Conference misery::feline_v1

    Were you ever a mortgage lender??
    
    ;^)
    
    Edd

    My husband is a Real Estate Developer........ figures, right?

    They aren't getting yarn from the socks into their innards, are
    they?  Could that do bad things?  As to the hairballs, (if they are
    hairballs and not yarn balls...), are they on Laxatone or something
    similar?
    

Back to the tummy problems...

Siamese seem to be this way.  I know because we have Tabby at the house and
she has been examined every way there is with the result that we have had
to feed ONLY Science Diet kibble..no canned food, no "nummies" from the
table, and no cat food with fancy colors.

She still barfs, but much less frequently.  Oh, and try a daily dose of
petromalt for hairballs (we gradually reduced it to once a week now).

The cats won't like changing food and will complain, I suggest gradual
change to any cat food kibble that is low in ash and that has no food
dyes...Science Diet, Iams, and several other good brands available from
pet supply stores will work.

I also have two Siamese cats (Ashley and Pokie) however they are very 
rarely sick to their stomachs.  They are not allowed outdoors and I
have no "live" plants in my house (the few I have are "fake").  I would
suggest you put your plants where they can't reach them - if that's 
possible.   I doubt that it's the sock that's doing it!  I do recall a
few times though that Pokie has eaten so quickly that he gags alot.

Well, good luck - hope you find the reason.

Gail



< Note 1253.0 by TELALL::CROSS >
                            -< Sensitive "tummys"? >-

    I have two Siamese - Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. It seems that that
    they have VERY sensitive stomachs. If they aren't feed about the
    same time every morning and night, they will wolf down their food
    and almost without fail get sick. 
    
    There are other reasons why I think they get sick. Mr Fred likes
    to chew on socks and plants. In the process of chewing, he ingests
    some of sock or plant.... I think I would get sick too if I ate
    a sock!
    
    Also, it seems that they are having a problem with hairballs and
    can't seem to pass them....
    
    Are there any other possible reasons why they get sick? Is this
    common for siamese?
    
    Has anyone ever had these problems? Can you recommend ways to minimize
    the problem??? I'm having a hard time keeping the light gray carpet
    clean!!!!
    
    Thanks for your help -

    My Zildjian is part Siamese, and she gets sick about once a week.
     Make sure (this sounds gross) to check out the vomit - and make
    sure there is only their food and maybe a hairball, no plants or
    socks.  I always find a real thick hairball, and then I know it's
    because she can't pass it.  Once in awhile (Spring time) I put some
    vaseline on her front paws and she licks it off - this helps her
    digest those nasty hairballs.
    
    Spunky - on the other hand - stuffs her face then can't take it
    so she gets sick.  No hairballs in hers tho, just food!
    
    hope this helps!
    
    anna/zildjian/spunky
    

    
    
    Although I don't have any siamese now I have had many in the past.
    My parents used to breed them.  Yes, they all seem to have sensitive
    stomachs although some are worse than others.  I had a lilac point
    (she lived till 19 years old) who threw up quite a bit.  Here's
    what we did to try and combat the problem.
    
    Try bland foods.  Omit anything rich, greasy or gassy.  This means
    things like beef and chicken are usually OK.  Stay away from oily
    fish (tuna), liver, and cheese.  Some cats who are not quite as
    sensitive as mine was may do alright eating these foods once in
    a while.  Also, stay away from dry food and treats. If you find one
    they do OK on thats fine.  My kitty got sick on every one.  I know
    this is a limiting diet but they should be able to get used to it,
    and feel healthier and better in the process.  Your rugs will
    appreciate it too.  I really miss having a siamese.
    
    
                                    Hope this helps
                                        Donna
    

    My two Siamese vomit very often - especially when they have wolfed
    down their food.  Try giving them smaller portions 3-4 times a day
    and make sure they like what you give them.  (Because if they won't
    eat the "menu of the day", they will surely gulp down the food the
    next.  Pyewacket always vomits when he munches on my plants.

