My cat is driving me crazy!

[oobiecoo]

I''ve had Shogun for a few months now and I really do love him... mostly... but he is driving me crazy lately!

We have carpet throughout our apartment and he vomits at least once a week on it! Its getting annoying AND expensive to clean when I have to buy so much carpet spray. Not to mention that no carpet cleaner I''ve tried actually works well! What do other cat owners use to clean their floors? He just vomits randomly but sometimes I''ll catch him mid-hurl and throw him in the bathroom where its tiled so at least its easier to clean up. Nothing I read before buying a cat told me that he would throw up this much!

Also, has anyone applied those nail caps on their cat on their own rather than having a groomer do it? I forget the name of them right now. Shogun has started scratching at our carpet and furniture all of a sudden and I''m desperate but don''t know how easy it is to do yourself.

Can you tell I''m not my kitty''s biggest fan right now?

 

[iheartscience]

I have all hardwood floors so luckily I can clean the puke up pretty easily with paper towels and spray cleaner. If they puke on the bed (one of my cats LOVES to do this!) I rip everything off and throw it into the laundry machine ASAP.

If Shogun's just recently started vomiting a lot there could be an issue with food or something else and I would talk to your vet about it. It may just be that he's a pukey cat, but there is still medicine they can take for that. I forget what it's called, but my cat Oscar (RIP) was pretty pukey and the vet prescribed him this medicine that kind of looked like molasses. It really cut down on the puking, which both he and I liked!

ETA I've never used the caps but I do cut my one furniture-scratching cat's claws myself and that really cuts down on the scratching. She's pretty good about letting me do them...sometimes I just have to do one paw here and one paw there if she's not being cooperative.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 8/28/2009 1:55:16 PM
Author:oobiecoo
I've had Shogun for a few months now and I really do love him... mostly... but he is driving me crazy lately!

We have carpet throughout our apartment and he vomits at least once a week on it! Its getting annoying AND expensive to clean when I have to buy so much carpet spray. Not to mention that no carpet cleaner I've tried actually works well! What do other cat owners use to clean their floors? He just vomits randomly but sometimes I'll catch him mid-hurl and throw him in the bathroom where its tiled so at least its easier to clean up. Nothing I read before buying a cat told me that he would throw up this much!

Also, has anyone applied those nail caps on their cat on their own rather than having a groomer do it? I forget the name of them right now. Shogun has started scratching at our carpet and furniture all of a sudden and I'm desperate but don't know how easy it is to do yourself.

Can you tell I'm not my kitty's biggest fan right now?

Does Shogun have a scratching post?

I think that cat get hairballs easily...ergo the puking. I think, from earlier posts Shogun is a long hair cat...so hairballs again I suspect is the culprit. I would say maybe a hairball reducing food...but I'm not sure.

I would just assume that these are the pitfalls of pet ownership, they are expensive in all the little hidden charges but when you love your animal--the benefits outweigh the cost. Sorry he's a little PITA right now...but at least you have a cool cat, right?

ETA:

I have three small dogs...so we get accidents, too. Most of my house is wood flooring, but we do have carpet on the stairs and in the bedrooms. For accidents there, I have a Bissell Pet Spot Bot...and it is awesome. Initally it's kind of pricey, around $130.00 and up depending on the model you get (I recommend pet)...plus products...but it's super easily to use and it works amazingly. You place it over the spot, plug it in, turn it on and it deep cleans the carpet. Of course you still have to buy the replacement solution...but for a big bottle I think it's around $15.00 and you get a good amount of cleanings out of it.

 

[packrat]

If it''s hairballs, like Italia mentioned, not only is there food to help with it, but there''s a paste you can get that they eat that helps too. We used to smear it on Bella''s front leg..it''s brown and sticky, and they don''t like it so they lick it off.

Another thing that makes our cats barf is the water runoff from the water heater. It goes into a bucket and they drink it. Doesn''t matter how much water they have in their bowl. There''s no way to redirect the water from it either-unless we dig up the cement floor and run a hose to the floor drain.

