Question:
I just picked my 6 year old male up from the vets today. He has been there since Friday because last week he started vomiting and he hasn't stopped. The vet initially thought it was blockage and ran bloodwork and did xrays but couldn't find anything wrong with either test. Nothing stood out. He also gave him an aenema. Dopey also wasn't eating or drinking so they were giving him fluids.

When the vet called me this morning, he told me that Dopey was going to die if we didn't get this problem fixed and he wanted to do exploratory surgery which would cost over $1000. I'm on a very tight budget and do not have the credit capabilites to pay for this (on top of what I've already paid for the other tests). I've talked to friends and family and nobody can help. The vet said the other option was to put Dopey to sleep. I couldn't let him do this! He told me that other than the vomiting and not eating/drinking, he was very alert all weekend long. When I got him from the vet, he was meowing like crazy (not the pain kind) and definitely alert. As soon as I got him home and let him out of his carrier, he was walking around the house and then went outside and started kneading the ground and laying out in the sun. Dopey is an indoor/outdoor cat. He loves lying out in the sunshine.

The vet would not give him anything to stop the vomiting as he said he could be making the problem worse. He's had him for 3 full days and he doesn't know what is wrong with him. I'm calling another vet for a 2nd opinion.

I guess what I'm really looking for here is suggestions on anything else to try? Am I being irresponsible in bringing him home when there's nothing else I can do? I couldn't bear to have him put down when he's so alert and still my baby. He even jumped up on the bathroom counter which was something he stopped doing last week when he was getting sick. I am going to try to force feed him some liquids later, which was what the vet was going to do next anyway. He hasn't vomited yet today. Is there anything I can try to help him or do I just need to be patient and see what another vet may have to say?

Answer:
Do you have an emergency clinic/referral clinic for specialty areas of vet medicine near you? If you don't know call your vet and ask.

However, if your vet did bloodwork and xrays and found nothing, and I mean NOTHING then surgery may be the only resolution.

I wouldn't delay this situation, if the vet thinks its urgent you may wake up with a dead edited to add : CAT laying in your livingroom one day.

Answer:
Exploratory surgery is sometimes the only way to find answers. Sometimes something like cancer can only be assessed this way.

Depending on where you live, you may be able to take your cat to a teaching hospital for vet students. Ask your vet about options. Also call your SPCA and see if they know of any low-cost programs.

Answer:
Thank you both for the feedback. After being home from the vets for a few hours, my cat finally started eating some food (on his own) and as far as I can tell, did not vomit. He was very alert and this morning he was cuddled on my bed with me when I woke up. When I checked his litter box, he had peed. When I called the vet's office this morning, I was told I should try feeding him some pumpkin as he may be constipated. The vet still has no idea what is wrong with him but thinks he may be improving if he's finally eating again and not vomiting. I was told that even though nothing showed up on his bloodwork, it's possible he had an infection and the couple of amoxicillian shots they gave him over the weekend may have helped. I'm keeping my hopes up that he will fully recover.

Answer:
So then the vet jumped to the surgery conclusion??

Hmmm thats kind of scarey as a pet owner to think that it would be the only alternative. Well if the antibiotics are working thats a wonderful sign, I hope the improvement continues.

Pls let us know

Answer:
What are you feeding him? The regular dry food will be harder on his stomach?

Answer:
I would DEFINITLY get a 2nd & maybe 3rd opinion! It doesn't seem like your vet even gave the medicine time to work! I also wouldn't let him eat too much, this might make him sick also, after not really eating anything. I do hope he gets better, I have a tom cat that is truly my baby! He is an indoor/outdoor cat & he went on a little "kitty trip" one week w/o telling me...LOL. I was so scared he was gone for good then one day he meowed @ the door like he hadn't been gone @ all. I was the happiest person ever!!!! So I know how you feel! Good luck to you & Dopey!

Answer:
I normally feed him Iams dry food. He wouldn't touch this stuff when I got him home yesterday. I had some Friskies in the house too so I tried that and as soon as it hit his bowl, he started eating it. Tonight I'm going to get him some canned and see how he adjusts to it. When I called home just a few minutes ago, he was sleeping on the bed and there were still no signs that he has vomited again.

I'm going to change vets as well. I do not feel confident with this one especially after he told me my cat was going to die if we didn't do something drastic (the open and explore surgery) and also told me another option was to have him put to sleep.

I know Dopey and I aren't out of the woods yet but I'm so happy he's showing improvement.

Answer: