Do you have any houseplants your kitten could possibly be getting into? Is your entire house cat-proofed? No chance of fallen medications? Getting into cleaning supplies? Cabinets with child-proof locks?

What about bugs in the house that he could be eating? I'd probably secure him in a room while you're out to eliminate things he could get into if he has free roam of the house.

I'd also take him in to the vet, not eating and vomitting can lead to dehydration pretty quick. Cats just naturally do not show outward physical signs of illness or pain until usually too late. Your vet might take urine or blood tests, or perhaps an x-ray or ultrasound if you think he's ingested something that is causing an obstruction. Is he eliminating solid waste at all?

I also wasn't sure from your blurb, but was he still eating Sheba packs while he was vomitting? I've never fed Sheba before, but I'd probably refrain from feeding that and any dry food until this is all completely resolved. Your vet might recommend Royal Canin, Science Diet or some other brand they keep stocked, but I wouldn't buy those either.

 

I don't have any houseplants, he can't get into where the cleaning supplies are and anything is possible - but I've never found any bugs in my apartment.

On the days that he's been eating normally he is eliminating solid waste and the days that he's been ill it's kind of a darker colored goop. (ew)

I only fed him the Sheba food once and that was the morning of the day he vomited for the first time. Ah, I didn't even think to stop feeding him dry food! I'll do that. I just got home from work and he's still not doing well. He ate a little wet food and then howled and gagged a little but didn't end up throwing anything up. I hate this!

 

Oh no. It's just my opinion, but I'd take him in to the e-vet to make sure he hasn't eaten something he isn't supposed to. It sounds like he's in awful pain if he's howling.

Sending you and your kitty positive healing vibes in the meantime.

 

Yes! Vet trip please! He might have something stuck in his throat!
I hope you've already been to the vet...
If so....any word on how he's doing now?
Sending Healing Prayers for him, and some (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon

 

Thank you so much! Yes! He went to the vet and we got him an x-ray first just to rule out any sort of a foreign body because that was my main concern. The vet found no obvious sign of any foreign object but did see granular material in his stomach (vet assumed it was either litter or dry food) and he had inflammation in his intestines. From there the vet prescribed some meds to help with the vomiting, diarrhea and to soothe his stomach. She recommended he go on a bland diet for a little while of just plain boiled chicken and rice. If his condition doesn't improve he'll have to go back to the vet and get a 2nd opinion on his x-rays and have an ultrasound. Fingers crossed!

 

Oh no! I hope your little guy gets feeling better soon! Has your vet checked for any food allergies? Onyx developed an allergy to chicken and had very similar symptoms.

Hugs and kisses for your little buddy! And wishes for a speedy recovery!

 

It seems like a great many cats are chronic vomiters, and no change of food really helps. I've read some posts from owners who are more or less resigned to their cats vomiting constantly. I used to cat-sit my neighbors' cats and they were like that - lifelong pukers. Hopefully that won't be the case with your little guy!

Many cats also seem to puke when their food is abruptly changed. I think a lot of vets/sites will recommend a slow transition when changing foods - something like 75% old food, 25% new food mixed together for a few days, then slowly increase the amount of new food. Of course, this isn't practical sometimes! ;} And I'm lucky with my cat - I can feed her a different type of food at every meal and she doesn't get an upset stomach. But I do know that some kitties ARE very sensitive to sudden changes in their diet.

I think the boiled chicken is fine, and maybe a raw egg yolk or two, but I'd skip the rice. Cats can't digest grains and don't need that much carbs, so the rice isn't going to do a thing for him except pass through his system. Plus keep in mind that a diet of boiled chicken is extremely nutritionally incomplete for a kitty compared to commercial canned food - and especially so for a kitten, who needs more nutrition and calories than an adult cat, so don't feed him the bland diet for more than a day or two. Unfortunately vets are not taught nutrition in vet school (it's something we're just barely beginning to look at in regards to pets), so they will prescribe grain-filled foods all the time.

 

I'm jumping in here late, so forgive me for being slow to the party

It seems like a great many cats are chronic vomiters, and no change of food really helps. I've read some posts from owners who are more or less resigned to their cats vomiting constantly. I used to cat-sit my neighbors' cats and they were like that - lifelong pukers. Hopefully that won't be the case with your little guy!

As true as this is, it's also not necessary at all! Regular vomiting isn't normal for cats, it's a sign of something wrong. And yet, I had three seperate vets tell me that Jitzu throwing up multiple times every day was 'normal' and 'just the way she was'. What utter nonsense.

In her case it was food sensitivity to processed meats - first chicken, then fish, then beef, etc. We'd switch her to a better food and she'd be fine for a few months, then start getting sick again. Wet foods lasted longer than dry before she started reacting to them, but by the time I finally switched to raw the list of things she couldn't eat was so long I'd run out of the available dry and wet food entirely.

Unfortunately, many people won't try raw and just live with their cat always being sick.

I think the boiled chicken is fine, and maybe a raw egg yolk or two, but I'd skip the rice. Cats can't digest grains and don't need that much carbs, so the rice isn't going to do a thing for him except pass through his system.

