What would make a female cat throw up and not gain any weight?

Question

I have a three yer old famale cat and since I have had her she has not gained any weight and she throws up her food. What should I do. The vet said that there is nothing wrong with her. I think that there is.

Answer 1

I would go to another vet for a second opinion. You are right to follow your instinct! Constantly throwing up should not be considered a normal and healthy action.

Without any diagnostic tests it's hard to say what's wrong. It could be as simple as her GI tract having an intolerance to an ingredient in the cat food or more serious such as liver disease. What food is she currently eating? You may want to consider switching to California Natural. California Natural is made with just chicken and rice (most pet foods have at least 50 ingredients) so it's easier to digest. However, as with any food change, make the transition slowly over the course of a week or two. (If you're having trouble finding California Natural in your area, check out their product locator: http://www.naturapet.com/where-to-buy/
How fast does she eat her food? Cats who gobble their food down quickly will often vomit it up again (just ask my cat George who thinks I'm starving him because he's on a diet.) If you think she's just eating too fast, try to slow her down by feeding her in an ice cube tray or by putting her food in a treat ball (like this: http://www.cattoys.com/trickytreats.html)

If a change in diet doesn't help, ask your vet to run some blood work. Basic blood work can indicate whether there is an internal problem (ex: an elevated white blood cell count indicates there is an infection and elevated liver enzymes indicate liver disease or trauma to the liver). And like I mentioned earlier, another vet's opinion can be valuable.

Answer 2

If the you're not happy with what the vet said, please take her to another vet for a second opinion. You know your animal best, if you think there's something wrong, there probably is. What tests/investigations did your vet perform to come to the conclusion that there was nothing wrong?

One thing's for sure, nobody on here will be able to tell you because these are pretty vague symptoms that could mean many things, diagnostic tests are necessary to determine the cause. Some people will tell you that it's normal for cats to vomit, but if it's more frequent than every couple of months then this is not healthy - and the lack of weight gain also indicates a problem. But you know that. Time for a second opinion!

Chalice

Answer 3

It could be something as simple as an ingredient in the food that doesn't agree with her stomach; a fur ball, in which case try getting her to lick some butter, Laxatone or Petromalt (both hairball remedies) from your finger. If she starts losing weight or isn't drinking enough water to keep her hydrated, take her to see a vet. You can test to see if she's hydrated by pinching the skin on the back of her neck . It should snap back, but if stays there she may be dehydrated. If you think the problem is more than the food or a hairball don't wait more than a week to see your vet.

Answer 4

maybe theres something in the food, try giving her different kinds....or maybe its too hard for her, try soaking it in water and letting it become softer, my dogs for the longest time would only eat food that was-it's easier for them to eat