Cerenia is one of the most well-known medications that is used to treat nausea and vomiting and cats. It is also sometimes used as a pain-medication for cats with sensitive immune systems.
While Cerenia is usually the first medicine prescribed by vets to treat chronic vomiting, it is not always the perfect fit for all cats. Some cats experience side effects from Cerenia, including anxiety, depression, lack of appetite, and even lethargy. Additionally, some cats will continue to vomit after they are administered Cerenia.
Whatever the reason may, there is certainly a chance you are searching for an alternative to Cerenia for your cat. Therefore, I decided to dedicate a whole article to this topic.
Cerenia alternative for cats
The most common Cerenia alternative for cats is Zofran. It is an antiemetic medication, which means it combats nausea caused by serious diseases or side effects from other medications.
Zofran, also known as Ondansetron, is usually prescribed as a tablet but can also be administered as a liquid. It helps settle the bodies digestive system, and can help reduce inflammation in your cats stomach lining. Zofran usually kicks in very fast, and you should start to see improvement in your cats condition within a couple hours.
Although Zofran has only been approved by the FDA for humans, your vet might be able to prescribe it to your cat. There is a good chance your vet can prescribe it to your cat if you have already tried Cerenia and it did not work.
Like Cerenia, Zofran must be prescribed to your cat by your vet in order to buy it. Luckily, you can easily buy Zofran with a vet prescription here on Chewy.com. You can upload your prescription letter digitally and purchase it online.
If you are unable to get a prescription from your vet, or you want to try a more natural approach, there are plenty of other alternatives to Cerenia.
Cerenia alternatives: Home Remedies
The two most common causes of vomiting in cats are diet and hairballs. Luckily, there are plenty of methods you can try to combat these problems.
Change your cat’s diet
There is a chance your cat is excessively vomiting because of the food you give them. This could be because their body is unable to digest a high protein diet, or your cat might have a food allergy. If you suspect this is the case you should check out this cat food for sensitive stomach.
There is also a chance that your cat eats his/her food too fast.
Whatever the cause may be, you should immediately try switching your cat’s diet. I would recommend switching your cat to a non-kibble diet that is gran-free. You could also try cat food that is low in carbs. You can also try feeding your cat in smaller quantities.
If your cat is still vomiting, you should switch him/her to a bland diet. I would recommend bland food such as rice. As a source of protein, you should also add chicken or turkey. You may also want to try a low sodium diet for cats.
Hairball medication
If you suspect hairballs are at the root of your cat’s health issues, you should look into some hairball medication. Luckily, amazon has a lot of over the counter hairball medication that does not require a prescription.
While hairballs in cats are almost impossible to avoid, you can help reduce their frequency by regularly grooming your cat. This will reduce the amount of fur that enters their body.
B12 supplements
Research has shown that B12 is another great way to help a cat that is vomiting. B12 helps your cat absorb nutrients while also soothing their digestive system. You can also buy B12 supplements on amazon without a prescription.
Hydration
An often-overlooked cure for vomiting in cats is hydration. Hydration not only helps the natural digestion process, but it also helps pass through foreign objects like hair that might be the root of your cats vomiting. You should make sure your cat always has access to a fresh clean bowl of water.
It is important that your cat drinks water right after they eat. This helps pass their food to the digestive system quicker.
Closing
Whatever is the root cause of your cat’s vomiting, there are plenty of alternatives to Cerenia. If your cat is vomiting due to a chronic condition such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Kidney Disease, or Hyperthyroidism, you cat will most likely need a prescription medicine such as Zofran.
However, if the vomiting is just caused by their diet or hairballs, there are plenty of home remedies that can be used to solve the problem.
The key is to bring your cat to the vet so they can properly diagnose the root cause. From there, your vet will either prescribe a medication, or suggest home remedies such as the ones I listed above.