Have you  tried  feeding smaller portions  1/4 of the size that you do now
you can always get another feeder to compensate  the difference

Yes  my cats play in the water dishes and do the same things  it  must be a
cat thing.  My spirit knock the water dishes to see it move before he drinks

If she's otherwise healthy and just eating too fast, have you tried
feeding smaller portions and spacing them out?

Cats will "play" in their water so they can see the surface. They have
trouble seeing where the water is and like to make it move. You could
try an electric water fountain/bowl, our cats love those.

With the way your cat is -- I don't think I'd be comfortable at all
leaving her home with a self feeder. If she just gobbles it all quickly
and throws it up, she's going to be starve.

Can someone she knows stay at your house  with her? At least visit her
and feed her small portions a few times a day? If not, I think I'd board
her at a vet and advise them to feed her slowly.

Good luck,

Rhonda

Take the portions divide it into four smaller portions.  Give the cat
each smaller portion an hour apart.   That cured the problem in a
cat that had the same problem.

My current kitten was the runt of the litter, now at 14 months old he
is now a very good sized cat.   Amazing what happens when the cat gets
fed.

Very common problem.  My current kitten loves to play in the water.  

Hi Kathy,

By your description, it certainly sounds like a case of a cat that eats too
fast and then throws it up, but have you had a vet check?  I would at least
consider a fecal exam to check for internal parasites.  Not all parasites
will show on fecal, but some of the biggies usually do if they are present.
I would not say that a parasite such as a worm would necessarily cause
vomiting, but they sure can cause a ravenous appetite.  Or maybe, as it
certainly sounds by your description, she is simply conditioned to compete
for food.  But in order to figure it out, there are some more detailed
questions that a vet would ask:

*exactly how frequently does she vomit?  After EVERY meal? After most meals?
How often does she eat?  How much time between meal and vomit episode?
*For how much time (continuous) has she had the option of free choice?
*When you tried smaller portions, what size were the portions and how many
times per day?
*Does the vomit look like undigested kibble, or is it mushy or liquidy?
*Immediately following a vomiting episode, how does she act? Still hungry?
Lethargic at all, demonstrating something that looks like she might be
queasy? Does she (sorry) eat the vomit?

The vet would also assess her physical presentation in terms of weight
(over? under? about right?) and coat condition.

You didn't say how old she was when you brought her home, has this been
going on since kittenhood or just a few months?

If we're talking just a few months, please be aware of the possibility that
if she is free fed for a few months straight and food is ALWAYS available,
she may balance herself out as she develops confidence.  Be watchful that
she doesn't gain too much in this process.

On the list of things to consider and maybe rule out would be an immediate
reaction to the food itself.  You may try a formulation designed for a
sensitive stomach for 6 weeks and see what happens.  However, if she is in
poor condition, please do not wait that long before a vet check.

How long is your vacation?  Can you afford to board her?

I agree with everyone else that it is very common for a cat to play in the
water!

kibble is a huge culprit when it comes to this sort of thing.  Cats eat
until they are satiated, but then are very thirsty due to the lack of
moisture in the food.  They drink a little water, then the kibble bits
expand, and now the food in the kitty's tummy is twice the size of the
tummy, so up it comes.

Switch to canned food.  It is better for the cat in every way shape and
form.  Google feline dry food, or  check out catinfo.org (run by a vet)
There are no benefits (to the cat) of dry food.

It is also not a good idea to leave a kitten home alone while you go on
vacation.  Get someone to check on her AT LEAST once per day, twice is
better.

and if you ignore all the suggestions, and she eats and vomits up her food
while you are on vacation, she'll just eat it again.  Recycled food is often
quite appetizing to cats.  I had a foster cat who was deformed, and her
stomach was in her chest, so when ever she ate she vomited.  Her three
brothers raced to see who could get to it first.