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My cat began vomiting this past Friday, (it is now Wednesday) and as soon as she ate, she vomited, with the food being completely undigested. Vets thought there was an obstruction, perhaps a furball, three vet visits and two types of X-rays later showed no obstruction so they are thinking it is IBD, inflammatory bowel disease. I bought the hypoallergenic Hill's Z/D food and so far she has tried taking a couple of bites out of it and thrown it up a couple hours later, also throwing up some of the water she has drank. I don't know whether it could be something more serious, whether her stomach is just still upset and I need to give it time or she is just plain tired from all the check- ups, x-rays, etc.. I am extremely worried about her not being able to keep any food down for almost a week. Does anyone have any experience in this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I didn't have the same problem, but I did have a very serious problem. My cat somehow got into poison. She was very sick and on steroids for awhile. Didn't eat at all and vomited (laid around). Thought I would have to put her down as they told me she would need dialysis to keep her alive. She was only 3 yrs old. I knew she had to eat to get her strength. I took a syringe, made chicken broth and tuna fish puree and forced it into her mouth a little 2x a day. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but she did get better after getting food into her. She is fine now.. cats do have 9 lives. I wish you the best and hope she feels better soon.
Do you have a veterinary internal medicine vet nearby? They specialize in gastro intestinal matters in cats, and if your vet knows of one, I'd get an opinion. A week is a bit long for kitty to not hold down food, and if she can't hold down water, then I'd think we have something going on, that needs attention.
When cats don't eat, they can go into fatty liver syndrome, which not desirable at all...
Have they done blood work to check kitty's kidneys? Vomiting, lack of appetite, foul breath, change in urination, all indicators toward kidney trouble. It could still be something intestinal, but I'd check out every last thing....
If you do try the chicken broth and tuna, make sure the broth is 'cat safe' that is NO onion or garlic in it. Those can cause anemia in cats. I make my own, by stewing some skin on chicken, with a couple teaspoons of 'no salt', and then after it cools, giving kitty some of that.
Princess still hadn't eaten as of this morning, she ignored me when I offered her food. I called her vet who suggested I try Pedialite, she has drank that and water and doesn't throw it up. However, she did get up later, went to her bowl for food, took a couple of bites and threw that up an hour later. I took her in to get more bloodwork done, so frustrating, she was very unhappy and mad, this has been her 4th day in a row for doctor's visits. Anyway, after a couple of unsuccessful attempts in different spots, they drew the blood and we should have the results tomorrow morning. (The vet still thinks its a furball while the other vet thought it was IBD,)In any case my vet set up an appt with a specialist tomorow afternoon, just in case, since we're heading up on the weekend and it will be a full week of her not having any solid food and well you know.... Before getting online and reading this, someone had suggested making boiled chicken and rice and feeding her that, vet said I could try this as long as its not greasy, so we'll be trying that later. I do thank you for your suggestions, I'll keep you up to date.
I had a cat with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and
the first symptom was the constipation...
vet gave me a liquid to soften the stool and
move the stool out of her system.
She also had about 5 other meds to stimulate
the appetite, for nausea, and I can't recall them
all. It was a lot of stress for both of us.
We go the bloodwork results back this morning, nothing there, everything looks fine. I have an appointment with a specialist in an hour. I feel so bad, after today my poor baby will have been dragged to the vet 5 days in a row and she hates it, she's under the bed most of the time so we can't get to her, she knows when we approach her its for the vet or for her medicine (laxatone). Sort of good news is that she ate some boiled chicken and rice last night, but she hasn't wanted any more since then, hasn't vomited it and hasn't had bowel movement. That's been the first thing she hasn't vomited in a week. Now I'm worried she'll become constipated. We'll see what the specialist says, keep you up to date, thanks.
We went to the specialist who said he might have heard a slight murmur in her heart althought bloodwork didn't show anything and she has no history or problems, but we would need to do $3,000 worth of tests to see what's truly going on. I immediately started crying as we can't afford that, we've already spent about $400 we don't have.
An option they gave me, which I took them up on is to give her Mirtazapine and Metoclopramide to help with the nausea and to regain her appetite. We gave her the Mirta and half an hour later she got up and ate her chicken and rice. Also, she came to the living room, jumped on the couch and hung out with me for a while, which she hasn't done in the past week, so needless to say it was exciting and felt really nice. I know not to get too excited or my hopes up but I'm glad she was feeling like her old self even if its just for a little while.
We'll continue giving her these meds and trying to feed her, if she doesn't improve by Monday, they can prescribe 2 additional meds. I believe those will be our last hope. So, we'll just wait and see. Thank you all for your support and suggestions.
----Summertime, the problem shouldn't be constipation as her last bowel movement was last Friday and she hasn't kept any solid food in since then. She did eat last night but since her stomaach was completely empty,she shouldn't have to go yet, until her stomach gets full again. We'll see.
Good news, though, that the meds are working. I know just exactly how you feel.
My present cat had a liver problem, and went on a liquid .. Ursidiol...
and within two months' time, the liver was fine, .
this after being given a $3000
quote from a Portland veterinarian.
My Salem vet prescribed the liquid med, and total cost
for 2 months supply, was about $70, from a Pet Pharmacy
in Corvallis, OR.
So, it pays to check around on veterinarians and try to save your cat
without going bankrupt. I know it is possible ... maybe not always,
but you are giving it the best chance and it is working.
Also, I have had a cat with a heart murmur.. and he lived
a long time. Not to worry.. I am sure kitty will live out her
life happily with you.
My cat's name was Princess too and she was diagnosed with IBD. She started throwing up a lot and would have diarrhea. I felt so bad for her. We finally got it under control once we figured it out and she lived to be 17.5 years old- she was diagnosed when she was around 14 years old. It's been quite some time, she passed away a three years ago, but I'm pretty sure we gave her prednisone(sp?) and methimazole(sp?) and it seemed to work till the very end. Ask your vet about that.
The funny thing is she seemed to crave bananas. Not sure if that had anything to do with the disease as she has liked bananas from day one, but maybe that would be something your cat might like to eat, just to get something in her stomach. Maybe it's the potassium? Sure hope things work out for you- nothing worse than watching your pet suffer. I wish you all the best.
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Cat Vomiting, May have IBD, any suggestions?
