Any Advice for Putting Eye Drops in?

[Morgana’s Human]

Just wanted to add to my above post a little more about what I said regarding vomiting undigested food.

My cat was a stray who experienced a starvation event before being rescued, so he was always a scarfer when it comes to food. He tries to eat all available food as fast as possible.

And that is what led to many of his vomiting episodes. He'd eat so fast he'd throw it up. And if I wasn't home when it happened, he'd almost always re-eat it (gross, I know).

But you mentioned that Morgana is food-motivated (I believe you put it as "food mad"). If you experience vomiting more, consider looking at her eating pace, and quantity-per-meal.

This was a very frequent issue with my cat Willy, since right after his rescue around age 1. He's slowed down over the last 9-10 years, but he was such a scarfer in those first few years after being rescued (he probably went through so much trauma that he thought every meal could be his last) that he threw up all the time, right after eating. Until I figured out the right feeding schedule.

Thank you! Morgs has always been a scarfer - what I tend to do with her now is 3 meals a day spilt into smaller portions! I’ve tried a lick mat with her but she just gets so angry the food isn’t coming quick enough, so ends up leaving a bunch of it. Thankfully she’s been fine overnight, so hopefully it was just a blip and she’ll be right back to normal today! I could probably spilt into 4 meals but it’ll be tricky with my work schedule sadly….

 

[cmshap]

Thank you! Morgs has always been a scarfer - what I tend to do with her now is 3 meals a day spilt into smaller portions!

If you can manage 3 meals a day that's great. And maybe you already have the perfect feeding schedule worked out, since she's only vomited once.

I was just giving advice in the event that more vomiting becomes a regular problem. If she's hardly ever vomiting, I think you're probably doing everything right.

Regarding the feeding schedule, I had the hardest time with it whenever I traveled. I'd hire someone to come out every day, but either I'd have to settle for just one visit a day, or pay extra to have the person come multiple times a day. That was really the hardest part of keeping my cat fed on schedule, when I had to travel.

 

[lisahe]

If you can manage 3 meals a day that's great. And maybe you already have the perfect feeding schedule worked out, since she's only vomited once.

I was just giving advice in the event that more vomiting becomes a regular problem. If she's hardly ever vomiting, I think you're probably doing everything right.

Regarding the feeding schedule, I had the hardest time with it whenever I traveled. I'd hire someone to come out every day, but either I'd have to settle for just one visit a day, or pay extra to have the person come multiple times a day. That was really the hardest part of keeping my cat fed on schedule, when I had to travel.

Agreeing with all this about regurgitation and feeding. We also have a regurgitator who's food-insecure -- it can be difficult to figure out how best to feed them, particularly as they age and become less active. (Edwina is now 10 and it's becoming more of a challenge.)

Our vet (who's very particular about these sorts of things!) doesn't even consider regurgitation vomiting, it's more of a mechanical failure to her. I've come to consider it the very "least worst" way that food comes back up. Edwina does it if she's worked up, if she's very hungry and is fed too much ("too much" isn't very much so this is tricky), if she's stressed, if there's loud wind... you can see what I'm saying! We've learned her patterns and adjusted her feedings to minimize her regurgitating but she still does it every now and then. Like yesterday morning. We leave food out at night for her in small amounts, some in autofeeders so she can't get at it right away. I highly recommend autofeeders!

I also agree about not worrying too much if this doesn't happen very often and/or (in particular) if you can identify a solid reason why she regurgitated. In our case, pretty much any kind of stressor counts; so do errors from Cat Catering, which is sometimes late delivering a meal or sometimes accidentally feeds too much!

It sounds like the eye problem is better, right? Our other cat had a runny eye last year and I found it much easier to use an OTC eye gel than the drops I got from the vet. The drops are a better drug but Ireland hates them and the element of surprise didn't last very long! She's much more tolerant of the gel, which I can easily (kind of) wipe into her eyes without fuss. The gel takes longer to work but there's a lot less stress in administering them.

Here's hoping Morgana's already feeling better after her regurgitation!

 

[cmshap]

It sounds like the eye problem is better, right? Our other cat had a runny eye last year and I found it much easier to use an OTC eye gel than the drops I got from the vet.

Morgana’s Human , how is the eye situation now?

You said something about not wanting to start a new thread (about the vomiting), but don't hesitate to do that even if it's related, but a different topic.

I do that and then link threads between each other when I think they are related.

Not trying to tell you what you should have done, but you will get more people viewing your topic when it is focused on the particular problem at-hand. So even if you make multiple threads in one day, don't hesitate. This community has been great for me, in terms of responding to every new topic I create.

 

[Morgana’s Human]

The eye medication course finishes today - Morgana looks much, much better! This eye has always been prone to overflow and those pesky eye boogers, but she’s no longer holding it half open and it’s much better.