Expert: Jessica - 9/21/2010

Question
My cat is usually really active, playful and cuddly. He also likes to eat. All of a sudden a couple days ago, he began to throw up several times, but there wasn't anything in his vomit. It was a bright yellow liquid and that's it. When I woke up the next morning, there were 9 piles of this same exact vomit all around my house. So I took him to the vet. They gave him an anti-vomiting injection (Cerenia) and sent me home with some antibiotics. As soon as I got home, he started drooling and foaming at the mouth. Now he won't do anything except lay around with a completely blank stare. He doesn't even acknowledge that anyone is around him or calling his name. Not only that, but he is hiding in really weird places that he has never been before. They are small crammed dark places. He won't eat or drink anything. When I put the water down, he acts like he really wants it, but won't actually drink any of it. Also, the anti vomiting medicine didn't work. He has thrown up 3 times since then. If you go towards his mouth with a rag to wipe off all the drool, he freaks out and acts like he is really scared and in pain or something. Even his skin and fur seems to be harder and more stiff than usual. I don't know what's wrong with him, but I want my old fun cuddly cat back. (He's not really old...only 1 year). I read another post on here and it said something about a urinary blockage that could be causing him to be poisoned. But my cat has gone pee. Would a urinary blockage stop you from be able to pee? Any information would be greatly appreciated. I'm so upset right now about my cat. I want him to get better before he gets worse and ends up dead. I can't stand seeing him this way. Thanks!

Answer
Hi Erica,

Yes, a urinary tract blockage would stop your kitty from being able to pee at all.  So the good news is that he isn't blocked.  However, the signs that he's hiding is strange places, and he's very unresponsive, are all very disconcerting.  Be sure to keep an eye on his bowel movements, because a fecal impaction is just as deadly a urinary tract blockage.  It just takes a while longer (typically at least 4-5 days).  

Did your vet run any blood work?  I think with his lack of response to the Cerenia that this would be a great idea.  A blood panel can tell you how his kidneys and liver are functioning and may even hint at cancer if it’s present.  Or, it may suggest that he’s got a virus, or just some severe inflammation.  It can be a great aid in determining where to go as far as treatments.  When a cat is vomiting up bile and is refusing to eat or drink, the cat is sometimes suffering liver or pancreas issues.  Prompt treatment of these will be required for his best chance at survival.  This will usually require hospitalization for at least a few days.

If the blood tests come back normal, I might consider an x-ray or ultrasound of the abdomen to see if you can come across anything abnormal.  I would be a little worried your cat has swallowed something he shouldn't have.  His symptoms are similar to my cat's, who swallowed a tiny plastic cap and almost died of a bowel obstruction due to it.  My vets couldn't really produce the typical "painful foreign object response" when they pushed on my cat's belly, but an x-ray showed an abnormal area (the cap was too small to be seen, but the tissues were inflamed in response).  In my experience, something turns up at least half the time on an x-ray, and almost always on an ultrasound.  Sometimes it’s severe constipation, sometimes it’s an abnormal mass, and sometimes it’s a foreign body.  X-rays can sometimes create more questions than answers but are excellent because they’re quick and provide instant information.  Ultrasounds provide a lot more answers, but many clinics don’t have their own machines and require you to wait for a specialist to perform them.

Regarding that “hard” feeling to his skin and fur that you’re sensing, that might indicate that he’s become very dehydrated.  When a cat is severely dehydrated, his skin becomes tough.  Your vet can give him some fluids under the skin, or if he is dangerously dehydrated, he can admit him and give them to him intravenously.  The vet can also give some more Cerenia with the fluids, as well as a stomach acid reducer to try to calm his stomach further.

Hope he’s feeling better soon!

Jessica