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- Aug 7, 2018
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Howdy. I have an almost 15 year old cat that I have had since he was 1.5 yrs old. The problem is that he will be fine when I am at home, but if I leave to go to work or am gone from the house for several hours he starts vomiting until he has dry heaves and eventually blood. The past vet said it was from the capillaries in his throat breaking from such hard vomiting. Waldo has been doing this for years. He used to howl really bad at night (and scream) to the point that I would have to put him in his room so I could get sleep. He doesn't howl much now, but he still has the vomiting. I try to treat him at home because the vets said they don't want to treat him unless he is given morphine because he gets very violent. I usually do the same routine each time by putting him in his room with a soft mat, some familiar toys and water but no food. I spray the room with cat relaxing spray and have continuous classical or calming music played. I decrease all stimuli and retreat to my own bedroom because if I am out in the living room Waldo just seems to get more anxious causing more vomiting. I keep him contained to his room for several hours because the vomiting can get really messy and it helps to decompress his anxiety. He also has places in his room where he can hide and relax which he also does. I recently had him checked by a vet that made housecalls because Waldo had been throwing up every week for the last month. The vet had to sedate him several times and he visit was very traumatic to the point that I thought Waldo would have a heart attack. The vet was able to perform several tests and xrays, urine, stool and blood sample tests. Waldo is relatively healthy and these tests were performed 2 days after he had a vomiting episode. They did find him to have safe 2 kidney disease but I had expected that with his age. I tried to tell the vet it was vomiting related to anxiety but he keeps thinking it is a hairball issue and kidney related. Waldo has hairballs, but I is from excessive grooming from anxiety. I brush him every day and also give him a laxative. The vet said to increase the laxative which only gives Waldo diarrhea. I wanted a medication to calm him down, but the vet will not give one because he does not think that is the problem. So again, I am back in my room after Waldo has been vomiting blood for several hours. I have cleaned up the mess and he is now in the living room relaxing and smelling all of his toys. I just went out to see him and he was so anxious that he kept following me around, rubbing his scent on everything (which he does constantly every day) and clinging to me like glue. It usually takes several hours before he is relaxed enough to start eating again. Waldo definitely had a good appetite when I'm home as he eats at least every 3 hours that includes Hills Prescription renal food and rotisserie chicken that the vet said was ok to give him. It makes me angry that I have to actually alter my life to the point of not being able to do things, or go places or even pick up an extra shift at work because Waldo gets sick if I do. But if I don't do these "rituals" then Waldo is in misery. All of this because vets choose to think they know everything and refuse to listen to the cat's owner who is around the cat 24/7. I don't know what else to do. I do know that I'm not going to torture Waldo with another vet visit. Even if I could get something for Waldo's anxiety, I don't think he would take it. I have been trying "Rescue Remedy" and rubbing it on his ears which he is starting to get wise to and not like. The vet said not to be alarmed when Waldo is vomiting he blood, but it is hard not to and I think Waldo then picks up on my anxiety about that. It's a vicious cycle. I'm trying not to be mad about the situation, but it is hard when I am not able to do normal things of everyday life that others do because I'm stuck in my bedroom trying to lessen Waldo's anxiety. How can a vet not think that this is a separation anxiety problem?!
