Cat Eating Help

Hello, I have a relatively new cat and when we got him, he didn't like the cat food we had for him so only ate when he was really hungry. 

It turns out our cat loves Friskies. A lot. So we have been feeding him Friskies, but now he eats so fast he throws up. Pretty much every day. 

Do any of you have advice about what to do so I can both feed my cat and stop cleaning vomit? It seems to be really taking a toll on him too. He has gotten really withdrawn. 

Which varieties of Friskies are you feeding? And is he vomiting immediately after eating (within the first 30mins), or is it later on? Also, which food did you try him on before the Friskes (both brand and variety)?

There are several things that could be going on here. If he really is just bolting his food, then he could be vomiting simply from eating too fast. The solution in this case is to slow his eating down using a slow feeder bowl, a puzzle feeder (really only suitable for kibble in most cases), or (in the case of wet food) spread it in a really thin layer on a big plate so he physically can't eat it too fast.


However, if the vomiting is happening a while after eating, that suggests to me that there's something in the food that he's sensitive (or even allergic) to, or that he has some sort of digestive issues. Given that he's becoming increasingly withdrawn, this is where my instincts lie.


I hope you're able to get to the bottom of this issue soon, and that your boy is soon his usual self again [article="22451"][/article]

New guy here, but I've gotten many opinions on this subject.

If the food is the source of the problem, it could depend on what formula (recipe) you give to your cat.  Some Friskies recipes are very different from others.  If you think corn, wheat or soy upsets your cat's stomach, then switch to Friskies Turkey & Giblet dinner or Friskies Poultry Platter, for example.  No CWS in those formulas.  CWS is not a problem for my gal, but in addition to the Turkey & Giblet flavor, I feed my gal Friskies Cat Concoctions Salmon & Chicken Liver flavor, which also lacks CWS.  Incidentally, Purina's Fancy Feast brand (the "Classic" recipes) also do not contain CWS.

Not normal. Possible a food intolerance but as already mentioned you need to get him checked by a vet first. Friskies is very low quality food. Steer clear of any of the flavors that have gravy as they're loaded with wheat gluten which can trigger vomiting. The turkey and giblet pate is okay, but it's better to use it in rotation. Have you tried Fancy Feast classic? The chicken is decent for the price. 

Kaitlin D, are you feeding your cat dry food or wet food? If it's dry food, I'd definitely suggest switching him to wet food: it has less ingredients that might cause a food sensitivity. (And wet food is better for a cat's health to begin with.) And among wet foods, I couldn't agree more with the other posts that suggest not feeding any grains like wheat, corn, or soy. Friskies or Fancy Feast pates are good foods to start with if you're looking for something easy-to-find. (Not to mention affordable when you're figuring out what a new cat will eat!)

And Columbine's thought that your cat might be eating too fast is a good one: we have a cat that does this and it helps tremendously to feed her small meals (about five a day) all spread out in a dish so she can't scarf the food up too fast. Basically, she's fine as long as I don't make a mistake by feeding her too much at a time or two meals too close together!

Good luck!

Agree about the effectiveness of rotation.  I rarely give my gal the same food on consecutive days.  She did regurgitate the Sardine and Shrimp recipe the first time she ate it, but I'm guessing that happened because she wolfed it down.  Never before saw her finish an entire can of anything in one sitting.  Also, I learned to avoid the gravy recipes.  It's my guess that the wheat gluten (a rookie mistake) was the cause of her one episode of diarrhea.