Will A Cat Vomit from Hunger If you feed him once in the morning and wait until 8:00 to feed him again?

Question

I've never heard of this. My friend said he had to leave to feed his cats and that if he didn't they will start vomiting. Is this true or is it a line of BS? He fed them around 12:00pm and waited about 8 hours. Will they start vomiting? They are about 3-4 months old. I need to know if he was telling the truth or is there something about me he doesn't like and he was using the cats as a reason to leave?

Answer 1

I've had cats most of my life and I've never heard of this.  They do cough up furballs but that's normal.

I also have an angled bowl which is more suitable to their intestines and prevents reflux.

Our pets are our babies and if your friend wants to feed them at certain times its about love for them and not dislike of you.

Answer 2

I lived near my sister in law in Utah for 7 years. She owned a male cat. She fed him daily in the morning and headed to work. However she needed to drop off her daughter at child care first and pick her up coming home. Her cat was easily home 9-10 hrs Mon-Fri depending on her other quick stops.

I never once heard her mentioning that cat possibly vomiting if she didn’t hurry. But then again he was an adult cat with no health problems.

If you friend seems uncomfortable in your presence, looking constantly at their IPhone or laptop messages, coming late to see you or frequently canceling at the last minute with “emergency” excuses that if asked about later they seem vague or don’t mention voluntarily something may be amiss?

Answer 3

Personally I've never heard of this, nor have I encountered this because I've always (timely) feed my cats and other animals. I have a veterinarian who visits my Thoroughbreds stables every two weeks. Your question came in at a good time for me to ask him. He said "yes, it is possible that extreme hunger can make them sick/vomit. Especially if the cats haven't eaten all day. Bile is what irritates their empty stomach, which in turn can cause vomiting."

To continue if you don't know what bile is; it's a clear yellowish liquid, that can foam up a bit. So your boy very well could be telling you the truth. Best to give him the benefit of the doubt.  You could suggest that you go with him to feed his cats next time this comes up. That's something enjoyable you can do together. Cats are cool! 

: ))

Comments

I yield to Sandy's expertise here.  When I was a young lad, we had a cat, and he never threw up that I knew of.  On the other hand, he was an outdoor cat, so it's possible he threw up every three hours and I just never came across the scene(s) of the crime.  :-)

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Oh crap. I should have read this!

Answer 4

I'm not a Vet but yeah I've totally heard of this.