[wfg97079]

Help
Our 8 month old kitten has been vomiting at least a few times a week pretty steadily since we got her and her brother. She only pukes just after eating (within 10 minutes) She has slowly but steadily gained weight, but her brother is much larger (I think thats normal)
We feed her Purina One kitten food. We did take her to the vet but they basically gave us hairball medication, but I dont think its hairball related, because she never hacks or coughs, just makes a liitle quiet gag, and then pukes. The hairball medecine doesnt seem to have helped. The food comes out completely undigested, just looks like the food got wet when it comes out.
Am I feeding her too much? How much should I be feeding her?
Is she eating too fast? Is there any way to slow her down?

We just had to jump out of bed and wash the sheets because she puked on them about 5 min ago. We are getting frustrated and worried. Any suggestions?

BTW, their names are Linus and Lucy

 

[Lori]

First off, welcome to the forum.
When my cat has brought up a hairball, there is generally a little undigested food along with the matted up hair. But it sounds like Lucy's vomit is just food. So I would agree that hairballs probably aren't the problem.
I have found that I need to keep Velvet on a very regular feeding schedule or I end up with the same problem. I feed her twice a day at as close to exactly the same time every day as I can manage. I found if she ever got over-hungry, say an empty food dish overnight, she would gorge herself in the morning. I could just about count on vomiting in the next 12 hours or so. Between this and her hairball medication, she hardly ever has a problem anymore.
Maybe it's just certain cats, because my past cats never had this problem. I would just feed a couple of times a days, whenever I happened to notice the food dish was getting empty. Could be Linus just doesn't have Lucy's sensitive stomach.
I am glad you brought her to the vet and if it continues a return visit might be in order.
Best of luck!

 

[drjean]

It could be that Lucy is just eating too fast. A lot of cats get the "eyes bigger than stomach" thing going, snarf down a bunch of food, their stomach stretches, and a few minutes later it says, "Whoa that was TOO MUCH, I'd better get rid of it!"

However, it could also be something more serious. Your description suggests almost a passive process, which describes regurgitation rather than vomiting. With regurgitation, the food never actually makes it to the stomach, and it almost "falls" back out, without the effort of vomiting. With true regurgitation, the food tends to come back out in a tubular shape, since it has been sitting in the esophagus. There are several congenital defects that can cause this, as well as megaesophagus and myasthenia gravis, though the latter two are rare in cats.

As an experiment, you might try feeding them from an elevated bowl (up on a shoebox or something). Or, try canned food instead of dry, and water it down to Slurpee consistency, since liquids may go down easier--and stay down, which is definitely the goal here! A watery food consistency also might take a bit longer to eat, which could help if it's a snarf-n-barf problem.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

[kitkat]

Someone recommended I put a little ball in the food dish so when they eat, they have to work around the ball and not eat so fast. Sugar used to throw up undigested food too when she was a baby. She has fortunately stopped puking and only does an occasional hairball now. Good luck :!:

 

[Wayne]

this morning, I notice that Blitz-Bug is barfing again, however, she is not barfing up anything important. It reminds me of what we used to call the "dry heaves". I hope she is OK as I have had this problem with her before and she seems to get over it

 

[wfg97079]

food

what is a good wet food for a cat her age?
The food that comes up doesnt even seem to be chewed, maybe Ill crush some up and see how it goes

 

[Snouggie's Mom]

Linus & Lucy's Mom:

Actually this is normal. I suggest that you try feeding her smaller portions throughout the day. I have one kitten that I have to let free feed or this happens. It has nothing to do with hairballs but it has to do with getting too hungry. She is actually hypoglycemic (opposite of diabetes) and I have a 13 year old cat that also does this. We took Cuddles to the vet we have now and he said Cuddles eats too much, eats too fast, AND is a cat. Nothing to worry about unless you start seeing blood or the such.

Cuddles has never had a hairball. He is a short haired cat and Smokey is a longer haired cat Smokey has had one hairball in his life and never has a problem but he eats very slow and several times a day due to strict feeding schedule for diabetes. Cuddles and Smokey are littermates but not true brothers--different daddies.

Cynthis