Why is my old cat moaning, hissing, and throwing up food/hairballs?

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear Mojo has been having some health issues recently. Kidney disease can often cause nausea and vomiting. Breathing trouble could be caused by a virus, bacterial infection or something more serous such as pneumonia, fluid in the chest, or lung cancers. Yowling at night or in the early morning could be a sign of dementia which typically happens in older pets. A veterinary check up would be recommended just to check his blood work and do a chest x-ray to see what is going on with his lungs. Anti-nausea medications can be prescribed to help control his vomiting. Sometimes certain medications can be prescribed for dementia as well, however, calming chews or Feliway plug ins/spray you can find over the counter at your pet store may help with night time disturbances as well.

Vomiting and increased vocalizations can sometimes indicate pain or distress. This could be due to GI upset, underlying illness, etc. If the symptoms continue, worsen, or you see additional issues such as increased vomiting, attempting to urinate or defecate but can't, loss of appetite, etc, then it would be best to seek veterinary care ASAP to find the underlying issue.

Hello, sorry to hear about Mallomar. I would be concerned that he could have an upset GI tract. Causes for these signs in a cat his age could include inflammation of the GI tract, a dietary indiscretion (getting into something he wasn't supposed to), or even ingesting a foreign object. You can fast him for the rest of the morning and afternoon, then offer a small amount of food tonight, a bland diet of plain white rice, skinless and boneless chicken, and low fat cottage cheese would work. If his vomiting persists, if he gets lethargic, or if he loses appetite, then I would recommend having him evaluated by his primary care veterinarian. He would likely need bloodwork and some x-rays of his abdomen to confirm he does not have a foreign object or any other underlying systemic diseases (kidney diseased, liver diseases, pancreatitis, etc) which can also present with vomiting signs. Hope this helps and best of luck.

This is enough concerning things to warrant a trip to the veterinarian. The hair loss may be due to allergies, to fleas or food, or environmental contaminants. The vomiting could be related to hair loss or food allergy and the vocalization can certainly indicate pain. She may have a number of conditions, including a urinary tract infection, always suspect when their toilet habits change abruptly. The best first step is going to see the vet for an exam and labwork. based on those results, the vet will be better able to determine the reason for the cat's illness and get her started on the correct treatment.

If all his bloodwork was normal that rules out kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, etc. If your vet did not test for hyperthyroidism than a test should be done. An x-ray and/or ultrasound is defintely needed and will, hopefully, provide more information. He could have an infection, cancer, or obstruction/foreign body to name a few other possibilities. If he is not able to keep food down, I am not sure waiting until Friday is a good idea. He may continue to weaken and may become dehydrated. If your vet can't take an x-ray then you could consider taking him to an emergency clinic or another vet that can. An anti-vomiting injection may be helpfull if your vet didn't give him one. I hope that his problem is diagnosed and treated soon!

Chronic diarrhea in an older cat with vomiting can be a sign of an inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal cancer. The only way to differentiate between the two disease is a surgery to take biopsies of the intestines and have them analyzed. Based on the diagnosis, the diet may be changed or vitamin supplements or steroids may be added to manage her symptoms. They will check for parasite and check her labs for any renal or endocrine disease

I would have Nurmal (love her name!) checked out by a vet. Sudden changes in behavior in a senior cat can point to medical problems such as hyperthyroidism and arthritis (pain may make her cranky). I recommend getting a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, and urinalysis. These tests will help the vet identify if she is suffering from a medical illness. Should one be found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. I would take her into the vet on Monday if possible. Good luck, I hope this helps!