    My two Siamese ladies have never vomited in the house - one's been
    with us since November the other since March.  They'll eat almost
    anything, table food, moist food, etc. and are especially fond of
    spicy schezuan cuisine or anything else that Mom's eating!!!
    
    For the most part, they get fed IAMS dry twice a day, and once a day
    once a week, they get low-ash moist food as a "treat."  They do
    get the occasional aforementioned table food, and Bonkers. I have
    had no trouble from them with this diet, and they both eat like
    troopers. They are also very good water drinkers, and I think this
    might help, since they both drink a lot more than my first cat did.
    Niniane's been having some trouble with hairballs, mostly coughing
    but not throwing them up.  My vet gave me some of the Laxatone to
    give them both on our last visit.  We'll see if this helps.
    
    My first Siamese, on the other hand, vomited about once a week,
    and wouldn't touch anything but cat food.  But she also lived to
    see 19, so I doubt she was much plagued by it.
    
    Mary-Michael, Charm and Niniane

    Mee too - Sasha & KoKo upchuck frequently - I should say they
    used to - now I avoid food with dyes - make sure there is food
    down all the time - eating frequent small meals helps.  Before
    I stopped feeding junk food from the supermarket - Sasha inhaled
    Crave - she really loved it - the dye really made a mess on the
    light grey rug - IAMS works - when I fed IAMS she was fine and
    she really loved it.  The Blue Seal low ash also works - our
    upchucking days are just about over!
    
    E.T.

    Thanks for all your helpful hints.... I'm afraid that Fred does
    throw up pieces of sock and plants but other times he just throws
    up. I have been feeding junk food from the supermarket - that could
    be a problem, especially with the dye on the rug. They are VERY
    picky eaters but do drink a lot of water.
    
    I've tried a hairball treatment (can't remember the name) that you
    put on their nose and they lick off. Well, let me tell you that
    there is H_ll to pay when I try that... it endsd up all over the
    house and NOT in their stomach. I'll have to look into others that
    were mentioned.
    
    I try to leave dry food out for them always. And they DO drink quite
    a bit of water. And in the morning, I've been putting "hydroglecerone"
    (sp??) in their food to help their coats stay shiney and dandruff
    free. It seems to work -
    
    I will check out the brands mentioned at the pet store. I assume
    they are more expensive than the supermarket. Should I still feed
    both canned and dried food - one can in the morning and one at night
    with dry all day????????????
    
    It's hard getting used to "picky" cats - I inherited these from
    my husband!!! I'm used to the "mutts" that I grew up with and they
    ate EVERYTHING!
    
    Thanks for your advice-

>    I've tried a hairball treatment (can't remember the name) that you
>    put on their nose and they lick off. Well, let me tell you that
>    there is H_ll to pay when I try that... it endsd up all over the
>    house and NOT in their stomach. I'll have to look into others that
>    were mentioned.
    

I just open the cat's mouth with one hand and shove in a line of petromalt
with a finger of the other hand, rubbing it off on the tongue...then shut
the cat's mouth and hold gently, but firmly, until they swallow it.
It isn't fun, but it gets the stuff IN the cat.  My Hannah eats it off
my finger with no fight so SHE thinks it tastes good.

>    I will check out the brands mentioned at the pet store. I assume
>    they are more expensive than the supermarket. Should I still feed
>    both canned and dried food - one can in the morning and one at night
>    with dry all day????????????

I've been down this road.  My suggestion is go to dry food only and keep
them on it for at least 2 weeks (this will allow fussy tummies to settle
down and picky appetites to decide they WILL eat this stuff - don't be
fooled by the starvation diet gig cats sometimes pull when diets are
changed...they will eat when they get hungry enough).  Once the cats
are on the dry kibble, then you can "test drive" giving a SMALL potion
of canned food (quality stuff, no dyes and lower in fat than the junk
food at the supermarket)....don't leave the food down for more than
an hour or so in hot weather...it spoils fast.  See how the cat does.
If it doesn't throw up, then use the canned food as an occasional treat.
The dry food will be perfectly healthy for the cats as the only or
primary food...Tabby is now 14 years old and still a real pill and she
has only had Science Diet dry kibble for the last 10 years!    

