Cat Throwing Up Food. Can Only Eat Lunch Meat

[Becky17]

Hello! I have had an easy cat. She's nearly 7 and has always eaten well. About a week ago she began throwing up dry cat food and hasn't been able to hold down anything but lunch meat. I know the sodium is not good for her, but she at least doesn't throw it up. How long should I try reintroducing dry food before taking her to the vet. Overall health seems good. She's still playing with my dog, swatting at toys, etc.
I appreciate any feedback.

 

[mizzely]

What kind of dry food? Around that age my Jasmine started doing that and we resolved it by switching to grain free food, and doing canned food for one meal and dry the rest.

She also started vomiting again recently (age 15) and turns out she has some food intolerances. So far she can't tolerate chicken, turkey, eggs, or grains.

Have you tried canned food, or even some canned (with water) tuna or sardines vs lunch meat??

 

[IndyJones]

It's probably a food allergy
She needs cat food since it has the vitamins and nutrition she needs to stay alive. On lunch meat she will starve and become malnourished.

Try a food with limited proteins (eg only beef)

 

[orange&white]

For sick cats and dogs, I still resort to the old classic standby - boiled chicken and rice. Rice is on the "hate list" these days, but boiled chicken and rice for a couple of days seems to be very easy on the tummy. Probably better than processed salty lunchmeat. If you're opposed to grains, just offer some chicken.

Since it's been seven days, I would definitely call the vet for diagnostics as soon as possible.

 

[Becky17]

What kind of dry food? Around that age my Jasmine started doing that and we resolved it by switching to grain free food, and doing canned food for one meal and dry the rest.

She also started vomiting again recently (age 15) and turns out she has some food intolerances. So far she can't tolerate chicken, turkey, eggs, or grains.

Have you tried canned food, or even some canned (with water) tuna or sardines vs lunch meat??

• Hello! I am amazed at the responses so quickly. I appreciate y'all very much!

I have tried wet food. Cookie turns her nose up to it. She did eat a little of one can, but I had mixed a few little pebbles of her old dry cat food, Iams Original, with the new Iams grain free cat food and she threw all that up. Then we tried just the grain free cat food, and she threw that up, too. Tried the wet food by itself as well and no luck with that either. It wasn't grain free either. Maybe that's the problem with the wet food.

I will buy a better brand wet grain free cat food and see how she does on that and call and get an appointment for her next week of that doesn't help. She hates traveling and I have been worried about the stress she goes through having to get in her kennel to go to the vet. She hates it!

 

[Becky17]

For sick cats and dogs, I still resort to the old classic standby - boiled chicken and rice. Rice is on the "hate list" these days, but boiled chicken and rice for a couple of days seems to be very easy on the tummy. Probably better than processed salty lunchmeat. If you're opposed to grains, just offer some chicken.

Since it's been seven days, I would definitely call the vet for diagnostics as soon as possible.

Thank you for your response! I will try that as her first meal in the morning and pick up some grain free wet food after church tomorrow and get an appointment for her next week. Thanks again!

 

[Becky17]

It's probably a food allergy
She needs cat food since it has the vitamins and nutrition she needs to stay alive. On lunch meat she will starve and become malnourished.

Try a food with limited proteins (eg only beef)

Yes definitely! I knew she couldn't stay on a lunchmeat forever, I was hoping to at least help her digestive system heal from whatever started this. Cookie is the only cat we have had that has lived this long. We had another cat that was put to sleep at 2 after a tumor ruptured in her lungs.

I know how to help a dog anytime, but a cat is totally different and I have very little experience or knowledge in this area. I am so thankful for all of y'alls help! It dawned on me that the wet food I was trying isn't grain free. I will get some after church tomorrow and see how she tolerates that. I'm trying the boiled chicken and rice in the morning. Thank you so much!

 

[Becky17]

It's probably a food allergy
She needs cat food since it has the vitamins and nutrition she needs to stay alive. On lunch meat she will starve and become malnourished.

Try a food with limited proteins (eg only beef)

Yes I have switched between tuna in water and chicken lunch meat. I had read somewhere that they can get too much of some type of other vitamin in tuna/salmon/etc. So I have been switching between chicken lunch meat and tuna.

 

[Becky17]

I also hope your Jasmine is doing well now.

 

[LTS3]

Meat baby food can be temporarily fed to a cat and is a better option than deli meat or canned tuna. See this post for which ones are safe: Anyone else have an Only-Gravy-Licker? Click on the image to expand it.

A textured canned cat food that is literally just meat in gravy is also an option. Weruva's Paw Lickin Chicken is a popular one or the lesser expensive version Soulistc Good Karma (both are made by the same company) if you can get something like that where you are. Soulistic is sold at Petco while Weruva is only sold at independent pet stores.

A vet visit is definitley needed. Most cats get stressed out about going to the vet but their health depends on the examination and treatment of a vet. Personally I would put up with a temporarily stressed out and cranky cat than one that is ill at home with a condition that may be easily treatable.

 

[helpinghand]

I would definitely recommend chicken and rice recipe. My cat was throwing up for three days, I took her to the vet twice. Last the vet gave her needle to stop vomiting and asked me to feed chicken and rice for a week. I did that and now my cat has recovered. I bought minced chicken from the supermarket and cooked in water. I also feed my cat a little 'chicken soup' (water from boiling chicken) to make sure she stay hydrated. I hope your cat get well soon! Is her stool normal?

 

[orange&white]

Speaking of "chicken soup", you do want to make the rice mushier/soggier than we humans would like it by adding more water, and cook together with the chicken for flavor.