Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My cat is vomiting, pulling hair, has bad breath, and drinks a lot?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | unneutered

Ive got a MaineCoon x male that will only eat dry food, drinks lots of water, constantly vomits everywhere & now its ripping its hair out and bad breath too. Any solutions please help. I'm not the original owner as the person died. Please help

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

Veterinarian

Published on November 5th, 2017

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Billie!

How old is Billie? I wonder if Billie is young if he has a food allergy. The most common cause of vomiting in cats is a food intolerance. I would avoid a chicken based diet and get him on venison, all fish or beef. Billie could also be pulling his hair out do to skin allergies from food. Other causes of pulling out hair are fleas or stress.

If Billie is old and is drinking more then I recommend full blood work. Causes of increased thirst are: kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), liver disease and cancer.

Causes of bad breath are dental disease, kidney disease and sometime diabetes.

I think the best thing for Billie is to see a Veterinarian.

I hope this helps and I wish Billie the best!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My cat has skin issues, bad breath, vomiting, and diarrhea. What's wrong?

Oh my. Chewy sounds like she has a skin infection and advanced dental disease. These conditions unfortuantely require a vet visit to get a handle of with prescription medication and then you should schedule a dental cleaning with your vet. Bad breathe is also often a sign of infected teeth, so teeth extractions may be needed as well. I do hope that you can get Chewy in to your vet soon for a much needed exam and treatment plan. Best of luck moving forward. Take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my 4-year-old cat drooling, has bad breath, and coarse hair?

It sounds like Sissy may have two issues going on. It's likely she is drooling and has bad breath related to dental infection and dental disease. She will need to see a veterinarian for a dental cleaning and to have infected teeth removed if dental disease is indeed causing the problem. Her skin issues could be related to flea issues so it's best to be sure she is on a quality flea preventative like Revolution or Advantage. If a flea Issue is not present Sissy will need to see a veterinarian to rule out issues like allergies or mites causing hair loss. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat is vomiting like a hairball, not eating, but drinking water.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. With your description I am concerned that Cookie is not interested in eating and is trying to vomit. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Cookie so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would definitely consider having abdominal x-rays taken to ensure that this is not from something Cookie ate (string, stuffing, toy, etc.). I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my 12-year-old cat vomiting bile nightly with fishy breath?

I would schedule a vet visit for a full exam and bloodwork. Sudden changes to breath and the inclusion of bile in the vomit could indicate an issue such as organ dysfunction which needs to be checked out and treated, especially if this has been ongoing for several days.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Senior cat vomiting, diarrhea, losing weight, but always hungry?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poot Honey Bee!! I think Honey Bee needs to see your Vet today. Losing weight, vomiting and diarrhea in an older cat can be concerning. The sound you may be hearing when she eats is grinding of her teeth which cats can do when they are nauseous or have stomach issues. Possible causes for her symptoms are: kidney failure, liver problems, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer or possibly but less likely an obstruction (ate something that is stuck). Most of the above can be easily diagnosed on blood work. Your Vet may want to take an X-ray of her belly as well. I hope this helps and I wish Honey Bee the best!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my senior cat losing weight but eating a lot with bad breath?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Losing weight despite having a good appetite is a classic sign seen with hyperthyroidism. This is just one possibility among other conditions. I recommend you check in with a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for this and proceed with therapy accordingly. Best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat pees outside box, drinks lots, losing weight, bad breath. Why?

Poor Callie! Given that she has bad breath, is peeing outside the litter box, losing weight, and drinking frequently, I would be concerned she has a medical illness wrong such as kidney disease or diabetes. The bad breath could also be due to a dental problem, which the urination problems could be caused by a UTI or bladder stones. She definitely needs to see a vet right away.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share