How to Find the Proper Food for Your Abyssinian

Abyssinians, known for their beauty and regal appearance, have stomachs more fickle than a Persian’s. Constant puking is not good for the cat’s health or your carpet, but finding the best food for your Abyssinian can be difficult.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a good vet
• a few different kinds of cat food
• good carpet cleaner
• patience

1. Find a good vet. Your vet may not necessarily have a great deal of experience with Abyssinians (and most likely will not if you live in the Western or Midwestern states), but an Abyssinian is still a cat and a good vet can still help you care properly for him.

2. Have your Abyssinian checked out. Make sure that he has no other maladies that could make him sick. Tell your vet of any other symptoms that the cat may have. If possible, describe the appearance of the cat’s vomit or take a sample so that the vet can examine it. And take your vet’s advice. You’re not paying her to ignore her.

3. If the problem is just that your cat can’t keep his food down, then your vet will most likely tell you that you will have to experiment with different food brands. You want to try to find a cat food without a lot of filler. It is good to research the different kinds online or to connect with other Abyssinian owners and find out what they use. However, not all Abyssinians are alike. What works for one Abyssinian may not work for another for various reasons. For instance, I found that my Abyssinian, Baloo, could not keep down Iams or Science Diet. However, he has not had any problem with Purina Indoor Cat Formula, a significantly cheaper brand. I only tried it out of desperation before trying to make my own cat food, and fortunately it worked.

4. Give your cat a couple days to try the new cat food. Also be aware that it might be the flavoring or one of the ingredients. Again, speaking from personal experience, I found that Baloo could not keep down lamb but was fine with chicken. To keep from spending too much money, buy small bags rather than large.

5. Be aware that it might not be the cat food that is making your cat throw up. If he is snitching from the counter or you are feeding him bits of your dinner, that might be what is upsetting his stomach. Keep him away from all other foods besides the cat food, including kitty treats and cat nip until you have found a food that works for him. This can be difficult as Abyssinians are very intelligent and very determined.

6. If you are living out in the country, be aware that your Abyssinian may be eating insects that are upsetting his stomach. Japanese beetles, wolf spiders, and blow flies will turn an Abyssinian’s stomach faster than a barn cat’s. The results are usually disgusting and on something you can’t wash easily. The difference between a cat vomiting from a food not settling well and eating unsavory insects is that the cat will vomit more if it’s the cat food.

7. Stay calm. You will find a food that works for your Abyssinian. If all else fails, you can look into making your own cat food and, in a pinch, boiled and shredded chicken without any seasoning can help keep your cat fed.

Tips & Warnings

• If you purchased your cat from a breeder a long distance from you, your cat may be vomiting in response to stress, particularly if you had him flown. But this should stop within a week with reducing frequency.
• It is all right to give your Abyssinian treats, but avoid highly seasoned treats for your cat’s health.

[MidniteWriter]

on 7/15/2008 Wonderful article, very thorough! These are neat creatures but do need special care. Thanks for commenting on my articles, hope you will be back for more.