Generally this is true - however in a case where the cat is vomiting bile part of the issue can become an excess of acid in the stomach. The boiled white rice will soak up stomach liquids and help the cat to pass them. This can REALLY help a sick kitty to feel better and keep other foods down.

Even Jitzu can handle cooked white rice, I mix it with turkey though which she has an easier time digesting.

Fun fact: cats with many allergies can become more and more sensitive given long exposures to allergens - the exposure sensitizes their system even more to the point that it starts reacting to all sorts of things. Giving the system a break by feeding something gentle for a long period of time can heal the digestive tract, and then you can slowly try reintroducing foods one at a time to see what they're actually allergic to, versus what their overwhelmed system was reacting to.

Plus keep in mind that a diet of boiled chicken is extremely nutritionally incomplete for a kitty compared to commercial canned food - and especially so for a kitten, who needs more nutrition and calories than an adult cat, so don't feed him the bland diet for more than a day or two. Unfortunately vets are not taught nutrition in vet school (it's something we're just barely beginning to look at in regards to pets), so they will prescribe grain-filled foods all the time.

Again, this is sort of true. A kitten can't eat just chicken and rice for long - but a few days or a week to get their system calmed down enough that they can digest the food won't hurt them.

The OP also mentioned their vet had recommended feeding wellness core - a vet who suggests a grain free food that they don't sell is miles above the standard vet in terms of nutrition. This suggests they've gone out of their way to be educated on nutrition.

The vet found no obvious sign of any foreign object but did see granular material in his stomach (vet assumed it was either litter or dry food) and he had inflammation in his intestines. From there the vet prescribed some meds to help with the vomiting, diarrhea and to soothe his stomach. She recommended he go on a bland diet for a little while of just plain boiled chicken and rice. If his condition doesn't improve he'll have to go back to the vet and get a 2nd opinion on his x-rays and have an ultrasound. Fingers crossed!

I see that you did change the litter - I'd highly suggest either a paper pelleted variety, or wheat/corn based clumping litters. The reason being that if he is eating the litter he will likely either find them less palatable, or they'll pass easier through his system. It's very possible that eating litter is the cause of the issue, but it could be a combination.

Some cats (Jitzu...as well as others I've met) will eat litter when their stomach is upset. I have no idea why, but I've met at least 5-6 cats with allergies whose main symptom is vomiting that eat litter when they're obviously feeling queasy.

So since his vet visit last week Prince has been doing so much better. He's eating every morsel that is put in his bowl. Which as of today is 50% bland diet (boiled chicken) and 50% his wet food. I've been slowly adding in more of his normal wet food each day since Sunday and so far no vomiting/diarrhea/lack of appetite.

Good news! Wonderful

My concern now has shifted to the fact that I noticed he isn't drinking water. He did drink quite a bit before all of this. I'm not sure if it's a side effect of the medication he's on (1ml Metronidazole liquid, 2x's daily) or if it's this temporary diet change.

It's possible he's getting enough water from the wet food that he's not feeling thirsty. Dry food takes more water out of the body to digest it than it gives to the body, so cats who eat dry are often very thirsty.

You can check his hydration levels a few ways. The easiest is to pull up his scruff, right between his shoulder blades. Gently pinch a bit of skin and pull up, when you let go a well hydrated cat's skin will immediately snap back to the way it was before. If it sinks down fairly quick, but not immediately he's ok but heading towards dehydration. If it peaks and very slowly sinks down, or doesn't move then he's very dehydrated - although you'd know he was ill at this point as he'd also be lethargic and look very sad.

If you need something to compare to try the same test on your forearm - the vast majority of people will be hydrated enough that the skin snaps right back.

You can also test his gums, but do yours first as a comparison. Look in the mirror, lift your lip, and firmly press your thumb into your gums. When you let go your gums should pink up again very quickly. If the white area fades slower it's a sign of dehydration. If the area stays white and the print is clearly visible for 30 seconds +, that's dangerous.

My hunch is he'll ace this test. Cats are meant to get their hydration from their food - with more wet and moist foods in his diet he'll need less supplemental water.

But when I started transitioning him back to his dry food, two days in he threw up again.

It seems likely he's reacting to something in the dry food. But it's possible that he's reacting to the fact that it's dry as well.

I know this is gross, but it matters. When he's throwing up is it whole, formed, kibbles or mush? If it's whole kibbles it's likely a sign that he ate them too fast, or he doesn't have enough liquid in his stomach when he ate them. If they're mush then they've started digesting and he's reacting to the contents of the food itself.

Thank you Arianwen! & thank you for your input LakotaWolf!

That's what I liked about the Wellness dry food because it was grain-free and didn't have gluten. But of course it makes him sick now!

He's always been combination-fed but I would love to be able to feed him solely wet. It's just so expensive! Each can is $2, it's never on sale, and to satiate the feeding guidelines he'd need several per day.

SIGH.

Following the feeding guideline is a it like asking McDonald's how many hamburgers you should eat in a day. The food company is biased, they want you to feed more so that you have to buy their food more often.

That being said, a kitten does need to eat an amount very similar to what's on the can - but it's wildly out of whack for adult cats.

You can save money by buying larger cans, and by reading the ingredients. I wouldn't suggest feeding this as the only thing, but when I feed my kitties canned food I usually buy Blue Buffalo Wildernes dog food - the ingredients are identical to their cat food, except for lower levels of taurine. Since my guys get this less than once a week that doesn't matter, but if you fed only that you'd need to supplement with extra taurine. It's also half the price of the cat food. My 4 kitties nicely split a big can of dog food for one meal, but the food guideline says they should EACH eat a can. WAAAAY too much.

Many cats will react to fish in their food, so trying to find a kibble with no fish (while difficult) might help. If you need to have a kibble try 'low ingredient' formulas, or 'sensitive' foods from grain free brands.

I'd also suggest adding a bit of extra water to the canned food - with males getting more water in them is better and it'll help you worry less about how much he's drinking.

 

Whitney,
Hope he gets better fast!
Could he be eating kitty litter?
Hope he won't require surgery...
Sharon

 

How's your kitty doing now with the new meds? Does he seem better?

Poor guy, if he was ingesting some litter, I'd like to think that more moisture in his diet would definitely help eliminate whatever stuff he ate come out quicker. I'd feed him wet food mixed in with about a tablespoon of water for extra hydration and see how he does.

 

Whitney,
How's your little guy doing?
Sharon

 

Thank you so much for the well wishes and lovely messages! I'm sorry I haven't updated sooner. I've been having the weirdest week!

So since his vet visit last week Prince has been doing so much better. He's eating every morsel that is put in his bowl. Which as of today is 50% bland diet (boiled chicken) and 50% his wet food. I've been slowly adding in more of his normal wet food each day since Sunday and so far no vomiting/diarrhea/lack of appetite.

I also changed the type of litter he uses because of the granules in his x-ray. (In case that old litter was appetizing to him for some reason...) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My concern now has shifted to the fact that I noticed he isn't drinking water. He did drink quite a bit before all of this. I'm not sure if it's a side effect of the medication he's on (1ml Metronidazole liquid, 2x's daily) or if it's this temporary diet change. There wasn't much in his litter box for a few days so I did a little research and decided to fill a few different shaped containers with different temperatures of water/bottled/tap/filtered water and put them all around the house like a crazy person and of course he didn't drink from any of them! So tonight I added a tiny bit of tuna water to his water bowl and he drank a little bit but didn't seem that into it.

This guy is making me nuts!

 

I'm glad to hear he's doing better, and I hope he doesn't find the new litter appetizing...

To get him to drink more water, you could add some into his wet food. I do this for my chronically constipated little one, and I discovered that my stray also prefers his wet food very wet. I add about 2-3 tsp. to half of a 5.5-oz. can.

 

Whitney,
How is Prince doing??
Sharon

 

He COULD be trying to get water from caned food, if he's not drinking... I sympathise. 'WHY are you doing this!?'

 

Prince is doing much better. Thank you for asking. He's drinking water again and running around like a psychopath per usual! But when I started transitioning him back to his dry food, two days in he threw up again. I didn't feed him the Wellness dry food again after that and bought a different brand, something by Hills - I don't remember the name off the top of my head but he's eating that just fine. Now I'm thinking it was possibly a food allergy/intolerance? Of course after a hefty vet bill it could possibly have been something like an allergy! Little monsters!

 

Sounds like dry food isn't the best option (I have to admit that I'm not a fan of a purely dry diet). Really glad that the news is good.

 

It's great that Prince is doing better. Many of the foods made by Hills, Science Diet, and Royal Canin have a lot of grains in them, and many cats are allergic to grains or have digestive issues with them. So, keep an eye on things if you're going to choose to feed a Hills food, and you might want to read up on the Sticky in this forum about the bad side of kibble/dry food. However I understand it's hard to switch off of a food a kitty seems to be doing okay on!

 

Thank you Arianwen! & thank you for your input LakotaWolf!

That's what I liked about the Wellness dry food because it was grain-free and didn't have gluten. But of course it makes him sick now!

He's always been combination-fed but I would love to be able to feed him solely wet. It's just so expensive! Each can is $2, it's never on sale, and to satiate the feeding guidelines he'd need several per day.

SIGH.

 

I know how you feel :{ I had my cat on several canned foods that were SUPER expensive. Even ordering them in bulk from Amazon or Chewy didn't really help. Now she's on a raw diet, which is even more expensive because of the frozen shipping surcharges.

I wonder if there was some specific ingredient in the Wellness that bothered Prince. I noticed the Kitten formula contains a lot of fishmeal of varying types - does the food he's on now contain any fish/fishmeal?

 

Oh boy! Your kitty is awfully lucky to have you spending all of that money and time to make sure she's healthy.

...NO! The new food has chicken/chicken meal. You may be onto something here.