Do you have plants or anything out that he might be nibbling on and making him sick?

 

[Aloros]

1/week seems pretty excessive to me. My cat horks something up maaaybe 1/year. Had the same experience with my late other cat, and the same experience with roommates' cats. Might want to monitor what he's eating, look into hairball remedies, and/or check with a vet. Something he's eating might be disagreeing with him.

For the scratching, get a tall scratching post with sissal rope. They love sissal (and it'll also keep them from thinking that carpet is OK to scratch). Most posts aren't tall enough for the cat to stretch out comfortably, so it's important to find a tall one. Rub catnip on it. Every time you catch him scratching something else, tell him "no" and redirect him to the post. Praise praise praise! If your house is large, a 2nd post somewhere might be good.

I put my cat's scratching post next to the couch.

I've also bought furniture that he's not inclined to scratch - vinyl seats on the dining room chairs, microfiber couches...and I avoid wicker like the plague!

Is Shogun still a kitten? Get him used to handling his paws, if you want to put the caps on yourself! I clip my cat's nails myself, and he just lays there while I do it. I handled and rubbed his paws a lot when he was a kitten, on the advice from a friend. Get him when he's sleeping.

Hope this helps! Don't worry, it DOES get easier.

ETA: Oh, and Nature's Miracle works wonders on vomit, blood, feces, and urine. Gets rid of the odor and picks up the stains. It's an enzymatic cleaner, and doesn't have that awful febreeze-y perfume smell I can't stand.

 

[cellososweet]

I wouldn''t put the nail guard things on your cat. Scratching is a natural defense mechanism. Get kitty something to scratch on. Put some catnip on it and he''ll go to town. If it doesn''t work, then put down double sided tape on your furniture for a while and he''ll stop. Cats hate sticky stuff.

As for the vomiting. Is it gray colored and hard or is it actual vomit? If it''s grayish and hard, it''s probably a hairball. Petromalt is the gooey paste stuff that will help with this. If it''s actual vomit, you need to figure out why the cat is throwing up so often. If it''s regurgitated food with water, then he is probably eating too fast. Give him less food at a time and he''ll be forced to slow down. I know it sounds gross but if that''s not it, then look at the vomit to see if there''s anything in it when you pick it up.

Household plants and fabric are two common things that cats get into that make them throw up.

As for a spray, Nature''s Miracle is a wonder. You can get it at Petco. It''s a white bottle with red writing. We use the spray type and it''ll take anything off of any carpet.

Good luck. If you''ve only had him for a few months, he might still be adjusting. Especially if he came from a foster home where he was moved frequently, he might just be acting up.

 

[dutchflowers]

My cat has the occassional hairball and we use this product to clean it up: Planet Urine

It looks cheesy - but works like a charm. Its a dry detergent that you rub into the carpet. You let it dry overnight and then vacuum it up the next day. We also used it when our new puppy had a few household accidents. I''ve tried every other cleaner on the market and this works the best.

As for the scratching - after trial and error I found my cat likes cardboard (and only cardboard) scratchers. Try sisel, carpet and cardboard. He''ll find something that he likes to scratch better than your carpet. Plus, ditto, to the suggestion of using double sided tape to deter scratching.

Good luck!

 

[Lynn B]

Boo LOVES Petromalt and will lick it off my finger like a treat! So, not ALL cats hate it, although admittedly, I have heard that most do! It does work, though, and really helps keep Boo from getting hairballs.

I, too, amd concerned about Shogun''s frequent throwing up. I don''t think that''s normal, and honestly... I think a vet visit is indicated.

Also, regarding the scratching... sometimes you just have to experiment to find the best scratching post/area for each cat. Some cats are horizontal scratchers, some are vertical scratchers, and some fussy felines

like the angled, incline type scratching pads. Some love cardboard, others tree bark, some carpet, some sisal... etc. Some of the best scratching areas I have seen are simple (and inexpensive) -- carpet remnants or cardboard glued to a basement wall, etc. It is my feeling that whenever there are ongoing problems with a cat scratching in unacceptable places, it''s usually because the owner just hasn''t figured out the best scratching post/area yet for their cat.

