Vomitting

[asadikeen]

Hello everyone, I recently took in two cats one is a female named Bella, and the other is a male named Marco. For about three days straight Marco has been throwing up, the first two times it was chunky and i saw unchewed dry food in there, and the other two times he threw up fluid that almost looked like bile. Is it possible that this is due to him eating too fast? I think that he feels like he needs to compete with Bella over food because she always tends to eat EVERYTHING even though i leave two separate bowls out for them. Marco's vomiting has stopped but this is not the first time it has happened. Does anyone have any input on if my assumption is correct and anything i can do to prevent this in the future? Thank you.

P.S. I also was wondering how often i should take my cats to a vet checkup? Also how much does a checkup cost per cat?

[snowy]

Sigh...look like everybody has a vomitting cat. Only 1year, I still consider myself quite a new cat owner. Vomitting can mean many things, its hard sometimes to tell what is what, hope someone more experienced can help you. As for me, I do get quite worried each time ET vomits, if he is eating too fast, I'll usually see undigested food or kibbles. When it is somethingelse beside hairball or undigested food I see in the vomit, I start getting worried. But then, like my hubby said, if he doesn't look listless, still eating well and playing, then there's nothing to worry about. I just hope so.

[tgw]

Our Emily would vomit and it turned out to be worms.

[asadikeen]

about how much is a vet visit per cat and how often should i take them there?

[Marcia]

Two of my 15+ year old cats became listless with vomiting and diarrhea last week. Both went to the vets at the same time. Both got the same rounds of fluids and meds. Total bill $306. Winnie did not recover but the vet was not optimistic about her because she had other issues. Missy totally recovered the next day.
Winnie's euthansia and cremation was an additional $225. Total cost for the vet last week was $531 - but we still have our Missy (avatar) so it's totally worth it.

[Nan]

My first wellness check didn't cost anything for the vet visit itself (because I adopted them from the humane society)- I did have to pay for any shots or medication.

My usual annual bill is about $200 for both cats. Call and ask a couple vets in the area. Yes, you should take them both in for a wellness check. Bring in a sample of poop for a fecal check for worms/parasites.

Cats vomit for a variety of reasons. Yes, eating too fast can make a cat throw up. For that , you could try feeding from a small plate instead of a bowl to make it harder to gobble. If they were strays, it will take a couple weeks for him to realize that food will always be there.

If you got them from a shelter, try to feed the same kind of food for a few weeks and then gradually change to something better. He could have digestive upset from a quick switch in the type of food. You can give him some pepsid before he eats. (generic famatodine; just the basic smallest size , not the "complete " version) Cut the pill into 1/4s and give him the quarter pill.
Other reasons are worms or allergy to something in the food.

[rightsaidfed]

My vet is cheap - about $30 for an office visit. Depending on where you are, it will vary. You'll also pay extra for shots, tests, etc.

My most expensive checkup was about $75 -$80 which included the visit ($30), FVRCP vaccine, Rabies vaccine, and the rest was a fecal test since his brothers at the foster house came down with something nasty. (Turns out I adopted him just in time - he was clear). During the appointment my vet also clipped his nails for free. She charges for this if that's what you brought them in for (like $5 or something small), but always trims them up as part of your $30 office visit if you're there for something else.

Luckily I haven't had to experience emergency vet prices or encountered anything serious yet so my experience is just in "wellness" checks.


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[jusjim]

I'd been congratulating myself (and Missy) because she hadn't vomited for a while, then came this morning.

I don't feed her much at a time, but if she eats too fast.... I wish I knew how to make her slow down.

Otherwise she seems quite healthy. Eats again shortly afterwards.

[westfayetteville]

jusjim

1. Fill a baking tray with the amount of food you normally give your cat but spread it around the sheet. When your cat comes to eat, it will take more time to eat the same amount of food since it is spread out rather than piled in a bowl. This prevents the cat from taking large mouthfuls of food.
2. 2 Buy a bowl designed to slow down eating. These bowls have raised pillars inside that the cat must eat around, causing it to slow its eating pace. You can mimic this idea by placing a ball (such as a tennis ball or baseball) in your cat's regular bowl.
   
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4. 3
   Feed your cat several small meals a day instead of one or two large ones. This means more work on your part, but if other methods are not successful, this tactic may be your best bet.
   

[Blakeney Green]

In general cats will need to go to the vet once a year for an annual exam and any vaccinations that are due. (Cats with certain medical special needs may need to go more frequently.) Even if your cat is not due for any shots when the time rolls around, it's important to stay in the routine of getting a physical exam yearly to rule out any problems. Prices vary tremendously depending on where you live, so there's no way to give a definite answer on how much it will cost.

Dealing with the occasional vomiting episode is just part of being a cat owner, but three straight days of vomiting sounds very worrisome to me, as cats can very easily become dehydrated. I would strongly recommend you take Marco to the vet, especially if you're not sure of when he last had a checkup. If it hasn't been within the last year, he's due anyway, and you can be absolutely sure it's nothing more serious.

I've found that the best way to choose a vet to ask your pet-owning friends where they go, and how satisfied they are. It's a good way to get a feel for which vets do a good job and which to avoid.

I hope Marco feels better soon!


ETA: Marcia, I'm so sorry for your loss.