How to treat a cat when she throws up?

>I know it is not the most refined question you are likely to face
>today, but I would like to ask the more experienced crowd here:
>
>How do you treat a cat when she throws up?
>
>It has got to be uncomfortable and disagreeable moment for them. The
>cat I feed tries to run away from the spot when this happens, and
>should she throw up again, run away from that spot as well.
>
>My puzzle is, what action on my part, even if it is inaction, would
>make her most comfortable and accepted?
>
>Should I leave her alone? Open the door and let her out? Pet her?
>Ignore her and just clean up the mess?
>
>As she has just lost food, should I try to feed her again a little
>later? Or conclude her body doesn't want food now, so let it go?

Well the answer depends on several things.

"You say the cat you feed." Is it your cat or someone's cat you are
caring for?? If it is someone elses cat inform whoever it belongs to.

If it is your cat have you changed foods lately?? If so go back to
the old food and see if it still happens. Does it do it often and if
so when?? How old is the cat??

I myself would take it to be checked out my a vet to make sure there
is no digestive track problems.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 4, 1:07 pm, RPSinha <rpsi....TakeThisOut@null.void> wrote:
> I know it is not the most refined question you are likely to face
> today, but I would like to ask the more experienced crowd here:
>
> How do you treat a cat when she throws up?
>
> As she has just lost food, should I try to feed her again a little
> later? Or conclude her body doesn't want food now, so let it go?

Sometimes they throw up because of hairballs blocking
their digestive tract...
you'll know this if you see hair in the upchuck.
Other times they throw up because they're allergic to the
food your feeding them.
You'll know this by what brand you feed them and
watching to see if they throw up afterwards.

You just have to let nature take it's course when they
start throwing up...but better food and grooming can help
prevent the problem.
I don't let Big Mama eat right afterwards and let
her stomach calm down some.
She gets her food back after a couple hours, but I
leave the water for her, and her oatgrass.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 5, 9:40 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo... RemoveThis @techie.com> wrote:
> Oat grass... do you find the use of oat grass beneficial?

Absolutely. I'm completely sold on it as being beneficial in
many different ways.

> I have been weighing options on whether or not to provide more
> nutritional roughage or jump straight to a hairball remedy.

If kitty has hairballs, I could be wrong, but I don't think roughage
will make a difference.

If it's just a mild, occassional hairball problem;
hairball formula dry food seem to work pretty well.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

Response from studio <tlack DeleteThis @hotmail.com>:

> I don't let Big Mama eat right afterwards and let
> her stomach calm down some.
> She gets her food back after a couple hours, but I
> leave the water for her, and her oatgrass.

Oat grass... do you find the use of oat grass beneficial?

I have been weighing options on whether or not to provide more
nutritional roughage or jump straight to a hairball remedy.

Thanks.

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

Response from studio <tlack RemoveThis @hotmail.com>:

> On Oct 5, 9:40 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo... RemoveThis @techie.com> wrote:
>> Oat grass... do you find the use of oat grass beneficial?
>
> Absolutely. I'm completely sold on it as being beneficial in
> many different ways.

Oh, if not for hairballs then how is it beneficial?

>> I have been weighing options on whether or not to provide more
>> nutritional roughage or jump straight to a hairball remedy.
>
> If kitty has hairballs, I could be wrong, but I don't think
> roughage will make a difference.
>
> If it's just a mild, occassional hairball problem;
> hairball formula dry food seem to work pretty well.

Nah, not yet. I was just hoping for a preemptive strike.

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 5, 7:13 pm, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....RemoveThis@techie.com> wrote:
> Response from studio <tl....RemoveThis@hotmail.com>:
>
> > On Oct 5, 9:40 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....RemoveThis@techie.com> wrote:
> >> Oat grass... do you find the use of oat grass beneficial?
>
> > Absolutely. I'm completely sold on it as being beneficial in
> > many different ways.
>
> Oh, if not for hairballs then how is it beneficial?

Besides possibly helping in getting up hairballs...
aiding digestion, providing moisture, providing minerals, providing
something extra to nibble on, providing contentment and ease of
access to something they crave.

When cats do not have oat grass, they sniff around blade-by-blade
of grass to find a substitute.
When you grow it for them, every blade has just what they're looking
for and they have an abundant supply...enough to make a real
difference.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 6, 1:50 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....TakeThisOut@techie.com> wrote:
> Ah, OK! I am definitely going to try and find some. So far no luck
> finding a local seller of them.

Oat grass by other names may be Cat Grass, Kitty Veggies, etc.

Walmart sells individual containers of oat grass for about $2.25
But that's just a 6 week supply.

I found a small 3oz. packet of seeds in the grocery store in the
pet food section for about $3....or enough to last 2-3 years.

I've also seen the seeds in my local hardware store.

