Why doesn't my cat chew his food? He eats it whole then barfs it back up. Any help will be appreciated.?

Answer 1

mayb his teeth hurt? take him to the vet.

Answer 2

A few ideas I have:
I am wondering if there is a problem with the cats teeth that is preventing him from chewing the food.... you can examine the cats mouth or have the vet do it. Perhaps a tooth is infected or growing in wrong?

If not, could it be that the cat is allergic to the food? Some cats have problems with food allergies and require specific food.....
This site might help you http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1402&articleid=142

My other idea is perhaps the cat has a blockage of sorts... was the cat known for eating things off the floor? Or sucking on blankets or other fabrics? If this is the case the cat will need to go to the vet ASAP ... blockages that aren't taken care of can cause death and extreme discomfort for the cat.

Often cats don't show signs of being in pain because it is a sign of weakness.....
Good luck with the cat, I hope he is better soon

Answer 3

Some of the other answers are good. Especially the tooth check.

LOTS of cats do it, it's particularly common in Siamese breeds, they have touchy tummies and like to woof down their food without chewing, they're regular little vacuums.

Royal Canin make a pretty decent food for Siamese, it's donut shaped so they have to chew it, we used it for one of ours who was a chronic chucker, at least once a day. She's only vomited once in 8 months. All of our cats have it, siamese, ragdoll and brit (the ragdoll and brit also have iams hate the stuff but they had chronic diarrhea when they were adopted and after many medications, this was the only thing that stopped it) and they're all a good weight!

Another thing you can do is leave several smaller portions in small bowls around the place so he has to hunt for it, this will slow him down and give him time to digest them. Hide them behind pot plants etc so he has to look for them.

Large chunks of raw meat are useful too (my cats have this at night) and encourage chewing and is good for their teeth and gums.

There is a bowl you can buy, I don't know how effective it is but it has rods poking up in it and the idea is the food is more difficult to get out so it takes them longer to eat it.

Another way of curing this is to feed him until he can't eat anymore, some cats (it's a leftover from their wild past) will pig out, because they think it's feast or famine and will eat while they have the opportunity.

Another thing you can do is to put table tennis balls in his food so that he has to eat around the balls, they're big enough that he can't swallow them.

Try him with a few pieces of dry food in a paper towel inner, twist the ends shut and see if he will try to get it open to get the food out, if you make them work for it, it slows them down, it also has the added benefit of giving him something to do, not all cats take to this idea though.

If those things fail, then he probably has a food intolerance or sensitivity and you will have to see the vet to sort that out,

Don't use smaller food, it just means they can eat it quicker, made that mistake ourselves.

Answer 4

If your cat is scarfing his food, there are several things you can try. Put a golf ball in his food dish, or any ball large enough not to be swallowed. The cat will be forced to eat around the ball, forcing him to slow down. You can also try feeding him smaller amounts throughout the day...so he doesn't eat enough in one sitting to throw up. Good Luck.

Also rule out any medical problem. My cat was diagnosed with irritable bowl sydrome, which just means she has a sensitive stomach. She got a prescription cat food, and solved the problem.

Answer 5

He may have a hairball/ also make sure the food is not on the recall list of menu foods.Try holding his food for a few hours and give hime some of that furball gel you by at the pet isle, or you can also give him a finger full of vasoline( its cheaper). That will help the hair ball pass.Dont do this too often or he wont be able to absorb vitamins, make sure you brush hime at least once a week to prevent future probs.

Answer 6

It sounds like you need a hairball formula food for your cat. I would recommend the Science Diet hairball control formula and if you still have a problem and the problem is not caused by your cat eating grass (if it is allowed outside) then I would take it to a vet to make sure your cats teeth are okay for they might need a good cleaning from tartar buildup which will cause gingervitus.

Answer 7

Try to put a little petroleum jelly on his paw a couple of times a week. Just put a little bit on your finger and swipe it down his front leg. My cat did this too, especially at this time of the year and once I started using vaseline, she stopped vomitting her food up. I'm guessing it's their way to get rid of the hairballs. Good luck.

Answer 8

Well, it depends. Try feeding him bigger chunks of food so that he has to chew it. Or, if you're not already, dry giving him wet food.

Cats dont normally chew their food into a pulp, but if he's swallowing it like pills that's a bad thing :[

Answer 9

My chihuahua does the same thing. The vet told me to put several good sized smooth stones (too big for her to get in her mouth) in her food dish along with her food. Now she has to take smaller bites and work around the stones to get her dinner. This has been working for me for the last 11 years.

Answer 10

It sounds like your cat has pain in his mouth or problems with his teeth. Extractions and/or antibiotics might be the answer, but only your vet can tell you. And more importantly, If he's throwing up everything he eats he's malnurished and should be seen by a vet immediately.

Answer 11

maybe the food is to hard so your cat cant chew it or maybe the food is to big. Try switching foods.