enough in the morning (she'll drink a bunch of water because she's hungry and then spit it all back up).

Looking at it from an entirely different angle, it could be possible the reason Will's eating too fast is anxiety that Lucy's going to steal all the food. Or that not having the food available more or less all day is causing some eating anxiety (he used to get to choose when to eat, and not have to worry about coming back later to finish it, now he has to eat it ALL NOW because it's not there when he wants it).
 
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jooyi

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Samus, it looks more like the other way around.  I think Will is having some aggressive issues - subtle, as in crowding Lucy away from her food and denying her the cat tree by holding the lowest cradle and keeping Lucy from climbing up as well as always staring at her - but no fighting or hissing.

Smaller portions seem to be the key and putting Lucy in my bedroom to feed and closing the door to keep Will out.  The smaller portions for Will is: 7 grams of kibble five times a day and half-tablespoon of wet with lots of sauce four times.  Lucy is simpler: 34 grams of wet five times a day. When both appear finished and no longer interested I'll open the door but leave the trays out.  Lucy, with her ferral-cat past, would sometimes take advantage and sample Will's left-overs of a couple of kibbles; Will has nothing to get from Lucy's tray.

I'm hoping the portions for Will is about right.  The kibble package doesn't mention kcal per #grams (or ounces), instead goes by volume.  I had been measuring the amout of kibble Will used when fed four times a day for about a week and calculated the average per day.  Lucy's appear simpler as two cans of wet plus some kibble per day for her weight.

But the vomiting has stopped.
 

bear

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I will make the assumption that both are altered.

Cats are interesting in their social interactions.

"Height" is a sign of power.  Will may not want her at a height level that is higher than where he is.  It is easier to defend if a feline is looking down and can reach those claws down to the ascending cats face and ears. They know this and that is why it has power.

You may be able to get Will higher up the tree, and reduce his food "wolfing" by placing a partial meal for him on the top hammock (or shelf) of the cat tree. This may help Lucy have a lower perch.

My 15 year old girl, does not eat enough. I place small amounts of kibble at high levels that allow her to hunt/look for prey during the day. That seems to help and keeps the 7 year old "kibble vacuum" with the bad hip from eating all of her food when he is let back into the main parts of the home.

Hopefully this will give you some ideas.
 
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jooyi

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So far so good.

Got Will totally on a wet food diet and this morning he ate almost his full ration: 54 to 57 grams.  At first he only lapped up only the liquid but managed to entice him to eat some meat by crushing and sprinkling some Temtations on it.  Also re-estimated the feeding schedule to 6am, noon, 6pm and 10:30pm, giving about five to six hours spacing between meals according to a Jackson Galaxy vid seen recently.  Will acted like his old self: jumping up on my lap and putting me in "kitty handcuffs" (with one arm under and supporting him, he reaches his hind leg over my stroking arm and brings it under him as well - purring all the while).
 
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