Need some advice - my new cat was a bit sick this morning

[betsy]

Betsy you certainly didn't make him ill and it's great that as a new cat owner you're not scared to ask for advice. We all have differing opinions of wet/dry food but you personally wouldn't make your cat ill off them although he may have a slight intolerance to some things.

Wet or dry, premium brands are always better (Applaws/Bozita, follow the Zooplus link at the bottom of the page or Gourmet/Nature's Menu from supermarkets wet, Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved from pet shops dry). When I used to feed mine wet, however, they wouldn't go anywhere near Nature's menu or Gourmet but lapped up Wilko's own!

I think they do it to test us and even the most experienced cat owner will find their new cat has its own quirks.

Thanks for asking for advice, it's nice to know you care about your little one and don't be afraid to ask us anything, even if it seems obvious. 

Thank you - i have found this forum really helpful and everyone is very friendly.  Thanks again

[fluffybunny]

....And a furball does not resemble a furball at all....looks more like a sausage shape 

I learnt this earlier in the week when Milly did a delightful one right in the middle of daddy's office chair  He wasn't impressed to come home from work to that sort of present from his little girl!

[Millys Mum]

Did you try whiskas pouches? Tinned food isnt particularly tasty even tho the manufacturers claim the pouches have the same recipe, we all know theres something extra special in them 

The premium brands of wet food are much more likely to interest him.

Well its a miracle !! yes ive just tried him on the whiskers pouches and OMG he loves them !  he hasnt been sick since, so i now feed him 1 pouch in the morning with 20grams of dry and a pouch in the evening with 20 grams of dry and so far hes eating it all! Yipee got their in the end !  I was just worrying so much about how much he should and shouldnt be eating etc.... the pouches are a godsend ! 

Great! The cats certainly know about pouches being tastier!

if they wolf them down whole then yes no effect on teeth but if you buy the bigger ones for teeth maintenance then they have to crunch them

I got some RC dental to try out on Milly and she doesnt crunch them nor do the other 5 
I think dental health is individual to each cat regardless of diet. Simon has brilliant teeth but terrible gums, the 3 litter mates are similar, Lola has abit of tartar and Milly needs scaling, and they all get the same diet.

[Corporal Smokey]

Betsy you certainly didn't make him ill and it's great that as a new cat owner you're not scared to ask for advice. We all have differing opinions of wet/dry food but you personally wouldn't make your cat ill off them although he may have a slight intolerance to some things.

Wet or dry, premium brands are always better (Applaws/Bozita, follow the Zooplus link at the bottom of the page or Gourmet/Nature's Menu from supermarkets wet, Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved from pet shops dry). When I used to feed mine wet, however, they wouldn't go anywhere near Nature's menu or Gourmet but lapped up Wilko's own!

I think they do it to test us and even the most experienced cat owner will find their new cat has its own quirks.

Thanks for asking for advice, it's nice to know you care about your little one and don't be afraid to ask us anything, even if it seems obvious. 

[sheryl]

When we lived in Germany the vets there recommend you dont feed cats any wet food because of the amount of chemical etc, my kittens have 3 Felix pouches each a day and free feed Nutro biccies - all my other cats have a mixture of both.

[melysion]

I would recommend you keep him on the wet food if you can. Its much better for him than dry food (and dry food does not clean cats teeth at all).

Its probably just due to his new surrounding and food change. He needs some settling in time thats all.

As per my last post my 2 boys have 100% dry food diet and Foofoo has a mix.  The two boys have fantastic teeth, the vet has recently commented on how good they are whereas Foofoo has had most of one side removed........I think it depends on how your cat eats their biccies, if they wolf them down whole then yes no effect on teeth but if you buy the bigger ones for teeth maintenance then they have to crunch them.

I guess some larger kibbles might have some good effect but - in my humble opinion - you would still be better off switching to a all wet diet and brushing your cats teeth. I have a collection of articles that tell you why wet food is always better than dry.

But dry food can be very convenient and I guess thats its major strength.

I'm glad the kitty is doing well on the whiskas pouches by the way. I hope he settles down in his new home soon.

Any piccies?

[Bazsmum]

....And a furball does not resemble a furball at all....looks more like a sausage shape 

[Yvonne]

Hi Betsy so glad that this is now sorted

Don't forget that cats are occasionally sick when bringing up a furball and this is nothing to worry about

[betsy]

Did you try whiskas pouches? Tinned food isnt particularly tasty even tho the manufacturers claim the pouches have the same recipe, we all know theres something extra special in them 

The premium brands of wet food are much more likely to interest him.

Well its a miracle !! yes ive just tried him on the whiskers pouches and OMG he loves them !  he hasnt been sick since, so i now feed him 1 pouch in the morning with 20grams of dry and a pouch in the evening with 20 grams of dry and so far hes eating it all! Yipee got their in the end !  I was just worrying so much about how much he should and shouldnt be eating etc.... the pouches are a godsend ! 

