Dr. Dan Christian specializes in small animal medicine, with special interests in behavior and nutrition. He has been instrumental in establishing animal behavior residencies for veterinarians at leading veterinary schools and developing innovative programs with veterinary organizations in the United States. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. During his professional career, Dr. Christian earned the American Association of Feline Practitioners Award. He has also appeared as a guest on television and radio pet health programs nationwide, and to has authored numerous articles for pet health magazines.

Q: I have a two-year-old cat and whenever he eats dry food he vomits. Is it OK to just give him canned food, and if so what should I look for in the ingredients?

A: This does often occur with our cats. When they deliver their undigested food on our carpets or beds shortly after eating it, the action is technically referred to as "regurgitation." If, however, there is bile or other liquids present, this is considered vomiting; it indicates signs of illness and requires a visit to your veterinarian for prompt medical attention.

Back to the more common situation of regurgitation. This is often because there is hair or some other physical barrier present in the stomach that stops food from passing through to the intestinal tract. And when our cats consume a meal and the stomach fills without a clear path to pass through, the regurgitation mechanism kicks in and there we have the undigested food on the floor.

To help the situation, you should consult your veterinarian for a good hairball remedy. There are cat foods (including dry foods) that are specially formulated with emulsifiers that will help. Canned food are a good choice to include in your cat's diet, as they tend to be easy to digest and will pass through the stomach with ease. With canned foods, be sure to look for the phrase "complete and balanced" on the label. Your cat will also have the luxury of having various flavors to choose from. It is OK for cats to eat just canned food (as long as it is complete and balanced). However, canned food should not be left around all the time, because it spoils easily. Feed your cat regular meals, and pick the canned food up after 20 minutes and throw any uneaten food away.