# Harvey Cat makes dry heaving sounds every few days - and then vomits up bile once eve



## HarveyCat (Jun 8, 2011)

My cat Harvey makes sounds like he is dry heaving every few days (or about once a week) -- then every few weeks he will vomit once overnight - but usually just once and it is only ever bile - there is nothing is in it. This has been going on for half a year or more - he eats well, goes to bathroom regularly and is very active. Perhaps unrelated he has had dandruff and perhaps a small hot spot - I treat it with a spray but this other problem predates this spray by many months. We do get the occasionally stink bug - but I never caught him eating any. He loves tape but we keep it away from him. He was in a shelter for over a year and was first found in a very bad state. He's a 5 year old short hair tabby. 

More info: When we first got him 2 years ago the vet found an elevated white blood cell count - but nothing in his stool or in his blood work. He had a lot of fleas which we have since cured.


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

regular vomiting + elevated white blood counts can be indicators of IBD. Keep an eye on the vomiting frequency and his weight. If the former goes up and the latter goes down I'd take him to the vet.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

"Dry heaving" may also be symptoms of asthma or allergies. Is anyone smoking? Are there air fresheners? Maybe the food? (wheat in it?).





 




 




 
Some cats makes sounds that almost sound like barking.

If you can take a video of your cat during a coughing episode, you could show it to you vet. Good luck!


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## HarveyCat (Jun 8, 2011)

kwarendorf said:


> regular vomiting + elevated white blood counts can be indicators of IBD. Keep an eye on the vomiting frequency and his weight. If the former goes up and the latter goes down I'd take him to the vet.


Thanks for the reply -- what is IBD? Harvey's weight is fine 12LBs as always. ...and he vomits bile once every 2 to 3 weeks -- no other vomiting.

He does dry heave ever 3 or 4 days or so.. his litter use is also regular.


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## HarveyCat (Jun 8, 2011)

Harvey does sound like Dave's cat in the video - but never seems to have trouble breathing... we don't smoke or use air fresheners -- we also tried turkey Blue Buffalo (has limited ingredients to avoid allergies) but it didn't help -- BTW he loves his Purina One Salmon -- also we have hard wood floors. We do have stink bugs this year that once in a while get inside - but I never saw him eat any. He does have a hair plucking issue and dandruff -- we have been treating him with spray for hot spots - but this predates that. Please see my first post. Is there a test for asthma?


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

There is no single test, but there are some that may help diagnose it.


IBD=Inflammatory Bowel Disease


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## rothenb1 (Sep 30, 2010)

My Maine **** mix does this frequently. Maybe your kitty is trying to cough up a furball?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

When does he bring up bile in relation to a meal? Sometimes when cats get very hungry they will vomit bile.


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

My cat coughs like that sometimes, but I always assumed it was a hairball... *panics*


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

doodlebug said:


> Sometimes when cats get very hungry they will vomit bile.


Great. I just caught the twins on my computer Googling "vomit bile" so I'll feed them more often.


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

IBD = Inflamatory Bowel Disease. It is the the root of Franklin's ills. He was vomiting bile 3-4 tiimes a week before he was diagnosed. He also had less that solid stool. His weight fluctuated between 6-7 pounds. IBD can't be cured, but it is very manageable. It's been a year since Franklin vomited, his stool is perfect and he wa just over 8 lbs at his last weigh in. If Harvey's weight starts to drop and the frequency if his vomiting increases, it may be worth discussing IBD with your vet.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Sinatra does this and the vet said it could be anything from worms to allergies to asthma. I would take him to the vet to see what your vet says, we are still trying to figure out what is wrong with Sinatra.


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