Sick cat. Vet no clue.

[donnakebab]

One of my cats has been ill for some time. It started with occasional vomiting about 18 months ago but then she had a bad worm infestation due to the fact she was throwing up her worming tablet (she now has defender spot on worming medication). The vomiting has got progressively worse. She is now emaciated.


She's nearly 8 years old. She has had all of her annual vaccinations since she was a kitten. 3 lots of blood tests since October have shown up nothing and a set of Xrays the same. Various expensive special diet cat foods don't tempt her any better than ordinary cat food. Though dry food does make her vomit. With the wet food she tends to lick off the gravey / jelly and leaves the rest. Have tried her with fish and chicken too.

As far as I know she hasn't vomited in the house for exactly a week. She eats little and often alone so that my other 2 cats don't eat her food. Wether she's going outside to vomit I don't know but I doubt it because in the last couple of days she has stopped going outside and I've had to set up a litter tray for her. My daughter wants her to be referred at great expense to a specialist (She is willing to pay) insurance won't pay up because she has only been insured for a year and they are classing it as a pre existing condition even though we don't know what it is.

I know a lot of you have cats and wondered if you have had any similar experiences to this. It's getting to the point that we don't want to see her suffering any more but still hoping she will pick up.

[SarrissUK]

Is she ok other than the vomiting and lack of eating? It sounds like she's got a stomach problem - maybe she's sensitive to tinned food? How is she with sardines or other tinned fish? My cats would kill for that every day.

Did you notice any improvement when you gave her fish and chicken?

I'd argue with the insurance company - read their fine print and see what a 'pre existing condition' is! Did she start vomiting before or after you got your insurance for her?

[mandyballantyne]

Oh, sorry to hear this.

I would ask your vet to contact Daniela Gunn Moore at Edinburgh University, she is the main cat specialist in Europe and is fantastic! Your vet will know of her and have contacty details.

At least then she could give the best options prior to actually seeing a specialist and hopefuly help out.

Hope all goes well, Mandy

[Jeanied]

I'm sorry to hear this too. My Maisie is suffering from something similar, but much less drastic at the moment - I have noticed that she is looking much thinner and seems to chuck up her dried food very easily. I often find she has been eating grass. I have put it down to fur balls and have been grooming her extra in the hopes it helps. I have also treated her for fleas in case this is making things worse. Maisie gets diarrhea easily too, which is why I have put her on the senior dried cat food (she is 10) but she still only likes to lick the gravy / jelly from the senior wet food sachets.
She will kill for Dreamies though!

[donnakebab]

At first when she started chucking up the dried food we thought it was because she was competing with the other 2 cats and bolting it...then it would swell inside her and she'd end up chucking it. Her brother who is twice her size tends to push her out the way. That's why I feed her away from the others now.

She spends a lot of time looking at the food, having a lick at it, looking at it again and so on. Before the chucks she salivates to the point of dribbling everywhere then her body goes into this convulsion of retching. It's awful to watch and she looks terrified. Not for a week though now.

The only tinned fish she'll eat is tuna, but only a little at at time and it was the same with any other fish or chicken I gave her. Anyway it's not protein she needs at the moment it's calories. She likes the cat milk you can get and I'm wondering if it has settled her stomach a little. The vet wants to try her with antacid tablets but I can't see that it would make her eat more.

When she went on special sensitive food she threw up 3 enormous furballs. I'd never seen them before they were about 3 inches long and very compacted. That was months ago and haven't seen any since. We got some cat-lax from the vet but she chucked it within 5 minutes.

PS all the cats are vaccinated, worm and flea treated regularly. The other 2 cats are fine.

[marchogaeth]

Poor cat, poor you. My only additional comment would to be to ask if you have always seen the same vet', it's very hard but worth asking if they could recommend someone for a second opinion (other than the expensive specialist). If the vet is not cooperative, I'd go somewhere else anyway. You could ask your local Cat Protection League for their vet (they'll have seen all sorts of problems).

Second opinions have saved me twice - once for my horse and once for a child.

[Jeanied]

Hmmm - sometimes a cat can be quite poorly if bullied by others. One of my three (down to just the one now) used to over-groom because he was quite nervy. I found I had to give them each their own litter tray, food station and bed - in different places. I ended up with three scratching posts and also used the plug - in pheremone treatment in two rooms. Maisie, although she is the sole remaining cat, is still very nervous and jittery because of the neighbourhood strays.

[donnakebab]

Well to be honest I have thought of this (second opinion) but I did what you suggest with my youngest cat when she got run over. No broken bones but her skin was de gloved on both back legs.



She ended up having months of silver bandage changes to try and save her leg. In the middle of the treatment I took her for a second opinion and basically he wouldn't comit himself to an opinion. They all cover each others a**.

As you can see she lost a leg after months of suffering and it cost me over 2 grand on the way.

Won't be going down that path again. She is an absolute fire cracker of a character though. Especially for a runt. We named her Ember when we brought her home. Even as a kitten the vet (same vet) said she might not make it. She did and more. She's my familiar.

[VirginVegGrower]

Any sneezing? If she can't physically eat, the first thing I would look at would be teeth. But if vomiting is involved has she been x-rayed. Could she have swallowed slug pellets - metaldehyde - have they had bloods screened for toxins? Eight is young for a cat. I would try him/her with plain rice and cod fillets/shredded chicken meat, cooked and mashed. Little and often. I pulled my mum's cat round with this. If there is sneezing/wheezing, is s/he vaccinated against cat flu? Important to get fluid in at this stage. Food is the last thing to worry about. Could be all sorts of things. Diahorrea? Blood? Matted fur coming out? Worms coming out? Frothy vomit? As disgusting as it sounds you need to study it.
If she is still sick on plain food then I'm afraid I would be getting exploratory work done. Ask at local RSPCA if anything viral going on. PDSA can help if you are struggling with bills - only if you are on some type of benefit though I think. But call them - nothing ventured and all that! Good luck.

[marchogaeth]

Well good luck.

(I have a lot of opinions about vet's after a life time in agriculture compared with being a pet owner and anything I say won't help you, so I won't say it.)

[WendyC]

I can't offer any advice only sympathy and hope that you find an answer soon. Our cat was diagnosed as diabetic last summer and after a rather difficult winter is very well. I only mention it to give you hope. She has always gobbled food and thrown up regularly (makes monitoring glucose levels all the more interesting!) She has a narrow gullet - like her mother. It sounds like an obstruction. Has she been xrayed? Good luck

[Hilary B]

Have you tried soaking the dried food for her? (just trying the obvious) Could she have an intolerance for an ingredient on the dried food?

[PAULW]

I was going suggest what Hilary said or how about a spponfull of castor oil if it is fur ball this should grease the passge.

[PAULW]

By the way castol oil best given outdoors saves trying to sponge it out of the carpet.

[donnakebab]

She's had 3 lots of blood tests, Xrays, regular vaccinations, worming and flea treatment I've tried soaking the food but it made no difference. She's not sneezing. Poo is normal though she could be a little constipated.Plenty of water always available.

She only froths when she's in the box on the way to the vet. Could try castor oil. I have a syringe feeder I could use.