Cat question

[7rider]

Hey all you cat fanciers.

Question: Can a cat suddenly develop a sensitivity to a food she's been eating without issue for about a year? My little Zoe (FIV positive and 2 years old) has suddenly taken to puking with frightening regularity - like a half dozen times since the new year, vs. once or twice in the previous 12 months.

Both cats get brushed regularly - I can't say "daily" but they get Furminated with some regularity. Last night, she regurgitated a frightening amount of food that must have been sitting in her belly for some time (and quite dry and fecal looking, except for the tan color that closely matches the Simply Nourish (http://pets.petsmart.com/brands/simply-nourish/cat-food-wet-diet.shtml) wet food she had eaten that day). That is a brand of wet food we've been feeding for the past year or so and they both very much enjoy - except when puking it out.

Both cats drink plenty of water - both from their fountain bowl and the sink. We don't discourage them when they hop up on the sink looking for a drink, figuring drinking is good for them.

So - is this a seasonal thing that we're not ahead of the spring shedding and need to increase our brushing frequency to prevent hairballs or is this something more? I honestly have no experience with cats or vomiting pets (rabbits - my pets for 12 years prior to them - cannot vomit - a trait that can have fatal consequences for them, but frankly right now I sort of appreciate). Is a puking cat something I just need to get used to??

Thanks all.

[Blueberry]

My cats go in spells. Sometimes they just gorge themselves and puke. It's always worth a trip to the vet to make sure something else isn't wrong - particularly with an FIV+ kitty - but most of my cats have just occasionally had pukey days. They seem to come in spells. I've never figured out why. You could always try switching to a more limited ingredient food - they can develop intolerances. But - I'm betting it's just one of those things

[indysteel]

I agree with Blueberry that a trip to the vet couldn't hurt. I'd hate to venture a guess as this point that it's food or hairball related. One of my cats was always pukey, which is why when it got progressively worse as she got sick from kidney failure, I didn't react as quickly as I wish now that I had (not that the outcome would necessarily have been very different).

[Thorn]

I had a cat, Ms Horks Alot. Turned out she was allergic to gluten, but it seemed to develop and worsen over time. And, yes, she'd be OK with brands of food for a while, but then suddenly she'd start throwing up. I blamed it on food production line contamination. Who knows?

Over the course of her lifespan (she made it to 18), she had about 1/2 dozen really bad episodes where she'd get to the point where she couldn't eat. The vet would give her an anti-emetic, sometimes a steroid and she'd pull out of it.

[TrekDianna]

Agree with what everyone else said. I actually have almost three times the number of cats as I do bikes (most live at the barn). My Oliver had this off and on for a couple of months. When he had his check-up it turned out he had a thyroid issue. Simple fix, a human prescription that he has half the pill in the morning and half at night. He's been on the pills for a few years now, he's almost 18 years old and going strong. he stopped the puking just a few days after starting the pills. I have had some of them who occasionally go through a period of eating too fast or too much and they puke. Also the same with eating too much. It could be so many things. I would talk to the vet.

[KittiPaws]

As a precautionary measure, I would take the cat to visit the vet. When something comes up with a kitty, it's always best to rule out possible medical causes first. One of my cats began throwing up around age 10; she turned out to have pancreatitis. With a careful diet, she lived to be age 15. Another of my cats was a puker all his life, and the vet could never find anything wrong with him. He, too, lived to be 15. So there may or may not be something to worry about with your cat. IMO, it's better safe than sorry, so my vote is definitely to see the vet.

[7rider]

Thanks, all. We're going to call the vet in the morning and give them both a once-over.

[Biciclista]

you brushing this cat? hairballs make them puke too!

[7rider]

you brushing this cat? hairballs make them puke too!

Yes - regularly, if not daily. We got a Furminator which takes off amazing amounts of fur (so much so that I worry I'll make them bald if I use it too much).

They have a vet appointment for this Friday morning - both for their annual check up (need to get a stool sample - awesome!).