Are you fed up with a feline that stopped using the litter box? Concerned for a cat who’s sleeping a lot? Or, not sure if what your kitty does is normal? These are all questions you should ask a veterinarian. Dr. Liz Bales is here to answer your kitty questions about health, wellness, and behavior!
Please give Dr. Bales your warmest welcome to The Catington Post, then go LIKE her on Facebook by clicking here. If you’ve got a question about YOUR cat, leave it as a comment below and Dr. Bales just might answer your question next!
Hello Kitty Doctor:
I have two strictly indoor kitties and I cannot find a food for them that eliminates their puking and/or hairballs. It’s not every day, but it is frequent. Help!?
-Tammy B.
Hello Tammy,
Oh dear. Two kitties x frequent vomiting = watch where you step! No fun for you, and I’m sure it’s no fun for them either.
Just like in humans, there can be a lot medical of reasons in cats for frequent vomiting. It is best to have your veterinarian give them both a thorough physical exam. Your veterinarian might want to do a little blood work to make sure all of their body systems are functioning properly.
If you veterinarian gives them a clean bill of health, it could be a simple case of Scarf and Barf. In this unglamorous behavior, cats gobble up more food than their stomachs can hold, so they vomit up the undigested food. They are not sick, they just lack self control.
You see, in nature cats hunt mostly for mice, birds, lizards and insects. They hunt for these small meals between 9-20 times a day, so their system is naturally made to accommodate small frequent meals. Their stomach is about the size of a ping-pong ball. When they gobble up a meal the size of an orange, there simply isn’t room for it, and back out it comes.
To prevent Scarf and Barf, it is best to feed your cat’s small meals, many times a day. In my experience, 5 meals of about 1-2 tablespoons of dry food (could be more or less depending on the size of your cat,) spread out through the day suits cats very well. Your cat might even like for you to save one or two of these portions for the overnight hours.
To better the health and well-being of your cat’s, you could try placing these portions of food in various locations throughout the house. Your cat’s will love to prowl and hunt for their food.
The closer we can get to feeding our cats the way nature intended, the more we can optimize their health.
Thanks for a great question. I hope this helps!
For more cat health and wellness information, check out my website at www.TheCatvocate.com.
Dr. Liz Bales, The Catvocate, is a practicing veterinarian with 15 years of experience. Dr. Bales has a strong interest in feline wellness and behavior. She believes that by understanding the natural state of the cat we can create an indoor environment where cats thrive and our bond with them grows.
Dr. Bales is interested in your questions and concerns about your cat! Leave your question in a comment below!
