Is this normal for a cat?

Question

My cat has a major - gross - problem. When we feed him, he eats it so fast that he chokes on it or something, and then he barfs it all up - and the food is unchewed, so it's like he is just swallowing it whole. We have to give him a small coffee scoop full until he eats that all, and then give him another cup. When we give him a small amount, he does not throw up because he can not suck up huge amounts at a time! It's a real pain. Is there anything I can do?

I don't know if this will help - My cat is about a year old and he is very big and slightly overweight. He is a tall cat. He can stand up and reach over doorknobs (he tries to open them). Also, he has never spit up a hairball in his life so i don't think that is it. And he has to eat this hard, prescription cat food because he has those little stones in his bladder.

He is an only cat.

Not a stray, raised him from birth

Answer 1

Okay, first of all, leaving food out all day for him, as others have suggested, is NOT a good idea, as you've said your cat is already overweight. I have EXACTLY the same situation with one of my cats. I used to leave food out all day, hence, the weight issue. Our vet told me he needed to cut back. I told her that when I've tried to limit their food, he scarfs and throws up. She also had the same problem with her own cat, and gave me the PERFECT solution. I use a flat dinner plate with glass "stones" on it. River rocks would work, too, just something the cat can't swallow and won't try to chew. (My vet uses a plate with a raised design on the bottom.) Then you sprinkle the food over the stones and it falls down in around them. The cat has to actually work to get his dinner, pushing the stones around, which slows him down, and allows him to keep his food down. Works like a charm with my fat boy! ;-)

Answer 2

Leave food out for him to snack on through out the day. This could also be a sign of Worms, A blockage in the digestive track, Call a vet to make sure. Mostly, this cat thinks he is starving. Do what you are doing now to feed him little bit at a time, then fill his bowl. Sometimes the best solution is to change his food. Now if he eats even when he is not hungry, that works the same way as in humans, will not stay down. Good luck with this.

Answer 3

Before you started feeding him very small amounts, how many times did you feed him during the day? And, also, do you have any other cats or was he a stray?

Sometimes if they have "competition" from other cats, they will scarf down their food to make sure they get enough.

I would keep on doing what you are doing. Slowly start spacing the meals apart. Try to get it down to maybe two or three times a day. Or, if you have other cats.. try feeding him in a seperate room so he doesn't feel threatened and can take his time.

Hope this helps!

*** Just wanted to add this ***
Not sure exactly what prescription food he is on but most of the ones we carry (such as c/d, s/o) have wet food as well as dry

Answer 4

your cat, is very ill, some cats just dont know when to stop, it is a natural instinct, they eat it all real fast so no other animal can take it from them. i would suggest you feed him wet-based cat food 6 days a week, but on wednesday, feed him dry cat food the way you do, little scoops, then feed him some kitten formula. make sure he stays hydrated untill you take him to the vet., for the first week this will give him diareha and an upset stomach, because of the sudden diet change, but once he gets used to it, he should be ok, if you dont want to take the time to feed him specially or dont have the money to buy all this stuff, i would suggest, a shelter, or i would be happy to take him, but i thinky you love him enough to d this for him, or else you would not be asking how to fix it.

hope i was a help!!!

Answer 5

Try cat food for sensitive stomachs that helps some time. I'm trying
a hairball preparation now. My cat has never hacked up a hair ball the vets aide told me that sometimes when they shed they lick themselves get the hair down and it builds up in the intestine and makes the cat hurl. The intestine however is not usually completely blocked. This stuff is suppose to lubricate the intestine so the hairball slides out. It's $4. and mine is called Vet's Solutions Hairball Preparation. Available at your vets office.

Answer 6

i have many cats and sometimes they will try and scarf their food down so the others don't get it that they immediately barf it back up. i hate this. you have come up with a very good idea using the small coffee scoop. i would continue to give a scoop at a time and gradually build the amount back up to a regular serving. he should get the idea and not scarf so much. you might also try keeping dry food down all the time with fresh water if dry is all you feed him. i feed my cats wet and dry once a day and they always have a full bowl of dry down all day.

Answer 7

I had that exact same problem with an old cat of mine and I finally learned how to stop it.
I was just letting her eat whenever and whatever she wanted, and she'd always barf it up, but once I learned to give her only a one scoop a day (or a small serving) she stopped barfing.
And I know how much of a pain it is when they barf, cause sometimes they'll go and hide somewhere, and then you might not find their "surprise" until later on that week.

Answer 8

One of our cats does that, and I'll tell you why. Because the mama cat only weens as many kittens as she has nipples. So some kittens get pushed away. So they over compensate as they get older and eat cat food, to eat too fast, or too much, because they never learn they will always be fed. There is nothing you can do, but buy a whole lot of carpet cleaner.

Answer 9

So far you are doing exactly the right thing. Keep doing what you are doing, eventually introduce more food slowly. You can also try to spread out small meals through out the day, so he is not so famished each times he eats. This behaviour usually comes from cats who had to fight with a lot of other cats when they were younger to get their fair share. Keep doing what you are doing and just slowly convince him, no one else is going to take his food. Good luck! Id love to know how it goes

Answer 10

Keep doing what you're doing with the coffee scoop thing. In a couple weeks, give him two scoops at a time. When he can do that without choking, go to three scoops at a time. Keep increasing until he can do the whole bowl.