My cat Skittles is 13 years old. She is an indoor cat. Terrified of the outside. Over the…
I am sorry to hear Skittles is having some issues. Until proven otherwise, I would treat the vomiting and scratching as two separate issues. It’s possible they could be related but just as possible they are not, especially given the time that separated their onset.
Scratching can have multiple causes but in many cases my first thought is of allergies. Cats manifest allergies in their skin not with runny eyes and nose as in humans. Cats can be allergic to many things: grasses, pollens, dust, food ingredients, fleas, wool, detergents, etc. Allergies can be difficult to prove but allergy testing, food trials and symptomatic treatment can help to firm up a diagnosis.
Vomiting as well can have multiple causes in a cat. I think of it like a person with a headache…it could be as simple as lack of sleep or not wearing your glasses or as severe as a brain tumor. I know you said lab work was normal, but I think of lab work as a starting place. There are different levels of lab work. Some lab work may just include a small screen and others may look at more tests. In an older vomiting cat, it’s important to check thyroid levels as part of the lab screen. A urinalysis, x-ray or ultrasound may also be helpful to find the cause. If all labs are normal, I will often think of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is an inflammation of the intestines, often due to an unknown causes, that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss or decreased appetite. It is very common in our cats and is best diagnosed through biopsy samples taken through endoscope or surgery. Keep working with your veterinarian until you get to the bottom of this. Your veterinarian should also be able to suggest some options to help control your cat’s scratching and vomiting until you get a diagnosis. Hope this helps.
Original post by Cat Advice (Emotional): Purina® Cat Chow® Mentor Amy Shojai and software by Elliott Back
