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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Kitten throwing up once a day

21 replies

mummarunner · 14/04/2023 20:48

We welcomed our new 9 week old teeny feline friend into the family this week and we are in love! She seems to have settled in really well, using her litter box, eating and drinking water well, sleeping and playing.

However she has been sick once a day since we brought her home, so five times now. Sorry for TMI but it is partially digested food as opposed to liquid vomit, but a bit more than just regurgitation. She is on dry food only at the moment as this is what she was on before we collected her and we were told to be consistent at least for a while. She eats on demand but I don’t think she overeats as we only put out 20-30g per day and she doesn’t eat it all. She does drink very well from her fountain so we wondered if the water might be causing the dry food to expand in her tummy? The sickness seems to happen an hour or so after eating and often wakes her up. She is completely fine afterwards and acts like nothing has happened. Toilet habits are fine so I know she is digesting something.

She is very active so could it be jumping around too much after eating?

DH called the vet today as we were concerned and they seemed to think it was either the food (even though this is all she’s ever eaten?) or the stress of rehoming. But she doesn’t seem stressed? We are going to the vet on Monday for her vaccinations so she will be seen then, but I wondered if anyone has any thoughts or reassurances for me in the meantime? Please be kind, I am new to all this!

I hear photos are obligatory around here…

OP posts:

Margrethe · 14/04/2023 21:04

We had the same problem with our very fluffy kitten. It’s a hairball blocking her digestive tract that is getting stuck from all the fluffy hair.

We found that this helped. There are other brands/formulas, if you prefer. It’s basically sticky stuff that helps the hair slip through.

Catnut · 14/04/2023 21:07

Hi, what a beautiful cat! I've owned a few cats and females do have a tendency to vomit more than males in my experience. Sometimes because they've eaten too much or too quickly.

Has your vet suggested feliway or something similar? I've used it many times over the years to help with various stress-related issues. She may not seem stressed but it's difficult to tell with kittens.

Good luck!

DidyouNO · 14/04/2023 21:13

Awww. We have 6 house cats. I just adore them. Only one is long haired and she's quite hairball sick. Good luck with your beautiful little babe 🐱

ellecf21 · 14/04/2023 21:15

Our cat goes through phases of being sicky. We've just got used to it over the years. Absolutely nothing wrong with him just loves a casual vom once in a while!

Original poster

mummarunner · 14/04/2023 21:16

I did consider a hairball as she is a very clean girl and always preening herself. Thanks for the recommendation, I will bear it in mind.

The vet didn’t suggest feliway but it might be worth a try. I guess in kittens it is difficult to tell, and I can’t imagine her not being a little anxious in a new home. Thank you for the suggestion.

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Original poster

mummarunner · 14/04/2023 21:18

Yes maybe I just have a sicky kitten. It doesn’t seem to bother her. If anything she is very curious afterwards and loves watching us clean it up! We are well and truly servants to her already!

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whirlyhead · 14/04/2023 21:19

I have a 9 year old angry Scottish bastard of a cat who I swear is bulimic. He hurls his food up pretty much every day, and recently did a projectile vomit down the stairs that caught every step. Lovely.

anyway, the point is he’s fine (unlike my carpet). Some cats chuck up more than others. Though if she keeps it up I would check with the vet and also change her food.

TroysMammy · 14/04/2023 21:20

What a beautiful, cute little fluffkins.

Original poster

mummarunner · 14/04/2023 21:26

I remember when my DD projectile vomited down the stairs when she was a toddler - I thought those days were over! We will keep an eye on things, I would like to introduce wet food but don’t want to do too much too soon so will see how we go and also speak again with the vet on Monday. Thank you.

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Original poster

mummarunner · 14/04/2023 21:26

@TroysMammy thank you, we love her so much!

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Featherbirds · 15/04/2023 02:58

To be fair, kittens are basically toddlers at this stage so they're still getting used to eating properly too.

MrsRickAstley · 15/04/2023 05:26

No advice but she is truly, utterly GORGEOUS!! Though I suspect I might need a couple more photos just to be sure 😁

Pip1402 · 15/04/2023 05:30

She is stunning 😻

What breed is she? She looks a bit like a ragdoll and they often have very sensitive stomachs.

We give ours a probiotic which helps.

Original poster

mummarunner · 15/04/2023 07:29

@Pip1402 Yes she is a ragdoll 😻 Did you have this problem too? Are you able to recommend a probiotic?

Thank you for the advice and lovely comments. She is the loveliest little thing and loves nothing more than playing with a toilet roll! I just hope we can try and control her vomiting a bit for her.

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FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 15/04/2023 07:56

I wouldn’t feed a kitten dry, my Bengal was on wet at that age, dry made him vomit and then cereal in wet food started to make him ill so he went onto pouches which tend to be cereal free.

He reacted to maize in cat food all his life.

nottodaytomorrow · 15/04/2023 07:58

What a beaut has she had a good worming? X

Pip1402 · 15/04/2023 08:32

mummarunner · 15/04/2023 07:29

@Pip1402 Yes she is a ragdoll 😻 Did you have this problem too? Are you able to recommend a probiotic?

Thank you for the advice and lovely comments. She is the loveliest little thing and loves nothing more than playing with a toilet roll! I just hope we can try and control her vomiting a bit for her.

Aww ragdolls are the best. I'm sure you'll be getting lots of cuddles and playtime! Her fur should change to other beautiful colours as she gets older too. Do you know which markings she's likely to have?

The breeders I know don't usually allow their kittens to leave home before 12-13 weeks so it's great that she's so confident. Did you get official paperwork for her? I only ask as that can help to indicate how well the health checks have been done.

Our ragdoll has a sensitive stomach despite all of that though so maybe not so important. We tried so many different foods, even the one he came to us eating seemed to cause issues.

We've eventually found that Royal Canin digestive care biscuits are ok (we can't feed wet food either as it upsets his tummy).

I sprinkle a capsule of Protexin Synbiotic D-C probiotic on every day and that has helped.

Pip1402 · 15/04/2023 08:34

Sorry meant to say - we did get him checked by a vet first of course and they recommended that probiotic.

I hope her tummy settles soon. Please post more pics

Original poster

mummarunner · 15/04/2023 22:45

A little update: we introduced a little wet food for the first time alongside her dry food today. We also switched off her water fountain and just left a shallow bowl of water for her to stop her guzzling so fast. She seems to have enjoyed that and has had a great day. No sicky incidents yet. I guess it will be a case of trial and error until we figure out what works.

Looking forward to the vet on Monday to talk it all through. She will be wormed then alongside her jabs - it did cross my mind that it could be worms.

We are not 100% sure what her markings will be but think she will be blue or lilac point. She was the whitest of the litter, not that that’s necessarily anything to go by.

I really appreciate all the advice and suggestions, all of which I will take on board, thank you. Couple more pics as thanks 😊

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cariaaad · 15/04/2023 23:07

Our older cat was sick very often when on a diet of both wet and dry food. We've stopped the biscuits and she's not been sick since. She's asking for food all the time now, previously wasn't that bothered about it so must have done some good.

Pip1402 · 16/04/2023 08:43

Great news that she's doing better. And beautiful photos, thanks for sharing 😻

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