Today, our Woburn veterinarians discuss the causes of vomiting in cats and when you should seek veterinary assistance. While occasional vomiting is normal for cats, frequent or severe episodes may signal underlying health problems.
Cat Vomiting
Similar to humans, cats can experience an upset stomach for several reasons. Your cat might develop an upset stomach due to various causes, including parasites, viruses, a reaction to food that disagrees with them, or more serious conditions such as organ issues or cancer.
If your cat vomits repeatedly or more than once per month, it's time to take them to the vet to diagnose the underlying cause of their vomiting."
Reasons Your Cat May Be Vomiting
Eating Too Much, Too Quickly
Your cat might vomit soon after eating if it has eaten too much or too quickly. Using specialized cat bowls can help slow down your cat's eating if this is the case.
However, vomiting immediately after eating could indicate a more serious issue, such as dehydration, hairballs, digestive tract obstruction, or esophageal problems. If your cat frequently vomits after eating, it's important to take them to the vet for examination."
Hairballs
Hairballs, wads of undigested fur that clump in your cat's stomach, occur frequently in longhair cats and those that groom excessively. When attempting to expel hairballs, cats often accompany the act with hacking noises and spasms. While most cats can easily bring up hairballs, if your cat experiences difficulty in doing so, it's crucial to seek veterinary attention promptly. Trapped hairballs can result in fatal intestinal blockages.
Other Serious Conditions That May Cause Vomiting in Cats
- Intestinal foreign bodies
- Food allergies
- Poisoning
- Intestinal Parasites
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Diabetes
- Hyperthyroidism
- Metabolic Disorder (ie: Kidney Disease)
When to Worry About Your Cat's Vomiting
If your cat is vomiting periodically or infrequently, refrain from feeding it any food for about 12 hours. Offer your cat a couple of tablespoons of water every 30 minutes or ice cubes during this short fasting period.
After 12 hours, start feeding your cat small amounts of bland food and gradually resume normal feeding if vomiting has ceased.
If your cat is experiencing repeated bouts of vomiting, promptly contact your vet. Continuous or severe vomiting may indicate that your cat is seriously ill and needs immediate emergency treatment.
Contact your vet if your cat exhibits any of the following symptoms:
- Repeated vomiting
- Blood in vomit
- Weakness / Lethargy
- Pain / Distress
- Fever
- Blood in stool
Diagnosis
When taking your cat to the vet due to vomiting, it's a good idea to take a sample of your cat's vomit with you. Your vet will be able to examine the sample to help determine the cause of your cat's upset stomach.
- Large amounts of mucus in your cat's stomach could indicate an inflamed intestine
- Undigested food can be an indication of poisoning, anxiety, or simply a sign that your cat has eaten too much or too quickly.
- If bile is present in your cat's vomit, it may be an indication of pancreatitis or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Red blood is a sign that your cat's stomach may be ulcerated.
- An intestinal obstruction may cause your cat's vomit to have a strong smell.
Treatment
Treatment of vomiting in cats focuses on treating the underlying problem. Depending on what has caused your cat's symptoms, treatment can be as simple as temporarily withholding food or as complex as surgery or chemotherapy.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.