Cat constantly vomiting

[TaylorT]

Help…

I adopted a cat from the Humane Society a couple weeks ago. They stated he had a sensitive stomach and will need sensitive stomach food. I bought it along with a slow feeder, dropped his feeding to two times per day and started giving Digestive enzymes before he eats. He still vomits about 10 piles a day.

They have a 90 day “doesn’t work out” policy but I don’t want to take him back. After reading the paperwork that they give after you adopt, he was given to the humane society for this reason. So they knew and I am angry that they didn’t fix the problem. He is a very long haired and fluffy cat so you can’t tell his weight but he seems very very thin and frail.

All the vets in the area are booked out for at least 6months. I need any advice I can get.

He never pukes hair balls and makes a weird scratching clicking noise with his mouth right before he vomits. But he is ruining everything with vomit, he is sick and needs some help clearly.

I also added a picture of his belly because I’ve never seen a cat with such curly hair.

 

[artiemom]

I feel so bad for you.. Yes, some shelters are kind of devious at disclosing preexisting.conditions.
Unfortunately, since this is something that the Shelter knew about; I doubt that you will be able to obtain pet insurance for your kitty.

You have a long hair cat. You kitty's belly looks, to me, as if it is matted. He/She needs a good combing out.. or cutting away of the mats. Is the kitty vomiting fur balls?

You can try getting some laxatone to see if that may help work the fur down.. but my gut feeling is telling me that there is more to the story.
I am thinking IBD... or an impaction from the hairballs.

If your baby is vomiting that much; you have a couple of choices...
One DEMAND a Vet Exam from the Shelter, since they withheld information. I would fight them on this. They will probably insist on you giving up the cat, in order to receive this.. I would be skeptical of them... and their, supposedly Vet...

Second: Immediately take your kitty to an Emergency Vet.. This is an emergency. You cat cannot go on like this. Kitty needs Fluids, to stabilize her/him, and at least an x-ray or ultrasound to see what the problem is.

Unfortunately, I am seeing many cats given up, because owners cannot or will not deal with vomiting issues... and the Shelter needs to be held responsible for doing so..,

Your kitty looks so sweet, and so sick... poor thing..

Good Luck---((HUGS)))

I would probably even contact the Attorney General's office of Consumer Affairs, and file a formal complaint against the shelter.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
What a sweetheart!

I agree with the above post, especially that he needs fluids and a workup as soon as possible.

Can you contain him so the cleanup is less, until you get things squared away with him?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am not saying that it will resolve the issue, but it might help to feed him more frequently with less amounts. Some cats just don't do well with being given food only twice a day, especially if there were to be some sort of digestive issue - which there likely is.
If you are not able to do that because of work, then buy a timed feeder with multiple serving slots to open at specific times of the day.

You might also contact the shelter and ask for any notes they have on him that haven't already been shared with you and ask if they know what kind of feeding schedule he was on and how much/often he was vomiting with them. A shelter's primary work/goal is not to hold on to a pet with a problem for as long as it takes to 'cure' them. Their goal is to find them a loving home and let the new owner know of any issues - which it sounds like they did. They know that working with any issues a cat has will reap better results in a loving home as opposed to a shelter environment.

Also, consider that the digestive enzymes you are giving him might be part of the problem, especially if he wasn't getting them at the shelter - not all work on all cats and some cats do poorly on certain ones as well.

All said, he does need to be seen by a vet, so if not the shelter vet perhaps they can recommend some emergency vets that they deal with that can see him sooner rather than later. And as suggested above, he may have a hairball build up in his digestive tract that is causing the vomiting because it is difficult for him to successfully/easily pass food.

Poor you and your little guy. I hope with some vet help and trying different possible solutions you will eventually get him back on track so you and he can build a loving relationship and a good life together! Please keep us posted!

 

[artiemom]

kind of have to disagree with FeebysOwner Shelters have a moral/ethical duty to openly disclose ALL issues with a possible adoption. Yes, they do find homes for animals who are given up; however, the adopter NEEDS to know the full extent of the issue. Not just, as the thread started said, "Sensitive Stomach"..
In this incident, it is much more than that. A cat who cannot keep food down, and is vomiting multiple times a day is sick..

The shelter has a duty--whether moral or legally, to disclose that to the prospective adopter.. Or, keep the cat in a foster home, until things are straightened out..

I may sound snarky.. but it happened to me... When I adopted Artie, I was given a clean bill of health, by the shelter and
their Vet's exam.
Artie had a Grade 4 heart murmur, which was easily audible on his regular Vet's exam, as well as the Internal Med specialist and the Cardiologist. I even hear dit myself when I had my head on his chest.

It was not something that was periodic. It was consistent..

So, I guess I am very leery about disclosure...

sorry.. Furballsmom Just a kind of sore spot to me....love you..

 

[FeebysOwner]

kind of have to disagree with FeebysOwner FeebysOwner Shelters have a moral/ethical duty to openly disclose ALL issues with a possible adoption. Yes, they do find homes for animals who are given up; however, the adopter NEEDS to know the full extent of the issue. Not just, as the thread started said, "Sensitive Stomach"..In this incident, it is much more than that. A cat who cannot keep food down, and is vomiting multiple times a day is sick..

I'd be more careful about making assumptions until we know more - either from the OP or from their additional contact with the shelter. The only thing we know for sure is that the shelter told the OP that the cat has digestive issues and recommended to them the same food they were giving the poor baby. Additionally, the OP also inferred through their comments that vomiting was an issue at the shelter, (not to mention the previous owner), simply by their statement whereby they said he is STILL vomiting after the adoption.

Let's see what the OP has to say about any additional information, or at least a clarification of what they were told before we go assuming the shelter 'lied'. There are always two sides to a story, and to make any additional assessments, we need to know more.

Furthermore, shelters CANNOT possibly keep a cat in their place until things are 'straightened out'. Perhaps, they can instead look for a foster, rather than adopter. They also do not perform extensive testing nor can they afford to, and standard/reasonable care is all that is required of them. And, yes, I do believe you are leery about disclosure - for good reasons. But please do not assume all cases are the same as yours.

 

[luda macka]

If your baby is vomiting that much; you have a couple of choices...
One DEMAND a Vet Exam from the Shelter, since they withheld information. I would fight them on this. They will probably insist on you giving up the cat, in order to receive this.. I would be skeptical of them... and their, supposedly Vet...

Second: Immediately take your kitty to an Emergency Vet.. This is an emergency. You cat cannot go on like this. Kitty needs Fluids, to stabilize her/him, and at least an x-ray or ultrasound to see what the problem is.

I agree with this. If your cat is eating only 2 times a day (maybe with snacks in between?) and still vomits and/or regurgitates food 10 days a day per day, something is seriously wrong. And it could be something "mild" like a dumb food allergy or something super serious like IBD or obstruction or whatever. Either way, this cat needs urgent veterinary care!

I don't know where you are op, and I know you said the vets are booked for up to 6 months in advance, but surely ONE OF THEM would be able to squeeze a seriously ill cat in need of urgent care if you don't have emergency/ER veterinarians in your area??? Or if anything, look for a different shelter that can potentially offer veterinary services.