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One of my cat's (Garfield) is sick and I'm looking for a little advice on how to help him until I can get him to a vet. Or if I need to get my sister to take him to an emergency vet. Timewise, I am working the night shift until Christmas, plus it's almost Christmas and the weekend so it will be harder to get into a vet. Just to let you know it will take a little bit of planning on my part to get it all put together.
Garfield is fed 1/8 cup dry food and 1/2 can wet food twice a day. I do rotate food, but he has had all these brands before. For about a week he has not eaten all his wet food, but didn't act sick at all so I have just been watching. Yesterday (Friday) I came home from work and my mom said that Garfield had thrown up. He had thrown up the dry food (really didn't even digest it) and thrown up saliva a couple of extra places. He did eat about 1/2 of his wet food.
I went to bed and when I woke up I found out he had thrown up again (Mom had given him his dry food - which was fine, I would have given him some if I had been up). He did the same thing, throw up the dry food, then throw up saliva 2-3 times. I ended up giving him a spoonful of his wet food mixed with water so it was pretty soupy. He did eat all that and about an hour later I gave him the same amount again.
I told my mom not to give him any dry food for now, but to feed him a little wet food in the morning before I get home. I'm kind of confused because he is not acting sick in any way and we can tell he's hungry, he just can't keep the food down.
Sorry this is so long! I am really just looking for any ideas to help him. Thanks!
My cat has had problems with hard food. About six months ago she would throw up almost every night, just the dry food pretty much undigested. She just didn't seem to be able to digest the stuff anymore. It was a high quality grain free and I hadn't changed brands. She like all my other cats would throw up once a week or once every couple months. I decided to change her to wet food and she stopped throwing up. She always like wet but she got that as more of a side dish to her dry.
Just take away the dry food, she will probably get better.
I think part, but only part, of main problem with the dry was she is a long haired cat so prone to hairballs. The wet food helps the hairball move through her stomach but the dry stuff would make things get clogged up, then she would throw up along would come a hairball. She is also older and not digesting as well, so maybe that also was a factor.
Also, FYI hairball ball can cause problems and in rare cases be life threatening, from what I have read... BUT extremely rare. I've had long hairs for 30 years and didn't happen even when I would not be so good at combing them. If you have any hairball remedy give her some, just in case.... But not too much.... I have on occasion given my cat butter or margarine as a substitute, about a teaspoon once or twice a day if I think hairball problem. A friend of mine would give her cat vasoline (petroleum jelly) her cat didn't like it so she smeared a bunch on her front paw and cat had no choice but to lick it off. FYI I once made the mistake of giving cat way too much hairball remedy you purchase in store in attempt to giving a pill and ended up with diarrhea, vet said too much will cause that, along with the medication she was taking. But a little diarrhea is preferable to a clogged intestine.
Hope your kittie is doing better. What a horrible time for this to be happening. Hopefully it was just kittie eating dry and change to wet only will help.
You did great mixing wet food with water.
If a hairball 'could' be an issue I was told to add a little olive oil to the food...
now my cat waits for me to reach for the oil.
Have you tried some warm milk to keep her strength up, too?
One of my cats will throw up undigested dry food, too, sometimes.
Also you can buy some grass seed...in bulk you could buy a handful this way...grow some
and place on the floor when it gets going...grass seems to help them.
Wheatberries at the Health Food store makes wheat grass for them fast, also.
These aren't cures...just ideas....if it were a dog I would say add white rice to their food,
settles their tummy.
I would make some home-made chicken broth by taking part or all of a roasted chicken and simmering it in water for 4 hours to which you've added a bay leaf a carrot, celery, a bunch of fresh parsley and a garlic clove. Keep the chicken covered with water. Add water if necessary.
Or let it cook in a pressure cooker for a half hour. Strain and serve. Let the cat have as much as he wants.
It is never a good idea to give food or water right after vomiting. I think the general rule is to wait at least 4 hours.
How are the cat's stools? Is he pooping normally? Sometimes cats will vomit if they are constipated and can't poop.
I would stop giving the cat solid food for a day and I would begin giving the cat Slippery elm gruel/syrup at least three times a day with soothes and heals the entire digestive tract. After a day if you want to try a little food, you could but I would give the Slippery Elm before the food or if you can't administer it, mix it into the food. Here's how to make it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsjYNLXx4Q
I would NOT let the vet do anything except look at the cat for now and tell you what your options are (as far as what they can do which by NO means is everything that can be done - always keep that in mind).
If you want to make home made chicken broth, start with raw chicken, bone in, skin on, so it will be more nutritious. I wouldn't add too many veg, cat will be happy with just the chicken. Shred some up for him, once it is cooked.
Just to let everyone know, I thought what a great idea a bit of olive oil. My cat, who almost never turns her nose up at any kind of food, refused to eat the can food I topped with 1/2 tsp. olive oil..... It's been sitting for uneaten for 2 hours now.
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