This week: Dr Magdoline Awad on cat behaviour
Roaming cats not only pose a threat to the environment but to themselves, so what should owners of an estimated 3.3 million cats in Australia be doing?
Pets and Wildlife
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Cats are true carnivores and therefore born hunters, so thankfully there are ways to fulfil your feline’s needs without letting them roam outdoors.
With an estimated 3.3 million owned cats in Australia, the RSPCA’s Safe and Happy Cats
was established to promote the “safer at home, don’t let me roam” message.
The online resource states that contrary to popular belief, indoor cats can have a great quality of life compared to outdoor cats and are less likely to harm or kill wildlife, while having a lower risk of illness, injury or death.
The RSPCA recommends finding the best solution for your environment including secure indoor and outdoor enclosures, while providing adequate protein sources and stimulating toys.
Dr Magdoline Awad, chief veterinary officer at Greencross The Pet Company and SMARTdaily’s weekly pet columnist, considers the environment of this reader’s cat as a possible source of its vomiting problem.
SUGGESTIONS FOR A VOMITING CAT
What makes a cat vomit? She is four years old, has a small tin of moist cat food twice a day and dry food with plenty of freshwater available. She is an outdoors cat and I have to bring her dry food in at night as there is a stray cat about which sneaks her food. In the mornings, she is hungry. Sometimes she vomits her food as I feel she probably eats it too fast. She looks healthy and weighs 4.6kg. Regards, Maggy
Being an outdoor cat, you may not be aware of what she gets up to daily or what she eats or hunts.
From what you’re describing the vomiting occurs infrequently but enough for you to be concerned.
There are many reasons why cats will vomit. It could be she is hunting and may have eaten something unusual.
Has there been a change in the food that you feed her? A change in diet can cause vomiting. Anti-gulping bowls are available to slow eating too.
There are some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or other organs such as the liver and kidneys that can cause vomiting including inflammatory disease, infections or cancer.
Also, conditions that affect hormones, such as thyroid disease or diabetes – the former being more common in cats over 10-12 years of age.
Anti-gulping bowls are available to slow eating too.
It is important to have her checked by your vet. They may ask you about her appetite, her drinking habits and may run some tests to rule out various diseases.
Try and keep your cat indoors so you can keep an eye on her – there are many outdoor enclosures that you can install that allow outdoor access but keep her safe from other cats. Good luck Maggy.
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Originally published as This week: Dr Magdoline Awad on cat behaviour
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