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Original poster

Does anyone have more disgusting cats than me? And what the hell can I do about it?

26 replies

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 22:40

These 2 cats are sick at least once a day, every single day, throwing up most of a meal. They've been to the vets about it - she blamed their teeth and charged hundreds of quid to remove most of them. Unsurprisingly this didn't make a blink bit of difference.

My house feels disgusting, with cat sick stains all over the carpets when I haven't been able to get it all out. My son plays on these floors which makes me heave to think about it. I feel like we can't replace these disgusting carpets for at least the next 7 years. What can I do (other than buy a carpet shampooer, which I think will be happening very soon)? Other cat people - how do you keep your house looking in any way decent? GRRR!

OP posts:

peggotty · 16/05/2009 22:41

What food do they eat?

Wilkiepedia · 16/05/2009 22:41

Personally I would get rid of the cats!! (I have one and as much as I love her I woldn't put up with that - sorry)

FairMidden · 16/05/2009 22:43

What do you feed them?

CJMommy · 16/05/2009 22:44

Buy special dried hairball cat food (expensive but worth it). Stop giving them wet food (meat). Give them worming tablets, a de-flea remedy and change their collars. Are they fighting between them selves?
I have 4 cats and they used to throw up everywhere - ewwwww! But changed their food and regularly worm seems to have done the trick. Not sure about removing all their teeth though - what's that about

CJMommy · 16/05/2009 22:46

Also are you feeding them too much in one sitting?
ours eat first thing in the morning and then have some more when we go to bed - just small amounts.
Also consider giving them water instesd of milk.

ClaireDeLoon · 16/05/2009 22:47

They eat too quickly perhaps? Are they sick soon after eating? Cats can be sick if they eat too quickly or in the case of one of mine if he eats too much at once (which he will if you let him). Try (if you are able) smaller meals more frequently perhaps?

CarGirl · 16/05/2009 22:47

def can be worms or parasite

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 22:58

Hi everyone - thanks for responding!

Worms is a good point - I hadn't thought of that because they're indoor cats. They're wormed fairly regularly, but it has been a while if I'm honest. They don't have fleas (after battling with them for years in flea-infested houses). They don't wear collars because they just don't go out any more.

One of them has always done this. She's really fussy and starves herself, then eats too quickly at the next meal. The other one isn't usually too bad unless she has a fur ball.

We've already pinpointed Tesco cat food as a bad one. Recently Felix was given the boot as well. They're normally OK on Whiskas, but they've had supermeat ones the last couple of days which seem to make it worse. They have cans as I can't afford to buy pouches so there's very little choice. Kitekat seems OK, but there are only 3 flavours available so it's pretty boring for them.

We've tried biscuits from the vet - Waltham Royal Canin Dental - which are really big and they hate them. They get Go Cat or Whiskas biscuits last thing at night. Sometimes they come up, but not often.

They only get water, they don't really like milk. They get fed twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. A can between them per day, plus the biscuits at night.

I think I've answered all the questions there. Hope someone has some ideas.

OP posts:

diedandgonetodevon · 16/05/2009 23:03

Just wondering if you've tried leaving dried food down for them and stopping the wet food? We had this problem for a short while when we 1st got our old moggy as she'd bolt her wet food and also the dry when fed twice a day and it would come back up in minutes. As soon as she could help herself when she wanted it the throwing up stopped save for an occassional hair ball.

CarGirl · 16/05/2009 23:03

There are lots of different biscuits out there. Try phoning royal canin & Iams care lines and they will probably send out free samples to you. We had one cat on sensitive stomach which realy helped. When you speak to them say they have sensitive stomachs, furballs and only eat small biscuits and they will send you the varities that match closest. Also try Hills for samples too.

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 23:06

Those biscuits must work out much more expensive though musn't they? Don't get me wrong, I love the cats (usually), but I also have to feed us and DS on a pretty tight budget. I feel really guilty for resenting them as they were my babies when I thought I couldn't have a real one.

OP posts:

FairMidden · 16/05/2009 23:07

Well, worming them is definitely the place to start. Drontal is the best and cheapest tablet, or if that's a battle you can get Profender spot on. With kids around I would ensure you do them every 3 months minimum.

In the vast majority of cases I find there's nothing physically wrong (and it sounds like your vet has ruled out physical causes) but these cats often respond to dietary alterations. The big problem is that what helps one cat won't help the next one so it comes down to trial and error.

