Question for cat owners...?

Question

My cat has been doing what I would call dry heaving. (At first I thought he just had a hairball, but the problem is persisting.) My room-mate says to just give him a Pepcid AC to coat his stomach-but I feel this is dangerous. If he doesn't get better by Monday, I'm going to take him to the vet. In the meantime, I'd like to know if there's anything that would help.

Answer 1

Hi there...cats who have hair balls will heave for what seems an eternity. Consider running to the pet store and purchasing some Laxatone or Petramalt Hairball formulas. Some people will try Vaseline as a emergency alternative. Pepcid will not resolve this and it's used medically under different circumstances for cats, but the dosage is very small and only a veterinarian will know the exact dosage to administer based on the cats age and weight.

Hairballs: http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/hairballs.htm

Furthermore, tuna should never be given to cats. Many people are unaware of the dangers tuna presents. The human variety of tuna fish contains an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1 (thiamine). Cats who regularly eat tuna can develop a vitamin B1 deficiency, which results in neurological symptoms like dilated eyes, loss of equilibrium, seizures and death if this vitamin is not replaced. The scientific name of this disease is polioencephlomalacia.

Clearwater veterinarian Richard Brancato said that though most domestic cats do enjoy fish, feeding them a diet of only tuna can cause serious disorders.

Although it is high in protein, tuna lacks sufficient amounts of certain amino acids, mainly taurine, to maintain feline health. There is insufficient calcium to balance the phosphorus; the ratio in canned tuna is 1-to-14.8. This results in bone disease.

Many essential vitamins such as A and most B vitamins are also lacking, Brancato said. A common disease in cats fed a mainstay of canned tuna is steatitis, or yellow fat disease, an inflammation of the fat tissue in the body due to a deficiency of vitamin E.

Source: St. Petersburg Times, published May 14, 2000"

Here's another answer by a veterinarian just recently about the dangers of tuna: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnXV7g3jq309q2QXly7n9WLsy6IX?qid=20061018194725AAzYqfz


A Veterinarian Answered:
... Actually, it is.

I've had to treat numerous cats over the years for pretty severe enteritis resulting from eating tuna meat. One of my own babies got so ill from it when someone else left it sitting out on the counter for 5 minutes while he turned his back to take a phone call, that I had to put her on IV fluids for 2 days, in addition to intestinal medications.

How many cats do you know who go swimming in the ocean to catch tuna and eat it as part of their natural diet???

Tuna-FLAVORED food....okay. Tuna meat.....bad.

I 'love' brownies....but that doesn't mean they're good for me. Cats also 'love' antifreeze....but we all know what it will do to them. :-/

The most you should do is to use the water that is drained off from the can of tuna (not the oil...for another reason), and drizzle it over their dry cat food once or twice a month. They'll think they died and went to cat heaven!....but without the danger.

Save the tuna meat for your sandwiches.
Source(s):
I'm a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with 20 yrs exp in private practice (27 total years in the profession.)

Answer 2

He may have a hairball - but it would be a good thing to take him to the vet if he doesn't get better. There are over the counter products that you can try for hairballs. Never give a cat pepcid. Those are only safe in canine use, and should be prescribed by your vet. The question I want to know is - has he thrown up anything? Is he eating / drinking? He is is throwing up a lot, and not eating or drinking. Call your vet ASAP. If he is eating/drinking and not throwing up you could try a little Tuna in Oil.But only small ammounts. Sounds like you are a good pet owner! Hope it goes well!

Answer 3

I would try a hairball remover or cat laxatone first, it sounds like a hairball that just won't come out. Although you didn't mention anything else, is she eating/drinking normally or any other symptoms? It doesn't sound like Pepcid would help in this case (it can be used in cats but only in very small doses to neutralize acid, usually in cats who have kidney disease). Always check with a vet before giving any human medicine, some can kill a pet and others use very different doses than people. If there are no other symptoms try cat laxatone first and give it some time. If there are other symptoms or it persists for more than a few days see your vet.

Answer 4

My cat does this as well. He just has a hairball he can't get up. What one of my vets suggested is to just give him a little vaseline. Lucky for me my cat actually likes it and licks it right off my finger. It helps him to pass the hairballs easier is all and you don't give them a lot. If you are really worried and it becomes a reoccuring problem for a long time then I might bring him to the vet in case you do need to more. My brothers cat can only have wet food because she doesn't drink water enough, mine don't seem to have that problem. Its really a problem that you have to look at on a cat by cat basis.

Answer 5

Your roommate is probably right about the hair balls, go out and get her wet food only, and get her to drink lots of water. Another important thing in winter is cat grass call your pet stores and get some it's only a couple of bucks and cats really need it. Hairballs take time to come up and she could do this for days. You can also buy a tube of hairball remover from a good pet store, they usually won't eat it so put it on her nose, and paws and watch her to make sure she licks it off, it's instinctuall for cats to lick of anything on their fur. When she finally brings it up get her a cat food formual for hairballs, I use Purina for hairballs it really works and they get it everday plus wet food. I have a persian and he really gets hairballs even with everything I do, I also brush them alot sometimes twice a day. I would try thesethings and your right to take her for a check up. I would anyways. You sound like a good cat mom, Good luck to you and your cat.

Answer 6

I really hope your little girl gets better soon. My mother breeds and shows Rag Dolls in the UK - they really are beautiful. When I got my cats here in Germany I removed all house plants as I wasn't sure which would be poisonous. I went to a really big garden centre and asked for advice on which plants I could safely display. They were absolutely no help whatsoever. Really strange as many plants would also be poisonous for children. So now I only have artificial plants in the rooms where the cats go. I bought really lifelike ones and the plus point is I don't have to remember to water them!! Once again I hope your little girl gets well soon.

Answer 7

It probably is a hairball he hasn't been able to expel. My vet told me years ago to keep some liquid paraffin handy and give my cat a teaspoon full when this happened. It has always worked fine and it is harmless for the cat. Your only problem here is trying to get your cat to take it!! lol

Obviously, if the problem does persist, take him to the vet.

Just don't EVER give your cat something that is not specifically for animals unless your vet suggests it!!

Answer 8

A couple of things.
First, never give any human medication to any animal without first clearing it through the vet.

Secondly, most vets keep saturday business hours, and You might have an easier time getting the cat in today versus Monday...which is Christmas Day.
Just a thought.

Answer 9

I asked my vet that same question and they told me that 9 times out of ten the cat just has a hair ball. They told me to just use some shed-x and change their food to a hairball formula

Answer 10

omg don't do any thing like that to it because it can cause a dangours reaction it could kill your cat don't do it the cat need acids to wad it hair up out of its stomach. i Hope I'm not late cause that could be seriously dangerous so wait to go to the vet

- from a professional vet