Is it normal for cats to be sick?? Please advise

[Manda25]

Hi

I have two cats (about 1.3 yrs) - have had them since they were about 7 weeks. I am a first time cat owner my DH has had cats before.

Since being let outside (7 months) they are both sick a lot ....they eat a lot of grass, moths, bee's, worms & frogs. They never seem unwell ...just sick !! is this normal ?? DH says it is normal ....and i keep wanting to whisk them off the the vets!

I think eating grass can make them sick..I do know cats can be sick at the drop of a hat!

Cats eat grass to make themselves sick when they have something in their tummy that doesn't agree with them.

That is how they get rid of the fur they swallow like cleaning themself.
They are purging themself not being sick.
Usually hairs, grass and other bits.

As a former cat owner, your DH will confirm that if a cat feels like having a honk, it will put its paw down its throat if grass isn't achieving the desired effect.
Usually puking occurs indoors on a carpet, or the grouting in tiles, or the seams between floor planks.
It is What They Do. Don't worry about it.

yup, cats are very barfy creatures...

How often is this happening? Occasional sickness can be normal for a cat but not regularly. If there is any doubt in your mind about this then they should go to the vet for a check up yes. Better safe than sorry.

One of mine is sick a lot because he bolts his food too quickly. The other is only sick when generally ill. It varies a lot from cat to cat ime.

Thanks for the responses !!

I didn't realise they were sick so much .... and yes it was on the bloody carpet!!! twice.

I have got to say that this time he didn't seem well though - he didn't eat any food last night and was really tired (he wouldn't come home the night before so was out all night) ...but he seems better this morning.

I woke up this morning to a pile of cat sick in the kitchen and a hairball on a clean and dry sofa cover which was due to be put away today. GRRR.

I now have to rewash it and dry to get it dry when it's cloudy and possibly showery.

Also, since we switched from wet cat food to a dry 'sensitive stomach' brand, they have both thrown up a lot less. It is more expensive though and we have to get it from the vet .

Beautiful. Hard to say really ... maybe once every 2 weeks or so i might notice them yacking up in the garden. They are not very good hunters so pick on worms/frogs a lot lol.

I was worried about the boy yesterday though ...he seemed unwell - usually they throw up and carry on with what they are doing ...this time was different.

As a vet with a vomity cat who has been investgiated with in an inch of her life. Some of them seem to do it for fun. You just changed the duvet or had the carpet cleaned I'll vomit right in the middle of it. My darling tortie girl (my PFB) vomits between once a fortnight and three times a week in this pattern. We have hairball regulating food, we do yearly blood tests (for other reasons) and I have done all the other stuff.

it could just have been he threw up a bit more forcefully than usual, which made his muscles hurt.

Mine recently barfed up a load of parcel tape which she'd ripped off a cardboard box and decided to eat. Obviously didnt agree with her!

Well if it continues for a couple of days, he might have an infection so give him boiled rice or something bland...plenty of water...usually a cat's gut will get better by itself. Only if he hides and stops eating completely or drinking, or has any other signs of severe illness then you should worry. ime they occasionally need an antibiotic - or it could be something lodged, or bad constipation etc.

There are various things that do need vet attention but you are usually safe to leave it a day or three if they are still eating and drinking on and off.

They are mad creatures !! I never thought i would love them and worry about them as much as i do ! .... especially as they hardly ever love me back !

One other question if you dont mind... we dont have a cat flap ... they are out all day and we call them back in about 9pm - they normally come back in but the boy (twice now) refuses to come back in so has to be locked out (he is not really a roamer and will sit on the patio - but run when he knows it is coming in time) ...we try for ages to get him in but have had to give up twice now, as he just wont come in. Is this ok or should we get up in the night to try and get him in?

God i sound like a first time mum!

He is fine now - eating, drinking and trying to bite me!

You are a first time cat mum.

Manda25- re not coming in - has he had his balls chopped off? They often roam more if they're uncastrated- also more prone to fight and spray so it is recommended.

Yep he got done at 5.5 months old because i have one of each.

Oh- maybe he just hasnt realised yet

They can be train to vomit in a particular place though, if every time you see him rech, you move him outside or on a tile floor, they will go only there after a while.
Be careful though, my cat was train to do it on the kitchen white tiles (easy clean and bleach) but when my mum moved the only white flooring in the house was her woolen rug (haha!!!), and that is where he would go.

I ended up taking him to the vets today after he was really sick (again) this morning along with the shits. luckily she couldn't find anything obviously wrong so gave an antibiotic injection along with an anti-sickness injection. He can not eat or go out for 24hours and then for the next 24hours he is only to have boiled chicken!