Cat health question. Can you stand another cat post? Kinda gross.

[Lisa0825]

I have an 8 year old short haired cat. She threw up a few times recently, always just after having eaten her dry food. I hadn't noticed her throwing up after canned food (I give her canned in the morning and dry at night), so I have been feeding her just canned lately. I thought maybe she developed an allergy to that food. Tonight, after no problems for a few days, I bought a new brand of dry, and she just upchucked her first meal. She seems otherwise to feel fine.

I only feed her dry bc everyone says it is better for her teeth. Has anyone else had a cat with a problem like this? Is it ok to just start feeding her only canned food?

Thanks

[Myra]

1. Do you give her as much dry food as she wants, or a small amount?

If you put unlimited quantities out (the bottomless bowl),
she might be snarfing and barfing. A lot of cats get overexcited
and eat too much, and dry food does expand in the stomach.

Can you try giving her a few bites at a time so she can't overeat?

[Lisa0825]

5. I will try that tomorrow and see if she keeps it down. Thank you!!!:-)

:pals:

[haele]

2. Sounds like the new brand might not agree with her just yet

First of all, check to see what is in the dry food; if the dry has artificial coloring, wheat, corn or might have more protien than her normal food. Some cats can't handle too much protien or have various grain allergies - I've got one cat like that, no Whiskas or "Chef's Blend", no IAMS or Science Diet or he pukes.
Also, never leave the cat's dry food out in the open or in an open container for more than a day or so; the kibbles in almost every single brand of dry food are coated with animal fat to make them a bit more flavorful, and that fat can go rancid within a day - which would also make kitty puke food.

As a side, I find that as I mixed feeding with daily moist and dry, and give them a "plaque reducer" treat at the end of a moist meal, my boys have had no problems with tartar buildup for the past 10 years.

Good luck, and go with a basic low-ash dry cat food, preferably made with rice and make sure it is mixed for seniors to begin with. That sort of mix normally has less concentrated protien, as senior kitties tummies can't handle quite as much protien as they did when they were kittens.

Haele

[Lisa0825]

6. The first brand she started having the problem with was IAMS

I tried Purina ONE this time. Do you have a suggestion on a good brand that works for your sensitive-tummied kitty?

I didn't know that about leaving it out long. But this time, I only put it out, and she ate right away.

Thanks for all the info!:toast:

[Myra]

7. Hm, I think Iams was sold to Proctor and Gamble a few years back

And hasn't been a very good cat food...or company since.
I stopped using it when it made one of my cats arf a lot.

I now use Cat Max (from Petco) and the former-arfer does
quite well on it.

But the other poster is right (sorry I didn't get the name);
no matter what food you switch to, don't do it all at once.
That's sure to make a kitty arf. Phase it in gradually
over a week by mixing it in with the old food.
Don't switch cold turky 'cause cats have super super
sensitive GI tracts.

Good luck!

[Mrs. Venation]

13. Science Diet

makes a special blend for cats with sensitive tummies. We fed it to one of our cats earlier in the year when he was sick; he tolerated it well. I think you can generally trust the Science Diet foods, but don't give your kitty only dry food. Most vets will tell you a cat's diet should be both canned and dry food. I'd talk to your cat's veterinarian about the specific situation and find a solution best suited to keep her healthy and happy.

[Lisa0825]

14. Thanks kpharmer. The little pet shop down the road sells SD.

I'll check it out along wiht the other suggestions. Hopefully one of them will work.

[LynneSin]

9. I've seen dry catfood for the sensitive stomach

at my local pet store, but I can't recall the name. In fact I've seen it at all 3 of my local petstores. Check it out - I'm sure you'll find it.

[Lisa0825]

11. Thank you LynneSin and Myra!

I really appreciate all the advice. I never had a cat before, and neither has anyone in my family (we were all dog people), but when I saw the cat posts here, I knew I was in the right place:-)

[sleepyhead]

3. Canned food is actually better for them.

It's closer to their natural diet i.e. mostly protein and fat. Dry food has 10 times the amount of carbohydrate, which cats don't handle very well (they are carnivores and need very little carbs). Also, canned food has a much higher water content (duh!) than dry food, which helps keep their water intake up and in turn makes their kidneys happy. It also helps prevent obesity and diabetes (due to the lower carb content). You can always brush her teeth if she is prone to dental disease - kitty toothbrushes and toothpaste are available at most pet stores and at your veterinarian's office. I have known lots of cats who for whatever reason don't tolerate dry food well but seem to do great on canned food. (Maybe you should also have your vet do a thorough dental exam just in case - some cats with dental disease tend to wolf down their food without proper chewing due to discomfort, which sometimes causes the food to come right back up. A dental cleaning can do wonders for these guys, as well as being good for their general health.) Hope this helps.

[Lisa0825]

4. thanks!!! the dental part really makes sense.....

when she does throw up, the food doesn't look chewed at all! I think I will try to take her to the vet next week.

[grasswire]

12. most commercial wet cat food has horrid stuff in it...

...and should be avoided. Sweepings from slaughterhouse floors, DEAD animals that have been euthanized from animal shelters (YES!), diseased animals and fish, nasty road kill, and horrid stuff. Any food that lists "by-products" as a major ingredient should be avoided like poison.

Read here:

http://www.messybeast.com/cat-food-industry.htm

There are some excellent canned natural foods -- some you can find at your local natural food store. One brand is Pet Guard -- all natural. Yes, it's a bit more money. But if you read that article you'll never go Friskies or Whiskas again.

[Lisa0825]

15. The one my cat goes absolutely BONKERS over is by Fancy Feast

It is Sardines, Shrimp, and Fish Feast, or something like that. It has big chunks of fish and whole small shrimp. I will check your link, because I definitely don't want to advocate that kind of behavior. I tried some canned cat food years ago, that was supposed to be top o the line, all natural, yadda yadda yadda, but she wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole!LOL! My kitty is apparently politically incorrect!

[Mz Pip]

8. One of my cats

had an upper respiratory infection and his only symptom was barfing. Vet put him on anti-biotics and he was fine after that.

MzPip
:dem:

[Lisa0825]

10. thanks! I didn't realize that could be a symptom!

If she doesn't improve, I'll take her to the vet next week.