Cat food issues..

[gatitabonita]

Hello everybody, I posted here a week ago about my cat throwing up a hairball, he's an 11 month old, medium hair beautiful black kitten, that was his second time throwing up in his 11 months of life. Before I was feeding them chicken and brown rice natural choice cat food, then a week ago I wanted to try duck and potatoes natural choice but since I changed them to that food he started to throw up, in 1 week he already threw up twice, can it be the food? I mean he doesn't look sick or act sick, he's being his normal playful kitten, he's drinking, going to the bathroom, playing normal. I'm just wondering if that food can be a factor for him to throw up.

My other cat a 6 year old, he's been fine with both food, no puking or anything. They both eat dry food, I was thinking, maybe my youngest cat eats too much and that's the problem? I took him to the vet when he threw up that hairball and she said he was fine. Ugh I'm just confused..

 

[catpack]

Did do you a slow transition to the new food?

It is possible that maybe he likes the new flavor better and is eating too quickly. Are you around when he eats?

He could also have an intolerance to duck or potato, though I would expect more vomiting episodes. But, still a possibility. Are any of the other ingredients different?

 

[gatitabonita]

Did do you a slow transition to the new food?

It is possible that maybe he likes the new flavor better and is eating too quickly. Are you around when he eats?

He could also have an intolerance to duck or potato, though I would expect more vomiting episodes. But, still a possibility. Are any of the other ingredients different?

Not different just for the duck and potatoes. I also noticed a fly in his vomit early today, so far he has thrown up once today. I was thinking maybe he eats too much, I free feed them and I can hear him chewing like crazy, he always wants to eat everything in sight, even my human food, he steals from my plate, and if I try to say no he fights me.

 

[gatitabonita]

Yes I did transition the food.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

If he eats too fast, or too  much at one time, that can cause him to vomit.  Does he vomit soon after he eats, say within 15 minutes?  Is the vomit mainly undigested food?  If so, that's likely from eating too much or too fast and maybe you'd be better off not free feeding, but portioning his meals a little here and a little there.  If that's not possible, then there are food dishes that make it harder for them to just gobble it down.  Something like this:  http://www.thecatsite.com/products/eat-slow-bowl (if we're talking dry food, which I think you are, if you free feed.

If the vomit is NOT soon after eating, then it may be some other reason, but could still be food related, like an allergy to some ingredient.  Any wheat, corn, soy in the food.  If Duck and Potato, it sounds like a limited ingredient food, but don't know for sure.  If it's Natural Choice Duck and Potato, that actually has Chicken Meal in it, and soybean oil, so it's not too limited ingredient wise

. 

 

[gatitabonita]

Hi, Msgreenjeans, yes the food he threw up was whole, he also was next to the food bowl, I think he might just be a little bit too obsessed with the food. I'm trying to schedule feed them but it's hard for my other cat, he cries and I feel sad for him. I think I will just buy the Chicken and brown rice, they were good with that food.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Are you transitioning them using these techniques: 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/transitioning-free-fed-kibble-kitties-to-timed-meals

Even if you feed them on schedules, though, you need to make sure the "baby" doesn't scarf down his food, which can cause him to throw it right back up.  Maybe that eat-slow bowl is the ticket.  Or try just putting a couple of clean golf balls in his bowl so he'll have to eat around them.  And raise his dish.  Here are a couple of thread with ideas: 

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/219794/slowing-down-a-fast-eater

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/240768/ideas-on-how-to-get-a-cat-to-slow-down-when-eating