Ooh - I'm not an expert. I do have cats and have had cats all of my life.

Maybe there's a tough hairball. Can you buy some of the malt hairball stuff? Often they'll eat it off your finger.

Or maybe something's stuck inside, ribbon, perhaps? My cats love to play with curling ribbon and I have to be very, very careful with it. It could get caught around intestines. Or an elastic. when you say the vet checked him over pretty thoroughly, what does that mean? Did the vet do an x-ray? Blood tests?

How about weight? Do you have a baby scale that you can weigh him on, or did the vet weigh him?

Cats tend not to show their distress until it's quite far along, so I'm concerned for your boy, especially since it's been a couple of weeks. I'd get him right back to the vet first thing Monday morning and make sure that all of the above things are done, even if they were done before.

When he throws up, is it food, bile, or what?

Too bad tomorrow's Sunday, but hopefully you can take him in again on Monday morning.

Suzieque

Suzan, I would encourage you to get him to the vet ASAP. Is there an urgent care in your area? Suzieque is so right about cats hiding their illness, make sure that he is still drinking, they can dehydrate very quickly. Is he indoor only? Did the vet do blood work?

I'd echo what SuzieQ and Lynn said. 6 yrs old isn't very old....so it wouldn't be kidney failure or anything I wouldn't think.

My cat was 14 when she developed kidney failure and wouldn't eat.

If they don't eat, they can't poop, nothing to digest, but there's a reason your poor boy isn't eating.

Did your vet do bloodwork, urinalysis, an X-ray?

Could be many reasons. He could have kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroid, megacolon, food allergy, stubborn hairball - any number of things that can't be diagnosed on a message board.

Try giving him 1/4 of a regular Pepcid tablet twice a day and find another vet for a second opinion.

My cat Whisper was quite old,maybe 13,and had been in good health all her life. She suddenly refused to eat. Took her to the vet, who felt a blockage in her gut. An enema and a few hours of "IV rehydration" fixed her up. She was fine for several more years, until she developed kidney failure. Good luck with your kitty. I'm no expert, just reporting my experience.

Suzan, how is he this morning?

Thanks, everyone. I did talk last night with a vet that I know and he said that he would likely recommend what Jannie suggested with the IV and an enema.
He didn't throw up in the night which was a blessing both for him and us. He wanted to eat this morning, but didn't - when I put a little food (have tried pretty much every known cat food plus tuna, chicken, eggs from the human side) he seems like he's afraid to eat now. He is drinking water on his own, so that is one positive.
I have been giving him a laxative from the vet but it isn't moving anything along at all quickly - poor guy last night tried to go but could only get it to come out part way - sorry to be graphic - at any rate, we are going to see the vet again tomorrow and hopefully we'll get him straightened out and feeling himself again.
Thanks everyone, I'll let you know what the vet says and how the big guy is doing...
Suzan J

"He wanted to eat this morning, but didn't - when I put a little food (have tried pretty much every known cat food plus tuna, chicken, eggs from the human side) he seems like he's afraid to eat now."

Suzan, just for the heck of it, have his teeth checked. Mention resorption to the vet, I hope that isn't it but have his teeth checked very closely.

One of our big boys has an issue with constipation, I have to keep a very close check on his butt for 'the egg', a bulge that tells me we have a problem. He refuses to eat any of the hairball remedies that would be such a help to keep things moving. I have a Rx that he gets to soften things up and help them move....but it if is really bad he gets an enema. That's fun.

We have a cat with megacolon, which is a condition that stretches the bowel so that stool doesn't move through properly, and she frequently backs up.

If this is what the vet is sure the problem is (diagnosed with an X-ray), then you can try

Bisacodyl (mild stool softener),
Propulsid (intestinal stimulant to "move" things along),
Lactulose (synthetic sugar used to pull water into the bowel to soften stool),
150 cc SubQ fluids 5 times a week (adds water under the skin and the lactulose pulls it into the bowel - and you can easily do this yourself at home),
Plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling), which adds fiber and bulk to the stool. I give Kenya a teaspoon full once or twice every day.

