Occasional/random vomiting and/or diarrhea?

cocobutterfly · Feb 1, 2017

Hello everyone,

Was wondering if anyone else out there experiences something like this with their cat(s). We feed our 3 year old cat pretty much the same rotation of food and are very careful about what we feed and how much of it.

However, every 3-4 months, totally out of the blue, she will vomit all of her partially digested food several hours (3-8) after she's eaten. Same food she's had for months and the same amount. The vomiting is so violent and loud, and it absolutely terrifies me every time. After she vomits her guts out, she goes in her litter box and poops out whatever little food is left in her system. Sorry for the grossness, but it's always runny. Then she's totally lethargic and without any appetite until the next day.

We've gone to two different vets regarding this, and they cannot find anything wrong with her. I've even had the vet examine her vomit (sorry again) and nothing ever comes up except undigested food. It's not even a hairball because I brush her short hair almost every day.

She's young so she bounces back within a day, but I do worry about how detrimental this could be when she's older.

Has anyone else out there ever experienced something similar?

Kieka · Feb 2, 2017

That time lapse is what is confusing me. All the times I have cats who vomit frequently it is within an hour of eating. Usually we can control it by monitoring food intake speed, a slight elevation to their food dish and/or changing foods.

That she is doing it hours later makes me think it is either something in the food that doesn't hit her system until it is partially digested or something in her digestive system itself. Kinda like how someone with lactose intolerance will have problems hours after eating when the lactose fails to break down and causes gas. Not that it is lactose in this case, but maybe something that is similar in that her body is reacting to how it breaks down not it directly.

I would probably try either a limited ingredient food or a food designed for sensitive stomachs (I had success 9 years ago with the Royal Canin version). Working on the assumption that it is some sort of digestive issue finding either what is causing it and eliminating that OR figuring out what her system can handle should work. It is very much a guessing game at that point. I had a cat years ago who it took a year of trying different foods before we found the one that worked (the Royal Canin Sensitive). Even though it wasn't my ideal food for her it was the food that didn't cause he problems so we went with it.

The other guess would be if she has outdoor access or you have live plants in the house she is munching on something she shouldn't be and causing upset.

Outside of those two, I really don't know. That time lapse after eating and infrequency of it just makes it odd.

cocobutterfly · Feb 2, 2017

Kieka said:
That time lapse is what is confusing me. All the times I have cats who vomit frequently it is within an hour of eating. Usually we can control it by monitoring food intake speed, a slight elevation to their food dish and/or changing foods.

That she is doing it hours later makes me think it is either something in the food that doesn't hit her system until it is partially digested or something in her digestive system itself. Kinda like how someone with lactose intolerance will have problems hours after eating when the lactose fails to break down and causes gas. Not that it is lactose in this case, but maybe something that is similar in that her body is reacting to how it breaks down not it directly.

I would probably try either a limited ingredient food or a food designed for sensitive stomachs (I had success 9 years ago with the Royal Canin version). Working on the assumption that it is some sort of digestive issue finding either what is causing it and eliminating that OR figuring out what her system can handle should work. It is very much a guessing game at that point. I had a cat years ago who it took a year of trying different foods before we found the one that worked (the Royal Canin Sensitive). Even though it wasn't my ideal food for her it was the food that didn't cause he problems so we went with it.

The other guess would be if she has outdoor access or you have live plants in the house she is munching on something she shouldn't be and causing upset.

Outside of those two, I really don't know. That time lapse after eating and infrequency of it just makes it odd.

Thank you, Kieka. Yes, there are times she's vomited within an hour. Yesterday, she was nauseous all day but couldn't get it to come up until hours later. I know that because she always excessively licks around her mouth and opens and closes it repeatedly just before she throws up. She was doing that for hours yesterday then she actually walked away from her afternoon meal which she NEVER does. I knew she was feeling ill.

She's already on LID because she has food allergies and a sensitive tummy. Most of the time, she does great. It just so randomly happens 3-4 times a year. She never goes outside. No house plants either. We vacuum and sweep obsessively. Outside shoes are even allowed in the house. It's a mystery. Maybe she did eat something. But per usual, she's back to normal today and begging for food like every other day.

Thanks again for your input.

hexiesfriend · Feb 2, 2017

Is there any hair in the vomit?

cocobutterfly · Feb 2, 2017

hexiesfriend said:
Is there any hair in the vomit?

Our vet asked us that too. And it isn't an alarming amount since we do brush her often, but we did see a little bit. Has any of your cats experienced this kind of symptom with a little hairball?

Kieka · Feb 2, 2017

Hairball would make sense. Did they take x-rays to confirm she doesn't have internal blockage?

hexiesfriend · Feb 2, 2017

Yep even if it's a small amount that's probably what your cat is probably trying to get rid of. I've gone through this with my cats a well. As long as the vet has checked
your kitty out that may be what it is. Of course it could be something else too. When you described it periodically happens that made me think hairball.

cocobutterfly · Feb 2, 2017

Kieka said:
Hairball would make sense. Did they take x-rays to confirm she doesn't have internal blockage?

They x-rayed her about a year ago when she showed this symptom. No blockage. And all tests turned out normal. We didn't examine her vomit because at the time, I just wiped everything away as quickly as possible. And her vet at the time suggested a few possibilities, one of them being hairball. But we were also switching her diet at the time so that was another possibility. Thank you for your concern!

cocobutterfly · Feb 2, 2017

hexiesfriend said:
Yep even if it's a small amount that's probably what your cat is probably trying to get rid of. I've gone through this with my cats a well. As long as the vet has checked
your kitty out that may be what it is. Of course it could be something else too. When you described it periodically happens that made me think hairball.

Yes, I just spoke again with our vet, and she said the same thing. Even a tiny hairball could have this kind of implication. Certainly all of her symptoms point toward that since she's her recent check-up turned out good and her diet has not changed in over a year. Well, she's back to her normal food-loving self today. Thank you for your feedback!

hexiesfriend · Feb 2, 2017

Usually a dose or 2 or hairball remedy may help.

Occasional/random vomiting and/or diarrhea?

cocobutterfly

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Kieka

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hexiesfriend

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cocobutterfly

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Kieka

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