i have a four year old cat who, for the most part, is very healthy and happy. every now and then (maybe two times a year) he gets "puffed up", very quiet, sits very still, and cries a few times in a very different voice before vomiting up yellowish, mucousy vomit. the first time this happened was about 2 years ago; i didn't have the money for a vet at the time so i just waited it out; it was the same each time. yellowish fluid, didn't notice changes in his stool, and in a day or so it would go away. a few months would go by, and it would happen again.

today it happened for the first time in about a year; i'm worried because he is so quiet and he keeps crying before vomiting up this stuff. did he eat something bad? he is a part-time outdoor cat, in a neighborhood that i consider pretty safe as all my other neighbors have cats as well, so we all kind of look out for each other's kitties... does anyone know the systems? is it worms? diabetes? it has gone away in the past by itself, but i always worry when it does happen because "stinky" looks so miserable.

any clues?

once stinky swallowed a string and the vet charged me $380 to pull it out of his fanny. i can't afford blood tests, hospitalization, etc., which is how most vets are, but i hate to see stinky suffer; he brings me much joy...

thanks for any feedback. claudia

-- claudia kieffer (claudiakieffer@hotmail.com), December 02, 2001

Answers

My cat does that every once in a while. Have you wormed him lately? It might be that, and I don't know that it would hurt to worm him. Sometimes my cat just throws up. Might he have trouble with getting a fur ball to come up. I know that just before my cat blesses me with one he does that. For fur balls you can put a dab of crisco or something greasy on his nose and he will lick it off and it supposedly helps. It seems to help my old fat cat anyway! Tell stinky hi for me!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), December 02, 2001.

Sounds like furballs to me, too. Maybe it happens more frequently and you don't see the evidence because he is outside at that time?

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), December 02, 2001.

Pretty sure it's a hairball, even if you don't see any hair. Crisco is a good idea, or a little mineral oil in his food will help, too. Cats almost always sit still and moan before they upchuck (at least mine all do). I think it is because they feel icky for a minute. But dogs and cats are smart enough to make themselves vomit if their stomach is upset (that's why dogs eat grass). Don't get too upset. If it doesn't happen 4 or 5x a day for several days, he'll be OK.

-- carol (chamberscarol@hotmail.com), December 02, 2001.

Sounds like hairballs! Lightly, sprinkle meat tenderizer on his food once a week! Seems it breaks down the hair in their stomachs. My vet had me do this for our cats (one lived for 19years, other for 13 -- never had any problems!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), December 02, 2001.

The yellowih vomit is bile, from his gallbladder, that is present when the stomach has been empty for quite a while. Sounds like he has not been eating right for a spell before it happens, either due to hairballs or worms upsetting his system. Cats won't eat when they don't feel good.

Try treating him two or three times a week for the hairballs, even Wal-mart carries hairball medicine in a little tube for under 4 dollars, it's easier to get him to take the store bought kind than just petroleum jelly, but maybe he will take a teaspoon of the jelly for you!

To treat him while he is having the yellow vomit spells, give him some plain yogurt, two or three teaspoons, hopefully he will lap it up himself, otherwise you will have to use a dose syringe like the kind you give liquid medicine to children with to give it to him. The yogurt settles their stomach and will encourage him to eat.

You need to find a better vet, call around and ask their office visit fees, there is a HUGE difference among vets in their pricing, often even within a small area, generally the farther out of town you go, the cheaper it is, but not always. Call all who are in your directory and get their fees, you will be very surprised at the differences in price! Here in the boonies, our vet charges one third of what the town vets charge, our farm call fee is 15 dollars, day or night.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 03, 2001.

When mine does that I put him on Mannatech ambertose and they get better right away.

-- Cindy (hollo@bitwisesystems.com), December 04, 2001.