# Constipation & Throwing Up ???



## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

My poor Tuffy has had some trouble with hard BMS, only in the last few weeks, he still has a BM every day but harder and smaller. (I can tell the difference between his and Satins they are diff colors) I thought it was because he's been refusing his wet food and eating mostly dry - he's not happy that I've removed fish from his diet. 

Yesterday my hubby calls me at work to say that he threw up - dry food that was not really digested well. When I got home, I inspected it abit - looked like alot of hair in it but not a hair ball really. Tuffy has never ever thrown up in his life before. This morning it looks like he threw up once or maybe twice - there were two spots on the floor. Again dry food not really digested with ALOT of hair but no definate hair ball seen. 

Tuffy had wet food for dinner last night - seems to have kept that down ok. I gave him hairball remedy last night before bed. He did have a BM this morning - small and hard again. He ate breakfast fine, which was wet food - drank some water. I gave him more hairball stuff this morning -says to use once a day when having trouble with a hairball. 

My question is - at what point should I be worried? He's still eating and drinking and having BMs. He's playing with me pretty much as normal although I thought last night he seemed abit more tired than usual.

He has gotton revolution every month since he's been old enough to use it so I'm fairly sure it's not a parasite - that stuff is supposed to ward off and kill almost every one out there. (or so I've been told) Besides he's an indoor cat only with no exposure to outside stuff. 

So - I need some advice! Thanks in advance...


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

How old is Tuffy?


----------



## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

He will be a year old this month.


----------



## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Just try to get him to eat more wet food or drink more. Maybe leave a short (highball-type) glass of water on the counter so it's a special deal.

The constipation could be why he was throwing up. I'd give him the harball remedy (the stuff in a tube?) for a couple of days.

I have noticed Lily has been having some hard stools too. I'm going to try the glass of water thing (I used to leave a glass of water out on my coffee table for Sophie & she preferred drinking there instead of from the water bowl, but I have a good wood one now, so I'm not going to do that again).


----------



## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Poor little Tuffy, I hope he feels better soon.


----------



## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Jan Rebecca said:


> He has gotton revolution every month since he's been old enough to use it so I'm fairly sure it's not a parasite - that stuff is supposed to ward off and kill almost every one out there. (or so I've been told) Besides he's an indoor cat only with no exposure to outside stuff.


I would back off on the Revolution until you see some sign that he needs it. So he is not exposed to fleas or parasites through another animal like a dog that does go out? If not, then my opinion would be that he doesn't need it. 
Is Tuffy on a raw diet? 

Revolution, Frontline and Advantage - I use them all, but not continuously, just when needed. I like keeping my cats' exposure to toxins and their long-term effects to a minimum.


----------



## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

No Tuffy is not on a raw diet - I dont' understand it well enough to try and I'm not sure he would eat it - he's very very picky in what he will or will not eat.


----------



## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

I'm not advocating a raw diet at all; I'm not into raw diet for cats. I was just wondering why Tuffy was getting Revolution every month (live mice, etc., can be sources of parasites.) 

Not to say that Revolution has harmed him, just looking for info. 

Cats can feel off and have digestive problems just like people, and just like people it's tough to figure out why. Usually these things pass in a few days.


----------



## Digikid (Feb 27, 2011)

I do not mean to frighten you but....get him checked out. This happened to my Mena before she.........


----------



## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

He might be shedding and swallowing fur too. Passing the fur through might be making it harder to pass too. So extra brushing if he'll let you.


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

OK...I asked how old he is because if he were 'senior' then I'd be concerned about CRF. But that's extremely unlikely in a 1 year old (unless there's something in the food affecting his kidneys). 

Is he vomiting near the litterbox? Or right after coming out of the box? If so, it's more than likely related to straining to poop. Or he could be pretty backed up and that's causing the vomiting. Dehydration seems to be a factor too.

I'd recommend continuing the hairball remedy to try and loosen the hard stuff that's in him. Getting more water in him. And adding some fiber...pumpkin, psyllium or slippery elm. In fact slippery elm will also help clear the jam.

BTW...what brands of food are you feeding?


----------



## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

EVO dry food and wet food has been Fancy Feast as that is all I can get him to eat..


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

OK...well the fact that he's been only eating dry reently and that dry is EVO may be a factor. Protein is a natural diuretic and EVO has the highest protein content there is. So if he's pushing out more urine, it could account for the stool being dry. I think you need to get more water in him, even if you have to syringe it in...


----------



## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

Is he losing a lot of hair? It could be the hair causing problems for him this time of year, with extra shedding. His poop might be different because of the diet change...

I'm not positive what causes it, but my cat has puked a few times a week on his kibble for at least two years, although he's a lot older than your boy, at 15 now. What I've noticed is, it's never his wet food that he throws up. I've assumed it has something to do with his ability to digest the dry food, or that he's just eating it too quickly. He's healthy otherwise so I've never thought much of it.


----------



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

This sounds kind of gross but does he like to use the litter box at specific times? Nutmeg loves to use it as I'm cleaning it (not when I'm done but while I'm still scooping) and that is how I noticed her straining to poop. I then brought her in to the vet and her vomiting stopped and she was able to have normal stools again because they gave her a laxative. I would try to watch Tuffy do his business and if you can see him straining to go, I would take him in solely on the fact that that isn't comfortable for him.


----------



## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

Yes he is shedding alot - I've been trying to brush him twice a day instead of once but he still really loses when brushes. His throw up and poop has been really hairy - that sounds icky but I'm thinking his problem is the hair thing and the fact that he wasn't taking his wet food. 

He seems much better this morning -ate great and had a nice big BM this morning - so I'm feeling abit better. Just hope it continues! I'm going to get some pumpkin and start him on that - if I can get him to eat it.


----------



## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

I hope your kitty is still feeling better.

Be careful with the pumpkin. Lots suggest it for constipation, even vets. But if a cat has a constipation problem, pumpkin/extra fiber can sometimes make the problem worse. Because fiber (pumpkin) bulks up the stool making it larger, which can be harder to pass. All cats react differently though. It helps some cats, while it makes others worse. My cat has had chronic constipation for a year now, and pumpkin made her twice as constipated. So closely monitor your cats BM's if you try it. 

Good luck.


----------

