Kitten vomiting raw food. Help?

[Gregory The Cat]

We've had our kitten for about 10 weeks now. We started him on raw food (from Hare today gone tomorrow) with organ and bone in. Added Alnutrin specific for bone in food. He was great and had awesome poops for a few weeks (7 weeks or so?). About two weeks ago we came home to a huge pile of vomit on the floor and it was undigested raw food. We fed the boys( we have two cats) again, and for a second time our kitten threw up all the food. This time I noticed there was a string in the vomit (presumably pulled off of a Christmas blanket which promptly went into storage) and assumed this was why he vomited. He threw up twice more over the course of a weekend, and thus a vet visit was scheduled.
The vet did an xray, blood work, fecal exam and a physical exam. The x-ray showed a lot of gas in the intestines which also looked "bunchy" and could indicate a foreign object in the digestive system, but they weren't sure. Blood work was totally normal, as well as the exam and fecal exam showed no parasites.
We stopped feeding raw after the 4th vomiting, and just switched to inexpensive Friskies (Ugh, McDonalds, I know...) because we were worried about dehydration and he was able to keep it down. Both cats now have loose stool but is manageable (we do some psyllium husk in the wet food).
So here is my question. We have not had a single episode of vomiting for over a week while on just Friskies. Tonight we decided to try to transition into raw again, and mixed about half and half with the Friskies. After about an hour or so, the kitten vomited up all of the food again. Our older cat is totally fine. What should I be questioning? Is he just not tolerant to raw food? Could a foreign body be allowing something like Friskies to digest but not raw?
I can take him back to the vet for a barium test, but I don't want to subject him to that unless it really could be a foreign body.
Any thoughts? I'd love some feedback. I just want the best for my kids.

 

[MollysMom]

Some possible reasons for the vomiting:

He has developed a sensitivity to the protein source of the raw

He could be eating it too fast, or eating too much

There could be a foreign object in there.

As much as it sucks, I would have the test done to rule out the possibility of a foreign object. Once that is done, then I would revisit the food issues.

 

[Hairless Blessing]

It could be issues with the food. But, it could be a bowel blockage also.
This is life threatening. You need to have a ultra sound to check the
one that ate the string for sure. But, if the other one is having issues too. I would have both done.
@Cleopatra Beers her girl Cleo ate yarn cost her big money to save her
life. All the poisions ribbons, yarn, etc. You have to baby or off your
house. If it turns out to be the food, then they might have a allergy
IBS, but, you need a good grain free food. Best you can afford.
There are some good ones out there and they are quite affordable.
I know Chicken, any thing with feathers, or any chicken added in the
ingredients, is number one food problem with Sphynx.
You have a lot of work with your Vet to do and I would asap.
If it's blockage, it's life threatening, like I said.
I'll share this post from @Cleopatra Beers

I totally agree, and since it is the Holiday season, take care with tinsel, ribbons and yarn too! My Cleo cost us over $4000.00 in surgery from ingested yarn. And there is another member ( I think it is @nudieluvr ?) who lost her boy to a ribbon that he ate. Please watch those, along with plants, grapes and chocolate. Have a great Thanksgiving everybody!

 

[Xandria]

Just want to say that it could be a foreign body or protein allergy. If you rule out foreign body, try a different protein.

Hugs to you.

 

[admin]

We've had our kitten for about 10 weeks now. We started him on raw food (from Hare today gone tomorrow) with organ and bone in. Added Alnutrin specific for bone in food. He was great and had awesome poops for a few weeks (7 weeks or so?). About two weeks ago we came home to a huge pile of vomit on the floor and it was undigested raw food. We fed the boys( we have two cats) again, and for a second time our kitten threw up all the food. This time I noticed there was a string in the vomit (presumably pulled off of a Christmas blanket which promptly went into storage) and assumed this was why he vomited. He threw up twice more over the course of a weekend, and thus a vet visit was scheduled.
The vet did an xray, blood work, fecal exam and a physical exam. The x-ray showed a lot of gas in the intestines which also looked "bunchy" and could indicate a foreign object in the digestive system, but they weren't sure. Blood work was totally normal, as well as the exam and fecal exam showed no parasites.
We stopped feeding raw after the 4th vomiting, and just switched to inexpensive Friskies (Ugh, McDonalds, I know...) because we were worried about dehydration and he was able to keep it down. Both cats now have loose stool but is manageable (we do some psyllium husk in the wet food).
So here is my question. We have not had a single episode of vomiting for over a week while on just Friskies. Tonight we decided to try to transition into raw again, and mixed about half and half with the Friskies. After about an hour or so, the kitten vomited up all of the food again. Our older cat is totally fine. What should I be questioning? Is he just not tolerant to raw food? Could a foreign body be allowing something like Friskies to digest but not raw?
I can take him back to the vet for a barium test, but I don't want to subject him to that unless it really could be a foreign body.
Any thoughts? I'd love some feedback. I just want the best for my kids.

