Vomiting and Being Off Form?

[Spirit3106]

So my cat, Punk, has been having a lot of bouts of feeling under the weather the last few months.

Since about April maybe he's gone through phases every week or two where on a random day he'll vomit. He pukes once or twice (can be food, hair, or bile). He'll be completely off form, won't eat or drink and will lie under a bed for the entire day.

He's usually like this for a full day (don't think he's gone longer than a day and a half maybe), and all of a sudden he'll take interest in food we offer and start coming back out and looking for affection and attention.

Any ideas what this could be? He's a very affectionate and friendly cat and there's such a stark difference. I don't know if it's something that should be a concern, does he just go through regular bouts of being off form for a day? Maybe it's the hot weather as it's summer?

Thanks

 

[FeebysOwner]

HI. How old is Punk? Does he go outside? Any chance the vomiting correlates to certain foods he eats? Do you brush him regularly?

From the sounds of it, based on the intermittency, seems like it could be tied to hairballs. Some cats will throw up before they actually toss up a hairball, other cats will throw up and the hairball becomes 'dislodged' and then passes on through their system. Weather can somewhat play a role in how much he sheds and then ingests from cleaning himself.

I'd chart when it happens, what he has eaten, and if he's been outside. I'd also start regular brushings to get some of the excess hair off of him so that he doesn't ingest so much of it. It doesn't sound dire given that it isn't all that frequently.

 

[Spirit3106]

HI. How old is Punk? Does he go outside? Any chance the vomiting correlates to certain foods he eats? Do you brush him regularly?

From the sounds of it, based on the intermittency, seems like it could be tied to hairballs. Some cats will throw up before they actually toss up a hairball, other cats will throw up and the hairball becomes 'dislodged' and then passes on through their system. Weather can somewhat play a role in how much he sheds and then ingests from cleaning himself.

I'd chart when it happens, what he has eaten, and if he's been outside. I'd also start regular brushings to get some of the excess hair off of him so that he doesn't ingest so much of it. It doesn't sound dire given that it isn't all that frequently.

Thanks for your reply!
Punk is 3 years old and we've had him since he was a kitten. We also know that he was a feral kitten and was handraised early after birth.

He goes outside on a harness in our gardens and in our cat enclosure. He likes to chew grass sometimes but whether or not I let him or discourage him from eating it he still has the problem.

He is quite a long haired cat so you're probably right about the hairballs, I'm going to see if more frequent brushings helps with the vomiting and charting it. It's just the being off form and hiding for the day that worries me it might mean something more?

 

[FeebysOwner]

It's just the being off form and hiding for the day that worries me it might mean something more?

Hiding does likely mean that his tummy is bothering him, or he is 'upset' by the vomiting. But see if more brushings can help, and chart when he does it to see if that adds any additional information. You can add a couple of drops of olive oil to his food or give him a dab of butter from your finger or his paw to lick - either would help with passing hairballs. A couple times of week of either could be enough, along with the brushings.

If none of this helps, then you might need to have him checked over by a vet - or at least mention it to them with his next annual checkup.

 

[Spirit3106]

Hiding does likely mean that his tummy is bothering him, or he is 'upset' by the vomiting. But see if more brushings can help, and chart when he does it to see if that adds any additional information. You can add a couple of drops of olive oil to his food or give him a dab of butter from your finger or his paw to lick - either would help with passing hairballs. A couple times of week of either could be enough, along with the brushings.

If none of this helps, then you might need to have him checked over by a vet - or at least mention it to them with his next annual checkup.

Charting his tummy upsets, giving butter or oil regularly, and more brushings. Perfect. Hopefully some changes will be enough to help him avoid the stress of a vet visit. Thank you very much!!!!