Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: jezebel on April 30, 2014, 15:33:50 PM

Title: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: jezebel on April 30, 2014, 15:33:50 PM
Both Drum and Bass have a habit of vomiting between 5 and 6am. They only ever puke up grass - sometimes just one blade - and a bit of fluid, but since they're mainly indoor cats the latest they're able to eat any grass is about 5pm (earlier in the winter cos they don't go out once it's dark).

What I find puzzling is that since they've last eaten any grass, they've had two meals, so how come the food has been digested but the grass is still there? :Crazy:

It's only once or twice every couple of weeks or so, but I'd like to know why (these are the things I think about when I've been woken at 5am and can't get back to sleep!).
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on April 30, 2014, 17:46:08 PM
Afraid I dont think about such things lol and still cant sleep!

Just wish Mine would stop eating btheir fur and depositing piles of sick were I put my feet!
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: souffle on April 30, 2014, 18:03:45 PM
Since the grass is quite fibrous they cannot digest it so it remains in the stomach. They are obligate carnivores and don't have the enzymes to break down grass. While there is food there it doesn't really do much but by early morning the stomach has emptied the contents of their meals into the bowel. The grass then irritates the stomach and causes them to gag it up. This is why there is only usually fluid with it. It's similar for fur balls as they can't be digested but they need to get a bit bigger before they cause irritation and often it's because they are big so they come up with food.
Well that's what I think happens! Having worked in pathology it is similar to some human gastric conditions.
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: Lyn (Slugsta) on April 30, 2014, 20:42:31 PM
Makes sense to me Souffle, I was thinking much the same.
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: jezebel on May 01, 2014, 07:59:25 AM
Thanks Souffle, that makes perfect sense!

So, feeding them their supper a bit later might stop this 5am vomiting... I know it sounds selfish but I'm really tired at the moment and waking at 5am isn't helping!
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: souffle on May 01, 2014, 10:43:23 AM
Ours get supper just before we go to bed so this could be midnight and they don't seem to mind. I don't see any harm in trying to jiggle mealtimes to avoid the 5am spewing up!
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: Rosella moggy on May 01, 2014, 11:07:05 AM
Great title for a thread  :sick: :sick: :evillaugh:

They throw up at all hours here ............ 
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: souffle on May 01, 2014, 13:42:26 PM
Morning sickness for cats?  :sick:  :sick:  :sick: LOL  ;)
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: sheilarose on May 03, 2014, 14:57:57 PM
Have you thought of earplugs? Sounds hard hearted, but I use them often (OH works odd shifts sometimes and I need my sleep!) and they serve to cut out the horrible honking too.  :sick:

The downside is the 'orrible wet puddle you end up treading in that you hadn't heard being created.  :rofl:
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: Kay and Penny on May 03, 2014, 14:59:56 PM
not to mention the greasy furball floating in it :sick: :sick:
Title: Re: Vomiting at 5am
Post by: jezebel on May 03, 2014, 15:12:27 PM
The downside is the 'orrible wet puddle you end up treading in that you hadn't heard being created.  :rofl:

Exactly!