Sorry to hear of this issue. We do not raw feed but there are a few things over the years I remember hearing with issues and raw food. One being the food was too large, and the other being the type of animal, in other words they tried duck instead of chicken. I will add, I would try to go with a bit of a better cat food if you choose that route, even if just temporary. Science Diet has always been good to us.

 

[Gregory The Cat]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!
The vet only wanted to do the barium if the vomiting continued. It has been over a week since he's thrown up, and he only threw up after we gave him the raw.
I'll be calling the vet today to see what they advise, but I guess my question was more along the lines of could the raw be causing the vomiting. If it's an allergy to the protein, is vomiting a side effect?
Has anyone experienced that? It was turkey both times, but different batches. There is turkey in the canned food he's been eating as well which he hasn't thrown up. Is raw harder for kittens to digest or something?
Only the one cat vomited, though they both have loose stool. The loose stool didn't start in our older cat until we switched to the canned food. We're only doing that because they will eat it, it stays down, and it's wet. I'm looking into other foods, but we were hoping to do a gradual reintroduction into raw.
The vet also said to be looking for loss of appetite and lethargy if it was a blockage. He has neither of those and is a typical wild and crazy kitten.
Anyway, I'll be calling the vet once they open this morning, just wanted a little advice on the raw.

 

[Xandria]

Max is allergic to chicken and in larger quantities caused him to throw up. He now eats camel and venison with better in the raw... no throwing up.

To rule out raw you might want to switch the source. Try a local reputable butcher'S turkey. Mix that with the alnutrin. If still throwing up, try better in the raw with turkey from hare or butcher. It's important to change only on thing at a time when investigating the source.

Also, meat should be thawed in fridge for no more than 2 days. Do not counter thaw. Warm food before serving is okay. Don't leave food out for more than 20 minutes.

It's possible you had a bad batch of meat or even poorly mixed alnutrin.

Hugs. Keep us updated.

 

[Gregory The Cat]

Well, here is an update though the news is not great.
The vet ruled out foreign body because other than the occasional vomiting he is not presenting with any other signs. The new x-rays also didn't indicate any presence of a foreign body, so hopefully that is checked off the list.

In not so good news, we found out that he has an enlarged heart and a mid grade heart mummer. Vomiting can also indicate heart disease, so it may not be related to food allergy, though that is still a possibility. They gave him some fluids and an injection of vitamin B in case his taurine levels are partly to blame. We do the correct dosage of alnutrin, but the vet said that sometimes that just isn't enough.

He has an appointment on Monday morning with a veterinary cardiologist for an echo-cardiogram and some other tests. If we can rule out heart disease, we will be working on food allergy potentials.
The vet wants him off raw food until we figure this all out. I'm fine with that. I would rather him eat crappier food if he keeps it down rather than risk dehydration etc with vomiting.

I feel pretty sure that we did everything correct with the raw food, fridge thawing, only in the fridge for a day at a time, not leaving it out for them for more than 20 minutes. And our other cat is totally fine other than the soft poop which could be because we switched his food. He was fine on the raw.

Thanks for all the support. I'll post an update on a new thread in an appropriate forum unless we find that it is indicative of an issue with the raw food.

 

[Yoda mom]

All paws crossed for your boy- please keep us updated -
Healing vibes n head smooches sent

 

[Zoe]

My Kitten, she loveddddd raw more than anything!! unfortunately now I dont trust it because my vet figures it was the source of her parasites and the reason she passed away

Im getting my new kitty soon and he will not be on raw food because I just dont trust it anymore

Hope everything is okay with your kitty!!

 

[Hairless Blessing]

Hope it's not heart disease or HCM. Will be praying for your baby.

 

[Xandria]

I am so very sorry to hear of the issues. Sounds like you've done all you can and it's just one of those horrible things. Please keep us updated. Sending you positive vibes and hugs!