# Sick cat - help sought **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033 "2018-08-03T14:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/1 "2018-08-03T14:15:50Z")
For the last 3 nights my cat has gotten sick sometime during the night. The expelled stuff in question is almost odorless. While still wet it has exactly the same properties as clay. When dry it turns to fine powder. The cats diet has been the same for the last year. I doubt it litter as we use the clumping kind and the cat has never eaten it before. Do not click the following link if cat vomit offends you: [https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/1a409ab0-eba6-4796-a6d3-b78179d756e3\_l.jpeg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/1a409ab0-eba6-4796-a6d3-b78179d756e3_l.jpeg) Any ideas? Thanks. ETA: I’m assuming it’s vomit. But I’m not there when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/2 "2018-08-03T14:20:05Z")
Your cat is telling you he’s not well. Get to a vet. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/3 "2018-08-03T14:23:32Z")
Of course I’ll take him to the vet, until then I’m asking for opinions here. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/4 "2018-08-03T14:48:29Z")
Wow, dramatic puke picture. Any houseplants inside? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/5 "2018-08-03T14:55:33Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Wow, dramatic puke picture. Any houseplants inside? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/6 "2018-08-03T14:57:12Z")
I just looked up white puke in cats, and it seems hairballs can cause whitish puke. Is the vomit lumpy or hairy? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/7 "2018-08-03T15:19:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I just looked up white puke in cats, and it seems hairballs can cause whitish puke. Is the vomit lumpy or hairy? Not lumpy or hairy. As mentioned it has the consistency of natural clay. And yes it is more white than anything - more so than the pic indicates. Especially when dry. But when dry it turns powdery. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/8 "2018-08-03T17:57:43Z")
The good news is that looks like cat food. The bad news is that I have no way of knowing what is causing your cat to get sick. Is your cat indoor only? Indoor/outdoor? Any changes in routine (the cat’s) or the household lately? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/9 "2018-08-03T18:43:31Z")
Make sure the cat isn’t eating it’s litter. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/10 "2018-08-04T00:02:12Z")
That does look like cat food after it’s been in the stomach a little while … I’d guess an intestinal blockage perhaps from a furball … or Mittens has the kitty flu … ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/11 "2018-08-04T00:06:48Z")
Kitty hasn’t eaten string or yarn, I hope? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/12 "2018-08-04T01:15:31Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > That does look like cat food after it’s been in the stomach a little while … I’d guess an intestinal blockage perhaps from a furball … or Mittens has the kitty flu … We have another cat with a finicky tummy, any little thing will cause her to throw up her food so I’m pretty familiar with what thrown up food looks like (all the cats eat the same food). This stuff isn’t it, it is weird. It’s like reconstituted chalk or something. If he does it again tonight it’s off to the vet this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/13 "2018-08-04T01:45:28Z")
OK, I’ll try this a different way: What kind of cat litter are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/14 "2018-08-04T02:13:02Z")
Is there bare sheet rock or crumbled plaster from a home improvement project around? Or styrofoam? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/15 "2018-08-04T03:49:26Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > OK, I’ll try this a different way: What kind of cat litter are you using? I’ll try again too. From the OP: > [@](#): > > I doubt it’s litter as we use the clumping kind and the cat has never eaten it before. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/16 "2018-08-04T03:56:38Z")
Get the little bugger to a vet. Stat! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/17 "2018-08-04T04:15:59Z")
If a pet vomits, and you can’t identify what’s in it, that creature needs to see a vet, especially if it happens more than once. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/18 "2018-08-04T04:30:42Z")
So what did the vet say? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/19 "2018-08-04T04:36:47Z")
Good of you to take a picture of it. Make sure to show that to the vet. Have had to take a recently adopted dog to emergency vet 100 miles away twice in the last year. He always finds something that he shouldn’t eat. He always works it out. No surgerys or anything. The problem was really hydration. Wouldn’t drink. So in goes the IV until it works it’s way out. Gloves and socks so far as we can tell. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2018, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033/20 "2018-08-04T06:25:53Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I’ll try again too. From the OP: My cat was eating it’s clumping litter before it died. Clumping litter looks like chalk when it gets wet and then dries out. If it is eating it’s litter, it’s serious - usually some type of intestinal blockage. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-cat-help-sought/819033.md?page=2)