Sidonie not feeling well...

[Susan]

I hope Sidonie is feeling better soon. Ensuring she drinks is key, since the combination of vomiting and diarhhea can quickly result in dehydration.

[swimkris]

Sidonie could still be adjusting to her diet, but I don't think you are doing anything "wrong" since both cats aren't sick. Just continue to monitor Sidonie today, and take her to the vet Monday if she still isn't well. Also, they will probably ask you if she has eaten anything strange lately like a string. This may be especially important because Sidonie doesn't seem to be "sick" since she still has an appetite. Rather, she may have some kind of blockage.

[thenakedorchid]

Update today: Sidonie is drinking a good amount of water, but she vomited froth once this morning and once this afternoon. She did have a "real" solid poop, however. Hopefully that's a good sign. I'll continue to give her lots of fluids... should I even try solids?

I did think of the fact that if I was doing something wrong raw feeding-wise, Sabrina would probably be sick too, since she's the one with the more sensitive digestive system. I don't remember Sidonie swallowing anything unusual, but I'm not around her 24/7.

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone. Hopefully she does get better very soon.

[thenakedorchid]

Update on Sidonie: I did not take her to the vet because when I fed her Honest Kitchen Prowl (dehydrated wet) and Wysong kibble, she did not vomit any of it up. She hasn't pooped yet, so I can't tell if she has diarrhea still. But today I tried feeding her raw again, and she ate about one or two pieces. She vomited again an hour or so later, but it didn't contain any of the meat. Maybe I just have a kitty who I can't feed raw meat? That would be so disappointing, because she was taking to it so well.

[Auntie Crazy]

Originally Posted by thenakedorchid

Update on Sidonie: I did not take her to the vet because when I fed her Honest Kitchen Prowl (dehydrated wet) and Wysong kibble, she did not vomit any of it up. She hasn't pooped yet, so I can't tell if she has diarrhea still. But today I tried feeding her raw again, and she ate about one or two pieces. She vomited again an hour or so later, but it didn't contain any of the meat. Maybe I just have a kitty who I can't feed raw meat? That would be so disappointing, because she was taking to it so well.

If you don't mind, can I ask a couple of questions? What, exactly, are you feeding her? It sorta sounds as if you're feeding her a mix of kibble, commercial raw and fresh raw? How often do you feed her? And how much at each meal?

I seriously, truly and whole-heartedly urge you not to worry about bacteria; cats absolutely have what it takes to handle it.

I have no experience with mixing kibble and raw, but I've heard it can cause digestive upsets. I do know that once a kitty gets an upset tummy, it's sometimes hard for them to stop being nauseous.

Sometimes, too, going too long between meals can cause a cat to throw up, as can eating too much in one sitting. And too much organ or too little bone can cause loose stools.

As someone else mentioned, some type of blockage (string, tinsel, etc.) can cause these symptoms too. If Sidonie stops eating or eliminating altogether, I'd get her to the vet ASAP.

Hope she's better by the time you read this!!

AC

[thenakedorchid]

I was feeding her 100% raw for almost a month before she got sick. They are both only eating boneless meat, I have yet to work them up to raw meaty bones. I only fed Sidonie kibble and Prowl the last couple days because she did not throw it up; so I know those are not the cause of the upset. I feed both cats twice a day, around noon then again around 9pm. As for a blockage, I don't think a blockage could cause her to throw up only raw, and not wet and dry food as well. Perhaps she's fine now, but she just has an aversion to raw because it's what she was eating when she got sick?

[Auntie Crazy]

Originally Posted by thenakedorchid

I was feeding her 100% raw for almost a month before she got sick. They are both only eating boneless meat, I have yet to work them up to raw meaty bones. I only fed Sidonie kibble and Prowl the last couple days because she did not throw it up; so I know those are not the cause of the upset. I feed both cats twice a day, around noon then again around 9pm. As for a blockage, I don't think a blockage could cause her to throw up only raw, and not wet and dry food as well. Perhaps she's fine now, but she just has an aversion to raw because it's what she was eating when she got sick?

Please start feeding her commercial raw, and nothing else, immediately.

A fresh, raw animal-based diet is the most species-appropriate for a carnivore, but only if it's properly balanced. A meat-only diet is very unbalanced and COMPLETELY explains the loose stools.

I'll talk more in a minute, but I want you to get this post right away.....

AC

[Auntie Crazy]

I tried to find an article that identified exactly what happens - and why - to cats who are fed only meat and could not.

Bones contain a lot more nutrition than just calcium, but I've never studied them specifically, so I can't tell you what, exactly. Organs contain a ton of valuable nutrients and if you haven't been feeding them, either, your cats have been really missing a lot of vital nutrition.

I CAN tell you that until you can feed a cat all of the necessary ingredients (80%-87% meat, fat, skin, sinew, connective tissue and heart, 5%-10% edible bone, 3%-5% liver, and 5% other secreting organ), then you can NOT feed that cat more than 30% fresh home-prepared raw.

The lack of bone in your cats' diet is precisely why your cat has loose stools. I don't know why she's getting sick, nor do I know why the other cat hasn't had loose stools.

My recommendation for you is to switch, as I said, to a strictly commercially-prepared raw for a few weeks (kibble is no good for cats and shouldn't even be marketed to them). Then, you'll need to either start transitioning to a ground home-prepared diet, or begin transitioning your cats to a full frankenprey diet, which includes eating bones and organs. If they can't, or won't, eat bones and/or organ meals, they'll have to stay on a ground diet - one that includes all of these ingredients in the appropriate measures.

If you aren't able to feed a ground or full frankenprey model diet, you'll have to stick to commercially-prepared raw foods.

Please keep in touch and let us know how Sidonie is doing!

AC

[thenakedorchid]

Thanks for the advice, AC.

I tried some commercially prepared Rad Cats raw today with both cats. Sidonie ate it right up, but vomited it again just now. I can't really think of any reason why she would only be vomiting raw and not dry or canned. I think I'm going to have to just keep her on canned for now, as much as that upsets me.