Oh, and do get rid of the plants....the cat will not stop eating them
nor will it stop throwing up.  Try silk flowers.  They look nice and
the cats don't usually eat them.

    I thought cats ate plants on purpose to make themselves throw up,
    like they eat grass in the yard.  Sort of a do-it-yourself treatment
    to prevent hairballs.  No?  Yes?
                                                   

    re: -1
    
    I used to think so too.  But I was told by my husband that cats
    eat plants and grass when they are not getting enough vitamins and
    minerals in their diet, and not necessarily to upchuck hairballs.
    
    I guess that makes sense.  I feed the ladies IAMS which is supposed
    to be nutritionally complete, and they don't seem to go after the
    plants except as toys.  Wish I could get it to make them stop clawing
    the carpet!!!
    
    Mary-Michael

    
    We have two female Siamese, Sandy who is 4 and Sunny who is 3. 
    If we don't feed them their canned food at the same time each evening,
    Sandy will eat dry food and promptly throw up all over the carpet.
    Sunny eats dry food all the time and never throws up.  I can't figure
    it out myself.  And why doesn't she throw up on the hard kitchen
    floor instead of going into the living room and messing up the carpet
    or the couch or the chair.  I bet if she had to clean up the mess,
    she would get smart and just throw up in the toilet and flush!
    
    Of course, we love them to death anyway!
    
    Susan

    Some of you mention the *trouble* you have trying to get your cats
    to take a hairball remedy.  I'm having NO PROBLEM with giving my
    cats Laxatone.  They absolutely love it and would *kill* to get
    more of it.  It's quite funny as I will have one licking right out
    of the tube and the other three all licking off my fingers.  It
    has a Molasses-type smell to it (never tasted it myself!) and they
    very rarely choke up hairballs.  One of my cats does eat my spider
    plants now and then and ALWAYS vomits them up (could be because
    she's swallowing 2"-3" leaves whole!).  I've always felt that she
    does this deliberately to vomit if her tummy's not feeling right.
    I'm lucky as she will do this on my kitchen floor (no carpeting).
    I never did ask the Vet for his opinion.
                                           
    One of my males is part Simamese, and he is very susceptible to 
    diarrhea if he eats Friskies dry because it contains red food dye.
    And one of my females had a small bout with cystitis.  So, no more
    *junk* food for any of them.
    
    My Vet recommended Hills C/D canned.  I felt that only canned
    food twice a day wasn't enough for them, as I don't get home until
    6:00 week-nights so I'm also have out Hills C/D dry.  I expected
    to have problems with them liking the dry - but they gobbled it
    down, no problem.  Either I'm just lucky with my cats, or the Hills
    food is just good stuff (price isn't cheap, though I guess you get
    what you pay for).
    
    Hope these suggestions will help you too! 
                     
    Pam

    
    My kitty princess (whom every day decreases the rodent population) has
    never had a problem with getting sick so I can't offer any info on that
    subject but, when my kitty has hairball problems which probably will 
    happen soon because of shedding her winter coat I buy tuna canned in
    oil and drain it over her dry food. she loves the treat and and it
    seems to curb the problem.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Asia throws up once in a while also.  It is because she inhales
    her food.  I have put her on a diet of just dry food and moist only
    at night.  It stopped after that. 
    
    Linda

    My cat Tullus used to be sick if he ate a lot of dry food - he was
    OK on canned.
    
    I have always heard and read that cats should have grass available
    to eat if they want it - indoor cats should have some growing in
    a pot.  Perhaps this is why they eat the plants?  My cats, who go
    outside and eat grass when they feel like it, leave the house plants
    alone (well, Dora waters the parlour palm from time to time, but
    that's another story ...)