Sometimes a cat will vomit a lot more with wet food and it resolves if you feed them just dry food, or vice versa. Can you think whether the vomiting is associated more with wet or dry food? And is it actually regurgitation rather than vomiting - when the food basically comes back undigested soon after eating, and without too much heaving? I would agree that smaller meals offered more frequently will be a good starting point.

Some brands you might want to try are Omega which is a dry food that can be bought in large bags so is cheaper, or James Wellbeloved which is again a dry food but which is more expensive. You may find if you are controlling the intake that they actually eat a bit less anyway though.

CarGirl · 16/05/2009 23:08

I don't think biscuits work out that expensive provide you only give them the portion size they need. There is no wastage and when you find out which brand/type suits you get them much cheaper by buying huge sacks of when they are on 3 for 2 offer etc.

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 23:08

I hadn't thought of just doing dried food. Partly for the reason below, because they seem so expensive. But also because the poor things have lost most of their teeth thanks to the vet, and I feel cruel making them crunch on biscuits and nothing else. The little one in particular (who's most often sick as well) does seem to struggle a bit.

OP posts:

FairMidden · 16/05/2009 23:10

I have taken every tooth out of a cat's head before now, because they were diseased and sore, and seen the cat choose dry food over wet at their first post-op meal - don't worry about it!

peggotty · 16/05/2009 23:12

Dried food can actually work out to be cheaper or the same price as cans if you feed them the right amount. Def don't give them milk or anything other than water. I think if you get the right food (preferably dried as it does tend not to be puked up the same) then things will get much better. I know what you mean about feeling guilty about resenting them. One of my cats sprays in the house and I could throttle him.

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 23:14

Thanks again everyone. FM, I'll make sure I worm them ASAP. I have never ever got a tablet down them successfully. We have resorted to taking them to the vet just to be wormed .

I think it's probably regurgitation more often than vomiting. We do get vomiting as well if they ever go out because they always go and eat grass. I'm never sure if that's because they have a tummy problem, or just out of badness?

It's a very good point about the large bags of biscuits. They seem expensive but they'd probably last for ages. That's a good place to start I think.

OP posts:

peggotty · 16/05/2009 23:16

My cats eat grass when they're not feeling great, and then are usually sick afterwards (not aick often usually). Your cats have sensitive tummys definately. Are they from the same litter?

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 23:17

I honestly think these two must be the most high maintenance cats in the world. Before all this sickness I had one of them weeing all over the house (this is the first house we've had that doesn't stink of cat's pee) and the other one regularly bringing in small, live creatures when DH was away.

Thanks again anyhow. Lots of food for thought (sorry for the pun!).

OP posts:

FairMidden · 16/05/2009 23:18

Word of warning - don't buy a 10kg sack until you know it's OK for them - so buy small bag to start with!

Profender spot-on is much easier than Drontal and your vet should be happy enough to give you some if you've had the cats checked within the last 6 months or so. I only tablet mine on principle because I feel like I should be able to [bleeds quietly in corner]

Hope that helps. Let me know how you get on (will we catch up sometime?)

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 23:19

Nope not the same litter Peggotty. Both were rescue cats.

OP posts:

Original poster

Twinklemegan · 16/05/2009 23:20

Thanks FM. I replied to your email, did you get it?

OP posts:

FairMidden · 16/05/2009 23:22

I did, thanks. Waiting to hear from J

FigmentOfYourImagination · 16/05/2009 23:25

My boys (neutered males, 2yrs & 11yrs) are very rarely sick. They eat wet food (pouches) 3 or 4 times a day. Sounds a lot but the pouches are split between them so they actually only have 2 sachets each a day (the box says to give them 3 to 4 a day but mine just couldn't eat that much). The older one would just leave his half eaten and the younger one would eat the lot and then vomit because he'd gorged and didn't know when to stop .

I do sprinkle a small amount of kitten dry food over their wet food at each meal too. They seem to like the change in texture (but wouldn't like to be exclusively fed on dry) and also I think a bit of crunch is good for their teeth. I give them kitten biscuit because the adult stuff is just so big and they leave it.

Pampered pussies

FigmentOfYourImagination · 16/05/2009 23:34

FWIW, if my cats have ever had to have dry food for whatever reason they have almost always vomited afterwards. Whether it is just a case of them not being used to it I don't know. Actually, I think they ate as much as they would of wet food for realising that the dry woudswell in their stomachs and make them honk.

Not the brightest of buttons.

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