My cat ate a small piece of raw meat. Is he okay? What to watch for?

I would watch Joshie for anything abnormal, such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, panting, etc. It may be no big deal, but if she does develop symptoms she should see a vet for treatment.

Poor kitty. If he is only receiving meat in his diet he stands a good chance of suffering from Taurine deficiency, which can cause heart failure. He needs to be seen by your vet right away for testing and treatment depending on the underlying issue. Other possible causes for his vomiting and lethargy are underlying congenital kidney disorder, pancreatitis or simply salmonella poisoning from eating raw meat. I surely hope that your vet can narrow things down after running some tests and stabilize Cyrus’s conditon soon. Best of luck to you and take care.

The biggest problem with a bigger piece of something swallowed is that it could remain stuck in the esophagus which can be dangerous. Typically signs of this are excessive swallowing/gagging, drooling, acting restless, decreased appetite, etc. If it was fully swallowed then it may or may not upset his stomach (decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy). If you become concerned that it may not have been fully swallowed or if he is acting off then a visit to your family vet is in order. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As long as Sekhmet is acting as normal, she is not lethargic, not vomiting, not refusing her food you should monitor her at home. If it was a fresh piece of meat / gristle she should be able to digest it without any problems. Seasonings used for cooking are not toxic to cats, ulness contain large amounts of garlic and onion. However, if you notice any worrying symptoms (lethargy, vomiting, lack of appetite), you should not wait until tomorrow and get Sekhmet checked by your local vets right away.

Oh that's not good! I'd just watch Zoe for now. This meat could make her sick and give her symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and lethargy. If you see any of those signs, have her seen by a vet. I don't think she can handle eating meat that's been sitting outside for a month, that's pretty rotten, but you never know!

Hello. There should be no medical problems with the raw meat, although Leia may not be interested in eating for a while. It is also possible that she could throw this up as it is a rather large amount to eat in one sitting. Otherwise, she should be just fine. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m not panicking about Scar and I don’t think you need to rush to the ER. But here’s a couple things to watch for. My main concerns for Scar are gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines) and less likely, an infection like campylobacter. Gastroenteritis is marked by a small number of vomiting episodes followed by a few days of diarrhea. Pretty much as soon as the vomiting is done, Scar should be acting like herself (happy, active). She should be eating normally by 12 hours after the vomiting stops. If/when the diarrhea comes, that should be the only sign- no lethargy, loss of appetite, etc. This all usually takes care of itself in 2-4 days. An infection from the raw meat could be a bit more serious. Vomiting or diarrhea may be more profuse, she may not want to eat for an extended period of time, may have a fever or noticable lethargy. If you’re seeing this, it’s time to head to the vet for fluids and medications to help with the nausea and diarrhea. And of course, some dogs surprise me and have no signs at all. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Scar!