5 Month Old Kitten Throw Up

[nilbog]

Pretty self-explanatory. Our kitten was just exploring the new mattress and he threw up on top of it. The throw up looked exactly like his wet food and he had eaten 2-3 hours prior. Nothing was found in it. This is the first time he's thrown up with us ever and he came from a shelter so his shots are all up to date. Advice? If he throws up again is it time for a vet trip? Any idea what could have caused this. I'll look at his teeth immediately after this.
Forgot to add he was uncommonly cuddly and sleepy before hand. Now he is back to his regular mischief.

 

[Antonio65]

Cats do throw up every now and then. It is quite normal.
I have never seen this thing in kittens, though. So, unless some strange chemical smell has triggered the vomit while sniffing her new mattress, I would keep an eye on him for the next hours.

 

[nilbog]

He's really going wild with energy, hopefully that bodes well. Unfortunately we hadn't covered the mattress yet! Well it was sanitized and flipped the other way so he can continue climbing without coming near the cleaner. I never would have thought a mattress leaned against the wall would be such a fun toy for the little guy. I will definitely keep an eye out though. We threw out the rest of his can of food for good measure. It did smell a little odd to me?

 

[Antonio65]

We threw out the rest of his can of food for good measure. It did smell a little odd to me?

Do you mean that his canned food had a bad or not good smell?
It could happen... Some months ago I opened up a can of my cat's usual food and noticed a different smell and color of it, and throw it away after taking a photo of the content and the lid of the can. I sent the photos to the manufacturer who said that it looked like a problem of the can sealing, and to apologize for the inconvenience they sent me 24 cans of the same food!

 

[nilbog]

My husband fed him last so unfortunately I'm not so sure. He usually eats a whole can and if not we refrigerate the rest in tupperware. When I sniffed the tupperware it had a bit of an odd smell. And unfortunately since we live in Japan and don't have grain-free wet kitten food readily available we buy from Amazon. Sometimes they're dinged up when they arrive and I try to see if any are bulging. Unfortunately at the very least 1-a few cans are dinged up each shipment. Not too bad just tiny shallow dents. From what I understood those are fine so long as they couldn't have punctured the can?

I just opened a can of newsman's own cat food (which we use rarely when his kitten food is out) and he ate a good bit. And washed his bowls, which I usually do very often anyway. I'll update again if he has any more vomiting.

 

[Antonio65]

From what I understood those are fine so long as they couldn't have punctured the can?

Yes, but they can also have invisible leaks in the lid, a little air gets in and make the content rot.

 

[nilbog]

Yes, but they can also have invisible leaks in the lid, a little air gets in and make the content rot.

Should I get in touch with Amazon again? So any dings at all is bad? What if it smells and looks normal?

 

[Antonio65]

I think that you could wait on this and see if you find another suspicious can, then you can forward them the lot number and other details. They mihgt have had other reports from other customers.

 

[nilbog]

Ok thanks so much for all your help. He's kept the other food down so far.

 

[nilbog]

He made a big nice normal poop this morning but immediately he ran from the litterbox to he other room. I assume something excited him and he thought someone was playing with him? He left the poop uncovered. I'll keep an eye and see if he doesn't cover it throughout the day.

 

[Antonio65]

I presume this was the first time he didn't cover his poop?
Sometimes cats run from the litter box when the experience in the box has been particularly unpleasant, for instance, it might have been painful or the smell was too bad even for them

 

[nilbog]

He was normal all day yesterday and so far today eating very well We got some new blue buffalo wet food and he loves it so much more than Newmans Own. He also covered his poop later.

 

[epona]

Sounds like a normal cat to me Get used to cleaning up occasional vomit - cat stomachs are on a hair trigger that is biologically wired to expel everything if there is even the slightest discomfort or anything unusual. Eating too quickly is a very common cause of cats vomiting.

If it happens frequently, that is when to worry.

Also not all cats cover their poo and it is not a health concern if they don't - probably just means he feels very secure and dominant and wants to let his scent mark spread a long way (which is not so nice for us!)

 

[epona]

My husband fed him last so unfortunately I'm not so sure. He usually eats a whole can and if not we refrigerate the rest in tupperware. When I sniffed the tupperware it had a bit of an odd smell. And unfortunately since we live in Japan and don't have grain-free wet kitten food readily available we buy from Amazon. Sometimes they're dinged up when they arrive and I try to see if any are bulging. Unfortunately at the very least 1-a few cans are dinged up each shipment. Not too bad just tiny shallow dents. From what I understood those are fine so long as they couldn't have punctured the can?

I just opened a can of newsman's own cat food (which we use rarely when his kitten food is out) and he ate a good bit. And washed his bowls, which I usually do very often anyway. I'll update again if he has any more vomiting.

OK this is the way to tell whether a can of anything (human or cat food) is off.

If you puncture the can with a tin opener or pull the ring pull on cans that have them, and the can rips apart and explodes, then it is BAD - and hopefully you didn't have any fingers in the way of where the can ripped apart. If a can is not bulging before opening, doesn't release a lot of gas, doesn't burst apart nearly taking your fingers off in the process, or spray the contents all over the place, it is probably ok.

 

[nilbog]

Ok good to know! I'm chalking it up to a fluke or him being a trouble maker nibbling on things. I've never had a can react that way so that bodes very well!

 

[epona]

Once opened, the contents of any can that is not consumed right away should be put into another container (bowl, plastic storage container, etc), covered and refrigerated - 3 days max in the fridge (I usually try to use within 2 days just to be on the safe side)

 

[Antonio65]

Once opened, the contents of any can that is not consumed right away should be put into another container (bowl, plastic storage container, etc), covered and refrigerated - 3 days max in the fridge (I usually try to use within 2 days just to be on the safe side)

Why does the content of a can need to be put into a different container? Why can't it rest in its original can, covered and stored in the fridge?

 

[nilbog]

^ I'm curious about that as well. I just found a storage top made specifically for going over a can.

Also he threw up again, but this time with a hairball. About the size of a small grape. He's never had one before but he does have medium hair.

 

[Antonio65]

Maybe you already said, but I guess you brush him regularly.

 

[nilbog]

I do not brush at all! I always assumed cats could groom themselves. Should I start?
Also bad news, he just threw up again moments ago. Same as before but no hairball. Just his food. He's eating again now.