    My twins (Panther and Eirene) are part Siamese and they also have
    sensitive stomachs. They don't seem to have any problem with C/D,
    but for some reason Iams makes them sick. Surprising since neither
    has any dye in it. I find that they also get ill if they eat something
    "rich"  like premium ice cream, most cheese (they can tolerate feta),
    and liver.
    
    As for why they chew wool and eat plants, well, I thought that that
    was just because they are brats. I solved the plant problem, though.
    I got rid of the decorative ones. Something I've found that they
    like is scallions, so when I find an onion sprouting I usually put
    it in water and let it grow. They enjoy muching on it but don't
    get ill.
    
    Deb

    
    My Siamese, Katmandu, throws up a lot.  I have to feed her canned
    food because she had to have all of her molars removed due to
    gingivitis.  I don't think she would like the food sold at pet stores,
    such as Iams, etc.  She is really picky (unless it's something that
    I'm eating - then she has to have it!!).  I've tried spreading the
    food out in her dish, forcing her to slow down, but she still wolfs
    it down frequently.  She seems to go through periods of throwing
    up almost everyday, and then not getting sick for weeks at a time.
    I don't seem to see any particular pattern or connection to a change
    in diet.  I can't feed her four times a day either because I'm not
    always around (especially in the day).
    
    This seems to be a curse!  The cat I grew up with was half-Siamese
    and threw up a lot, too!  I didn't know there was a connection with
    breed until I read this note.
    
    I love her very much, but I can't stand this anymore.  Any other
    suggestions?
                
    
    				Deb
    
    
                               ^   ^
                                o o
                                 *
                             === v ===
                                  
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Re: .21
    Can you feed her a spoonful at a time, like a baby?
    

    re: .21
    
    I was told by a veterinarian that Siamese can have a tendency toward
    "stricture of the esophogus".  (I have a Siamese that throws up
    lots also.)
    
    Surgery would be expensive and not necessarily successful. 
    
    We have been able to control Sarah's vomiting by feeding only very
    WET canned food.  And she only gets about a tablespoon at a time.
    She gets fed first thing in the morning, as soon as I get home at
    night, and again right before bed.  She's not obese, but she is
    fit looking and slick-coated.  (She only weighs about 6 pounds.)
    
    I empathize with your cats condition.  I hate stepping in "surprises"
    in my bare feet.
    
 

    
    Oh, yes, those little surprises are soooooooo much fun!!
    
    Yes, Katmandu is quite fit-looking (and probably is fit) and slim
    with a shiny, healthy coat.  She is about 6 pounds as well.  She would 
    not let me feed her with a spoon (I don't think she knows how to eat 
    from it - I have tried feeding her people food from a spoon and she 
    doesn't seem to get the idea [I'm afraid she is not too bright]).
                        
    I will try feeding her less food more often when I can and wetting
    her food more.  
    
    Thanks for all your suggestions.
    
    Deb & Katmandu
    
    

                                      
    P.S. She is really adorable and a lot of fun!  See note 167.20 to
    see some of the reasons why I love her and wouldn't get rid of her
    for anything!
    
    				*MEOW*

    I have 2 pukers (pardon the word - but Misha just became one)
    I think he does it because he eats too FAST and too much at
    one sitting.  Now, when I put the pan down, I stand there for
    2 minutes, let him feed, then grab him and take him upstairs
    with  me.  I tried that last night, and he stayed upstairs
    and didn't even care.  This morning I forgot - yup, he dumped
    his beckies (sorry about the word) all over the kitchen rug!
    double YUK!  I should have watched him more carefully.
    
    E.T.

    Little Whicket does this too.  She gets so hyper after she
    eats........  there it goes!  She is getting better, every
    now and then I see her "cookies" on my bathroom mat.  (which
    is a drag, since that is where I usually do situps)
    
    Katie