Sick Cat

[JonnieB]

Hi all,

I have the best little cat in the world that I adopted here in LOS and she is just wonderful. A nice Siamese/Burmese type short-hair. Anyway, she is the best except for one thing. She gets an upset stomach every 2-3 weeks like clockwork. I suspect it is an hairball issue because she gets lethargic, basically looses her appetite (and when she does try to eat, can't keep anything down and spits it back-up with 5-15 minutes of eating it [not digested]). Anyway, this goes on for 2-4 days, during which time she looses maybe 20% of her weight. During this time, she also has several episodes of throwing-up what looks like stomach bile and hair and sometimes a very sticky brown coloured "goo" is the best way to describe it.

After 2-4 days of this, she seems to be fine and regains her full appetite and is fine for 2-3 weeks and then we go through it all again. Has anyone else had this problem with a cat? Does anyone have any suggestions as to a remedy or at least something to get her through it quicker? During an episode a few months ago, I took her to a local vet and they really didn't know what was wrong. Like any visit to a MD here in LOS, I left with a bagful of pills and powers to give her before and after every meal for about a week!!! It was too much of a hastle so discontinued them all after a few days and of course, she was fine a few days later.

Any suggestions?

[londonthai]

I would think she is an indoor cat if you see her throwing up home etc.

she needs a grass in her diet - grow it on the balcony/terrace, she will neeble on it every day and prevent from a build up of hair in her stomach. If she is still sick don't give her food at those times, just water (cat's don't have to eat every day and she will recover faster).

oh, and groom her every day, even she is short hair

[JonnieB]

I would think she is an indoor cat if you see her throwing up home etc.

she needs a grass in her diet - grow it on the balcony/terrace, she will nibble on it every day and prevent from a build up of hair in her stomach. If she is still sick don't give her food at those times, just water (cat's don't have to eat every day and she will recover faster).

oh, and groom her every day, even she is short hair

Yes, she is a completely indoor cat. I try to groom her regularly (and she likes it) but sometimes I get lazy. Amazing how much hair I get even on a shorty I will try your grass growing idea...just pick-up some seeds or shoots from the local nursery will do...another friend feeds her cat letuce...would that or other green leafy veggies do it the same, e.g., spinach or rocket?

[londonthai]

anything, any form of cellulose, which will make her guts moving and expelling all the gunk from inside. Some dry foods have 5-10% of ash to help with digestion - you might want to look into that.

the cat needs outdoors - even if it's a balcony or a terrace. My kitty rund all over the gardens - still I take her with me to the park, so she can get used to different environments.

when I move to bangkok I might open veterinary clinic - probably I know more about cat's beheviour than your veterinarian.

[JonnieB]

anything, any form of cellulose, which will make her guts moving and expelling all the gunk from inside. Some dry foods have 5-10% of ash to help with digestion - you might want to look into that.

the cat needs outdoors - even if it's a balcony or a terrace. My kitty rund all over the gardens - still I take her with me to the park, so she can get used to different environments.

when I move to bangkok I might open veterinary clinic - probably I know more about cat's behavior than your veterinarian.

Pages of the Bangkok Post after I have read them?

Seriously, thanks for the advice. I will see if I can find any dry kibbles locally that have some ash in them.

Please do...most of the vets here don't seem to be that good...though it may be a communication issue as it often is over here. But my vet spoke English quite well and he never asked if she ever got outdoors, whether she had any roughage in her diet, or that she needed to have any. Only gave me literally 3-4 HUGE pills to give this little cat before/after meals as well as some powder mixture to mix with water and give a few cc's of that too. Typical Thai medical office visit

[londonthai]

grass is free, medicines he did not give you but sold - you see.

he did not explain anything to you - so you will come back in a month time with this same problem.

the best - go to the nearest library and read all the books about cats. There is a lot on the net as well.

[Sheryl]

Johnnie,

There is a hairball medication (basically just something to help them pass on through) that is tuna-flavored, I forget the name but would remember if I heard it, can buy it at many vets and some pet shops.

My cat hates it, but most cats apparently will take it willingly, and it is safe to give on a regular basis, will keep her intestinal tract nicely lubricated.

Also -- don't know what you are feeding her, but dried food, while generally better nutrionally, can cause constipation and difficulty passing hair balls. Cats need some moisture and oil or fat in their diet to help things pass on through (in nature they will eat an entire mouse or bird, plenty of moisture and also some fat). What I do is give my cat dry food as her staple (as much as she wants, when she wants, just leave it out) and then allow her a "treat" of her favorite brand of moist cat food daily. I use the Whiskas packets rather than the can as they are moister and also contain less, since she is satisfied with just a tablespoon or so a day.

[elfe]

sounds strange what your cat has, should you not see any hair in her vomit then?

i got many cats, none of them shows that, but occasionally some cat would vomit, mostly the dry food. don't know why either. they have dry food always available and some only eat this, others eat the canned food or freshly cooked fish which i give daily in addition.

once a week i rip off some handfuls bamboo leaves and throw them in the cat run, all cats being very busy nagging and eating those leaves then

hope your kitty is better now and doesn't go through this again!

[Sheryl]

Johnnie,

I think the medicine I mentioned is called Lactutone or something like that. Tuna-flavored.