Hang in there! And please keep us posted. We really care!

xoxo
Lynn

 

[lulu]

There are lots of hairball treats on the market and my cats love them. When your cat vomits does a hairball come up? If not, I''d definitely go to the vet.

 

[purrfectpear]

Date: 8/28/2009 3:31:11 PM
Author: packrat
If it''s hairballs, like Italia mentioned, not only is there food to help with it, but there''s a paste you can get that they eat that helps too. We used to smear it on Bella''s front leg..it''s brown and sticky, and they don''t like it so they lick it off.

Another thing that makes our cats barf is the water runoff from the water heater. It goes into a bucket and they drink it. Doesn''t matter how much water they have in their bowl. There''s no way to redirect the water from it either-unless we dig up the cement floor and run a hose to the floor drain.

Do you have plants or anything out that he might be nibbling on and making him sick?

Just thought I''d mention that it would be pretty easy to put aluminum foil over the top of the bucket like you''d wrap a bowl for the fridge. It should deter the kittahs from the bucket

 

[House Cat]

I think you should call the vet. The excessive vomitting is cause for concern.

 

[Maisie]

Gracie vomits too. In her case its because she eats too fast. She is still getting used to living in a house (she was a breeding queen before we got her and she lived outside in a cattery).

I think she eats quickly before someone can come and disturb her. We feed her little but more often and make sure she has peace and quiet while eating. It seems to help.

 

[oobiecoo]

I really appreciate all of the responses! I headed to Petsmart and purchased the Nature''s Miracle for the carpet and so far it seems to works well. We haven''t had any major puke-age or anything yet but hopefully it works for that too. If not, I''ll try out that Planet urine that was recommended.

I also got Shogun a new toy in case he was scratching the carpet out of boredom. We have a cardboard scratcher and I tried to get a carpet or sisal insert for the scratching system we have but it looks like they don''t carry them around here anymore so I''ll have to look elsewhere. I tried sprinkling some catnip on it in the beginning but he would just sit and lick it off

and then act really mean so we don''t use catnip anymore. He scratches it a couple of times a day but not for very long. I also went out and bought some new nail clippers with a file so we clipped his nails and I made sure to file them really well. I haven''t seen him scratching anything he isn''t supposed to yet... and when he hops onto the the couch or wherever, he doesn''t accidentally pull threads with his nails like he used to. His foster mom basically told me not to try to bother trimming his nails because he had a really bad experience with it at the vet. I also read that cats shed their nails so I was thinking it wasn''t that necessary. Well, I think the poor guy is relieved with his new mani/pedi and I feel a little dumb for letting the lady make me think they didn''t need to be trimmed! I hope that was the only reason he was scratching the carpet and furniture. We also gave him a bath so he''s looking and feeling quite spiffy!

As for the vomiting... he is otherwise fine so I don''t think we will bring him to the vet unless he looks to be losing weight or not eating/playing as much. My sister-in-law is about to graduate as a vet-tech and she thinks he may be eating too quickly and told us to put some large rocks in his food bowl to force him to slow down so we''ll probably try that. He also coughed up a pretty large hairball yesterday so maybe that will settle his stomach for a little while. I give him some of that hairball gel but I have to stick it under his nose to get him to lick it off and it upsets his stomach so I hate doing it regularly but maybe his stomach will get used to it. He doesn''t always vomit up a hairball... usually its food and occassionally its just liquid. I definitely know now that when we buy a house... wood floors are a must!

I think I touched a little on everyone''s answers and ideas but if not, I apologize. I did read them all and thank you again! Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

Does anyone know where they sell the inserts (other than cardboard) for my scratching system? I think its called iScratch but that might not be right.

 

[Lynn B]

Oobie,

Regarding kitty's nails, egads, did you get WRONG info!!!

