Expert: Herbs, NuVet Plus Supplements, Dog/Cat Food Recipes; ( Marie) - 1/7/2010

Question
I have a 10-year old female cat that has recently began vomiting on a regular basis. It's not typically food that she throws up but rather just clear slimy liquid, like saliva but a lot of it. She throws up at least 3 times a day (usually more) and has understandably lost some weight. She tends to have an irregular appetite; sometimes she doesn't eat too much and sometimes she sucks food down. I feel bad because she will gobble down the food and it comes right back up again an hour or so later. She seems to drink water regularly and uses the litter box as usual. I also should mention that she also developed some strange, perfectly straight bald spot beginning at the base of her tail to about 3-4 inches down her tail. She also has been having very erratic mood swings. Some days she is snuggling up to my other two cats, and at other times she is attacking both of them. When she is on a rampage she usually is after the male cat. The male cat is the father, and this female is the mother, to our third female cat. Most of the time they are one little happy family, but when she flips out she is usually protecting her daughter from the male. But then she'll change her mind and attack her daughter. All three cats stay inside and have never even set foot outside.

We plan on taking her to the vet but are concerned that the bill might be outrageous so we would like to get insurance for her to help with the expenses.  I thought that I would check to see if this may not be an illness at all but rather some allergic reaction to something around her.  We have not recently changed her food and she has never had this type of reaction before so I have ruled out food.  Is there anything else that may be the cause?  Could this be a disease?    

I'd appreciate any input.


Answer
Hi - Oh, poor you and poor cat, too!  It sure sounds to me like a medical problem.  I bet she had a Thryoid issue???? Have the vet do some blood work .  They will test her kidney function and thryoid levels.  MY best guess is Thryoid and she will need ongoing medication for that inbalance.

Good luck
LET me know what the vet says....?

Marie Peppers LPN MA
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