[Desley (booktigger)]

it also depends on what kind of biscuits you feed them - Tiger came with GoCat biscuits from her owner, and she was sick quite a lot off them, as soon as I put her on James Wellbeloved, she was fine and I have the same with a foster at the moment.

[candyshandy]

I would recommend you keep him on the wet food if you can. Its much better for him than dry food (and dry food does not clean cats teeth at all).

Its probably just due to his new surrounding and food change. He needs some settling in time thats all.

As per my last post my 2 boys have 100% dry food diet and Foofoo has a mix.  The two boys have fantastic teeth, the vet has recently commented on how good they are whereas Foofoo has had most of one side removed........I think it depends on how your cat eats their biccies, if they wolf them down whole then yes no effect on teeth but if you buy the bigger ones for teeth maintenance then they have to crunch them.

[candyshandy]

I think the best 'diet' is a mix of wet and dry but when you are faced with a cat (I have two) who will not touch wet food then a good quality dry food is the best thing you can provide.  Just make sure you have lots of water on hand and even better a water fountain.

My 2 boys sometimes eat their biscuits a bit too quickly and sick them up - just being greedy!!

[melysion]

I would recommend you keep him on the wet food if you can. Its much better for him than dry food (and dry food does not clean cats teeth at all).

Its probably just due to his new surrounding and food change. He needs some settling in time thats all.

[chris91011]

Hi Betsy,
i have 2 cats, and they both have  wet and dry food, the wet food is Felix and the dry is go-cat, the younger cat is ok with both, but the older one tends to be sick with the dry because he tends to swallow it whole--no crunching it up!
i know this because when he brings it back it's still in whole pieces, so i don't give him as much.

are you giving him kitten food?
try not to worry about it, as long as it's not running out the other end! probably just the change over.

Chris.

[Millys Mum]

Did you try whiskas pouches? Tinned food isnt particularly tasty even tho the manufacturers claim the pouches have the same recipe, we all know theres something extra special in them 

The premium brands of wet food are much more likely to interest him.

[Bazsmum]

Hi Betsy, Id still keep up with some wet food....try to have a happy medium of wet and dry 

[betsy]

Hi Betsy,

2 of my cats are sick now & again and it's usually after they have bolted down some dry. Nothing to worry about unless they are being sick repeatedly. I would recommend an indoor cat being given some grass or furball paste every day - there are a few kinds available - Katalax, de-furrum and shirleys. They all do the same thing. Grass is preferable. Some grasses are better than others. You can get cat grass seeds ready to grow in trays from pet shops or you can buy packs of seeds from Woolworths.

Thanks Mark that will explain it then ! 

[Mark]

Hi Betsy,

2 of my cats are sick now & again and it's usually after they have bolted down some dry. Nothing to worry about unless they are being sick repeatedly. I would recommend an indoor cat being given some grass or furball paste every day - there are a few kinds available - Katalax, de-furrum and shirleys. They all do the same thing. Grass is preferable. Some grasses are better than others. You can get cat grass seeds ready to grow in trays from pet shops or you can buy packs of seeds from Woolworths.

[blackcat]

Hi Betsy, don't fret - he will bounce back from one sick-up. I suggest you mix the dry with the wet and serve in smaller quantities - say no more than a tablespoon at a sitting.

[betsy]

Hi Betsy, yes a rapid change of diet can cause illness - but it is usually at the other end. I am betting that if he is not accustomed to dry food he ate enough to fill his tummy and, when it got wet and expanded, some of it came straight back up again. What sort of texture are we talking about, cos if it just looks like wet dry food then that is probably what happened.

Oh i feel awful now !  if ive made him poorly...   Its a complete dry cat food, he just wasnt eating the wet food at all ... so i decided to give him just dry cat food .  Should i put him just some wet food down now ? or later?  worried he might be sick all over..

[Yvonne]

Good morning Betsy,

Yes I do believe the reason Thomas has been sick is because of the withdrawal of the wet food.  Ideally cats should have both wet and dry to choose from.  Dont worry about him being sick it is not uncommon when they cough up a furball or grass etc.

Sounds like Thomas is fine in all other respects.

[blackcat]

Hi Betsy, yes a rapid change of diet can cause illness - but it is usually at the other end. I am betting that if he is not accustomed to dry food he ate enough to fill his tummy and, when it got wet and expanded, some of it came straight back up again. What sort of texture are we talking about, cos if it just looks like wet dry food then that is probably what happened.

[betsy]

   Ive had Thomas for just over a week and hes been fine and settled in really well..  However this morning after giving him some food he ate a little bit and then was sick.   Hes not been outside yet so cant have picked anything up from their and hes not been given anything that he shouldnt.  hes playing and isnt sleeping so he doesnt seem 'unwell'... just a bit concerned.  The only thing i was thinking that it could be is that he hasnt been eating the wet food that the sanctuary where i got him from feed him, so i changed him onto dry food - which he loves.  Could that be the problem -due to change in his diet.?  If hes sick again i will take him to the vets..  Also ive taken away the food and wasnt going to give him any until later tonight - does that seem ok?  Advice please for a new cat owner.