Their nails grow and curve, and can become quite uncomfortable for the cat... so that may well have been contributing (if not completely causing!) the inappropriate scratching. (Yes, they do "shed" the outer layers of their nails, but that's NOT the same as them being kept trimmed! AND, do be careful... you want to just clip off the curve, not get into the *quick*, which will hurt and bleed. One bad experience like that can scare a cat... but if you are careful, it doesn't hurt them, although they may not like the feel of it being done, or the sound of the clippers.)

Also, I am AMAZED at how fast Boo's nails grow... within a few days they need trimmed again! So, keep an eye on that, and don't wait too long to check them again. And please keep us posted!

ALSO, I have heard about putting a new, clean golf ball in a cat's bowl, to slow down their eating. I was about to suggest that! (I think I like that idea better than rocks!

)

Lynn

ETA: One more suggestion... I have several rather expensive pet nail clippers for Boo, but I don't use them. My favorite tool is just a pair of regular human nail clippers. For cats with heavier, thicker nails, the larger version (for human toe nails) may be necessary. Anyway, I hold the clippers vertically (as opposed to using them horizontally on human nails), and trim Boo's nails that way. I don't even file them afterwards, it makes such a nice clean cut.

 

[dcgator]

Oobie,

I also have a long haired kitty who is prone to hacking up hairballs and also eating to fast. He was found as a stray when he was 8 months, so I imagine that is where the eating too fast comes in. The hairball thing is probably inevitable. I got hairbair formula food and he wouldn''t eat it. My little one is SERIOUSLY picky, so I am just happy when he eats his regular food.

In any event, mine ends up hacking I would say 2 times a month or so. I think its just part of what he does. We have carpets too, and our solution is Spot Shot. Its in an orange colored spray can, like hairspray. Its works really well, even after its been there a few hours (since he likes to hack at night).

Good luck with Shogun and get the Spot Shot if it continues...

 

[zipzapgirl]

I''m a little surprised no one else mentioned this so far (or I missed it), but brushing the cat will help with removing the excess hair and also keep the shedding down. Lots of cats really come to enjoy the brushing, so that''s a plus as well

 

[lulu]

I brush my longhairs a little everyday. Also, hairball medicine comes in treats and my cats love them.

 

[SeaStar]

You might want to look into getting him on some Proviable. My cat has a very sensitive stomach and vomited on our carpet at least daily before my vet prescribed this for him. One capsule opened into his food a day and he throws up much less. Do you keep the same brand of cat food? Cats usually tend to get a little sick in the belly if their foods are switched a lot too.

 

[Patchee]

All carpets aside, have you thought about what might be bothering kitty? He is vomitting for a reason, I am sure he really does not want to ruin your rugs!

My cat was vomiting at one time, took him to the vet & he came down with leukemia and quickly after that passed away. Can I tell you I would give anything now to have him back vomitting on my rugs?


I use woolite pet fresh on my rugs, they are oritential and were 5K a piece so when my kitty has an occasional vomit (I have 4 others) I hurry with the woolite and get it out quick

 

[Blue824]

When I moved my cats from my mom''s house into my apartment I was very concerned about scratching. They''ve always had scratching posts, but always seemed to scratch a lot of other things like the wood around doors! Which is expensive to replace! I was recommended this post: http://www.purrfectpost.com/

It is very tall and sturdy so my larger cat can really extend himself and they both love it. They''ve been using it for almost a year now and there is zero sign of wear on it. It was a little expensive so I was hesitant, but I''d buy another one again in a heartbeat if I move to a larger place.

For not scratching the couch, I found these sticky things to put on the couch. It is supposed to train them to not scratch the couch but the little monsters do scratch as soon as I remove the sticky strips! I do remove the strips if we''re having company over and then the rest of the time they''re on the couch and I honestly forget about it. They only scratch the one arm near their scratching post so my couch isn''t covered.