The local pet store is bound to have it also.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

Response from studio <tlack.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com>:

> On Oct 5, 7:13 pm, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....TakeThisOut@techie.com> wrote:
>> Response from studio <tl....TakeThisOut@hotmail.com>:
>>
>> > On Oct 5, 9:40 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....TakeThisOut@techie.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >> Oat grass... do you find the use of oat grass beneficial?
>>
>> > Absolutely. I'm completely sold on it as being beneficial in
>> > many different ways.
>>
>> Oh, if not for hairballs then how is it beneficial?
>
> Besides possibly helping in getting up hairballs...
> aiding digestion, providing moisture, providing minerals,
> providing something extra to nibble on, providing contentment and
> ease of access to something they crave.
>
> When cats do not have oat grass, they sniff around blade-by-blade
> of grass to find a substitute.
> When you grow it for them, every blade has just what they're
> looking for and they have an abundant supply...enough to make a
> real difference.

Ah, OK! I am definitely going to try and find some. So far no luck
finding a local seller of them.

Before I order an expensive online batch I am going to ask ---MIKE---
something...

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 6, 11:10 pm, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....DeleteThis@techie.com> wrote:
> Response from studio <tl....DeleteThis@hotmail.com>:
>
> > On Oct 6, 1:50 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....DeleteThis@techie.com> wrote:
> >> Ah, OK! I am definitely going to try and find some. So far no
> >> luck finding a local seller of them.

Ok, we're going to narrow this down...
my 3oz. packet is called "Cosmic Kittyherbs", which is a trademark.
It's packaged in Maryland.

A Web search indicated many large pet stores, lawn and garden stores
and even Amazon.com sell this product.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=202094
http://petco.com/product/4477/Cosmic-Kittyherbs.aspx
http://lawn-and-garden.hardwarestore.com/76-478-cat-treats/cosmic-kitt...rbs-120
http://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Pet-H8001-KITTY-HERBS/dp/B0002DGJ0A

Aside: they also make a great little gift to other cat owners.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 6, 11:10 pm, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....TakeThisOut@techie.com> wrote:
> I even
> talked to the garden center at Wal-Mart and an older gentleman told
> me there was no such thing. When I mentioned it was for cats he
> said, "Oh you mean catnip." When I said no, that it was not catnip
> it is something else, he sternly said "NO. No, it is catnip. Trust
> me I know what I am talking about."

No, he didn't know...wrong area.
You would have to talk to the person in charge of the pet supplies,
they would know.

> Thanks for all the helpful information, studio.

You're very welcome.
Most of us here just want to share knowledge, experiences,
and be of help.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

Response from studio <tlack.RemoveThis@hotmail.com>:

> On Oct 6, 1:50 am, "-Lost" <maventheextrawo....RemoveThis@techie.com> wrote:
>> Ah, OK! I am definitely going to try and find some. So far no
>> luck finding a local seller of them.
>
> Oat grass by other names may be Cat Grass, Kitty Veggies, etc.

Feeder's Supply has no clue what I am talking about.

Our specialty pet store knows of it, but does not carry it.

> Walmart sells individual containers of oat grass for about $2.25
> But that's just a 6 week supply.

Did not know this, I will definitely check! (I did not see any
though, offhand.)

> I found a small 3oz. packet of seeds in the grocery store in the
> pet food section for about $3....or enough to last 2-3 years.

None at Kroger's, nor did anyone know what I was talking about.

> I've also seen the seeds in my local hardware store.

The best we have on that note is a Tractor Supply Co., and they had
no clue what I was talking about.

> The local pet store is bound to have it also.

You would think so wouldn't you?

Most everybody kept thinking I was saying "old grass." Hehe. I even
talked to the garden center at Wal-Mart and an older gentleman told
me there was no such thing. When I mentioned it was for cats he
said, "Oh you mean catnip." When I said no, that it was not catnip
it is something else, he sternly said "NO. No, it is catnip. Trust
me I know what I am talking about."

So anyway...

I am definitely going to recheck Wal-Mart but hopefully I have found
another source I might be able to use.

Thanks for all the helpful information, studio. I am going to
continue to bug my 2 pet stores (Feeder's and the specialty shop)
because they are the only pet stores here so they should offer a wide
variety. At least in my opinion...

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

studio <tlack.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:

: I found a small 3oz. packet of seeds in the grocery store in the
: pet food section for about $3....or enough to last 2-3 years.

Just curious, would you grow it in a pot or on the ground (ybe in a
corner of the lawn)?
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up? 

On Oct 8, 1:30 pm, Ajanta <aja... RemoveThis @null.void> wrote:
> Just curious, would you grow it in a pot or on the ground (ybe in a
> corner of the lawn)?

The direct answer to your question is: either or both.

Personally, I have 2 small pots I grow it in.
Since that particular grass only survives about 6 weeks,
when the one pot is dying, I start growing a new batch in the other
pot.

A little seed goes a long way, so a 3oz. packet will last quite a long
time.
The seed needs warmth and sunlight to grow.

Growing:
1. use some fresh earth and lightly sprinkle some seeds on top.
2. sprinkle more earth on top of the seeds...just enough to cover
them;
or, push the seeds into the earth with your finger tips about 1/4
inch
and recover with earth.
3. cover with paper towel
4. water liberally
5. water moderately daily and remove paper towel after 3 days
6. water lightly daily afterwards

Re-growing:
1. once the grass has died, pull it out and discard as much as you can
2. till and mix the earth throughly
3. replant

If you have a grow light, you can also grow it inside during
the winter months as long as it's in a warm area of the house.
 >> Stay informed about: How to treat a cat when she throws up?