This daily regimen has kept Kenya comfortably "moving along" for several years now. Fortunately she's only had to have an enema twice in about 5 years. Occasionally if there is inflammation caused by the constipation the vet will put her on a 2 week course of prednisone. The inflammation is painful, and that may cause them to stop eating.

Hope everything "comes out" OK on Monday.

One of our cats has megacolon, and has had to go in for enemas several times. Tally gives good suggestions for managing that condition.

If we squeeze some Lactulose liquid into our kitty's mouth daily she is usually okay. She gets Petromalt hairball remedy a couple of times a week, which she likes.

Doesn't need the other treatments mentioned at this point.

Wet food is best for her system, but if we give her any dry kibble we add water to it.

Do we have an update?

My kitty stopped eating and it appeared that she wanted to eat but couldn't. It turned out that she had feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions. She had oral surgery and a tooth removed. She started eating again almost immediately after surgery. She was always somewhat of a sloppy eater but had gotten very messy right before she was diagnosed.

Good luck with your kitty!!

Update on Mr. MouKat - spent a long time at the vet yesterday. X Rays showed that he was not blocked up in the back end as first suspected, in fact he had no back up whatsoever, so that is good news.
The bad news is he has a blockage in his intestine, possibly from something he ate that he shouldn't have. He is going to be staying at the vet for a few days, having barium and IV electrolytes to compensate for the nutrition he didn't receive over the days he wasn't eating.
The vet did check his teeth and mouth, all seemed fine there. The vet's hope is that the barium may help smooth things out and move this thing along. If it doesn't, he'll have to operate to remove the obstruction.
So now I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to pay for cat surgery if it comes to that, whether to send my gifts up to the family 3 hours away or wait and see if I am going to be able to go, and just generally trying to not have a panic attack!
My daughter lives with me, and if Mou comes home and is doing okay she has said she will stay home if I want to go North. I'll have to wait and see on that, depends on what after care he is going to need and whether she thinks she can handle it.
Fingers crossed that the barium will help him out, a few prayers wouldn't hurt at the moment either. Thanks for the concern, everyone, I really appreciate it.
Suzan J

Thank you for the update. Poor Mou. I'm so glad your vet did an X-ray to see what was really going on.

Intestinal obstructions are bad this time of year - so many things a cat can eat - ribbon, tinsel, string.

I hope everything works out for you and Mou and that you both have a happy Christmas. Sending good thoughts your way!

Hi - thanks, I've been wondering. Sorry to hear about the blockage, but not surprised. I hope the barium works, too, and I expect that your vet knows not to let it go too long. Yes, these little beings do cost us big bucks. But I think that's the commitment we make to them. And we get it back ten-fold. Sounds like you feel the same and how wonderful that your daughter supports you.

Please keep us posted!

I'm glad it wasn't worse than it is Sjarz!
Give him the medication he needs and lots of hugs and kisses. Some from me, too.
Perhaps lots of petting will encourage that thing to come unblocked :)

I am so ecstatic to report that my boy did not need Surgery afterall and is home safe, sound and a heckuva lot happier than he has been in a while.
It turned out he had no blockage of any kind, he has pancreatitis, which apparently is fairly common in cats and dogs and doesn't really have a discernible cause.
He is on antibiotics and another liquid medicine for 10 days, food from the vet that is easy on the stomach, and should be good as new.
When he got home he wanted to eat right away, and has eaten a couple of times after that, and drank quite a bit of water, AND went to the bathroom - 100% improvement!
Thank you all so much for your great thoughts and support, it really meant a lot to me.
Have a happy holiday all, and let's hope all the pets have a safe one as well.
Suzan J

That's wonderful to hear Suzan!!!!!
He's a lucky boy.

That is absolutely wonderful news, Suzan!!!!! Merry Christmas to you from Mou! They truly are a blessing.....most of the time! LOL!!!

Oh, GREAT! What a relief. And what a happy boy you must have this morning! Terrific news.