Also, I have a cat with a sensitive stomach. To me it was important to speak to my vet because I wanted to know when them throwing up was not normal... like what if they did eat something bad for them, I wouldn''t have known because one of them was vomiting his food up regularly. It started maybe 6 months after I switched their food, which was sort of odd, but I called my vet after a little while and she recommended trying Dick van Patten''s Natural Balance duck formula. I started mixing that in with the Wellness they were eating and as long as I stick to a 50/50 mix they haven''t vomited up their food since. (If I do just duck, they stop eating, if I do just wellness, one throws up, and the 50/50 mix they gobble up, I can''t explain it!) AND that is how I know when they''ve eaten something they shouldn''t have... like when my FMIL let them drink milk out of her bowl of cereal! I don''t know what you are feeding your cats, but you might need to find one that doesn''t upset your cat''s stomach.

 

[Pandora II]

Just wanted to check that you aren''t giving Shogun milk? Cats, but especially orientals should really only have water as milk can really upset their stomachs.

Be careful about covering the scratch post in something that you don''t want scratched - ie if your cats have a habit of scratching the carpets then don''t cover the post with carpet as it just confuses them. My parents have one that is covered with rope and they really like that.

Furniture scratching - in my experience some cats scratch furniture, others do not - same as some cats will steal any food they can get their paws on, others you can go out and leave a chicken defrosting in the same room and they won''t even look at it. For the furniture fiends that we had we found a water pistol was fairly effective!

Wow, you washed him! I''m impressed, I''d have lost a hand trying to bath any of mine!

 

[Lynn B]

OH, I forgot to mention something that may help anyone who''s got a cat with a vomiting problem.

My daughter''s cat was throwing up frequently and the vet suggested California Natural dry cat food. Reason being, it''s a good food with a very short ingredient list. The vet told us that so many cat food (even the "premuim", high-quality foods) have such long ingredient lists nowadays, and any one (or more) of those ingredients (even those in very small amounts) can pose a problem for any cat. Maybe a sensitivity, maybe an allergy, whatever. So, the shorter the list, the less chance of a problem.

It reallly worked for her. Her boy is thriving on the CN and hasn''t thrown up in months.

 

[lulu]

One of mine has a touchy stomach. I''ve found that it''s important to keep the dry food fresh in a sealed container. If the food has been sitting in the bowl all day she''s more likely to vomit.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 9/5/2009 7:18:32 PM
Author: lulu
One of mine has a touchy stomach. I''ve found that it''s important to keep the dry food fresh in a sealed container. If the food has been sitting in the bowl all day she''s more likely to vomit.

Lulu, that''s a good point! Our vet also recommended that my daughter keep her cat''s dry food in the freezer and just bring out enough at a time for a day or two. Said for kitties with sensitive stomachs, it is crucial that their food be as fresh as possible.

 

[anchor31]

Date: 9/5/2009 11:19:15 AM
Author: Lynn B
OH, I forgot to mention something that may help anyone who''s got a cat with a vomiting problem.

My daughter''s cat was throwing up frequently and the vet suggested California Natural dry cat food. Reason being, it''s a good food with a very short ingredient list. The vet told us that so many cat food (even the ''premuim'', high-quality foods) have such long ingredient lists nowadays, and any one (or more) of those ingredients (even those in very small amounts) can pose a problem for any cat. Maybe a sensitivity, maybe an allergy, whatever. So, the shorter the list, the less chance of a problem.

It reallly worked for her. Her boy is thriving on the CN and hasn''t thrown up in months.

I want to ditto on the sensitive stomach point. One of my cat had a vomiting problem as well, until about 3 weeks ago when we visited a new vet (again) and he suggested something we''d never heard before: Possible food intolerance. He told us to control the amount of food we were giving our cats (½ cup per cat per day) and slowly introduce a new food that is not based on chicken (which is the base for most cat foods, even high quality ones) but duck. Like Lynn''s DD''s cat, our cat is now doing great and hasn''t thrown up since. She has been slowly losing some weight, which is also good. She used to have an excessive meowing problem, and we now think that it might have been because she had stomach aches or something, because that is also improving.

Good luck! I completely sympathize with being sick of cleaning up cat puke... It took us 6 years (and just as many vets) to finally solve the problem.