Vomiting in cats can have many causes. A single episode in an otherwise healthy cat may be transient, while repeated vomiting or vomiting along with other symptoms should be investigated. Here we explain what to look for when your cat vomits food, hairballs, white foam or yellow liquid, and when to contact your vet.
When does the cat need urgent veterinary care?
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat may have ingested something poisonous or swallowed a dangerous foreign object, such as thread, string, or a needle. Do not pull on thread protruding from the mouth or rectum, and do not attempt to induce vomiting at home.
- The cat vomits repeatedly or is unable to keep water down.
- There is blood in the vomit or dark contents that resemble coffee grounds.
- The cat is clearly lethargic, weak, has severe pain or appears bloated in the abdomen.
- The cat has repeated vomiting without anything coming up.
- The cat stops eating, or vomits along with diarrhea and decreased general condition.
- The cat is trying to urinate but is producing little or no urine. This may be urinary retention and requires immediate help.
Have a low threshold for contacting a veterinarian if it concerns a kitten, an older cat or a cat with a known illness. In case of collapse, difficulty breathing or severe pain, the cat needs urgent help. Read more about emergency care at A-Vet, or call 33 13 98 40.
Is it vomiting or regurgitation?
When vomiting, the cat is often nauseous first. It may lick its mouth, drool, and vomit before its abdominal muscles contract and stomach contents come up.
Regurgitation occurs more passively, without obvious vomiting or abdominal pressure. It is when food or liquid comes up from the esophagus, often shortly after a meal. Food that comes up right after eating is therefore not necessarily due to vomiting.
Repeated regurgitation should also be investigated. A short video of the episode can help the veterinarian distinguish the conditions, as long as filming does not delay necessary assistance.
Possible causes of vomiting in cats
Hairballs
Cats swallow hair when they groom themselves. Most of it passes through the digestive tract and comes out with the stool, but some can collect in the stomach and come up as a hairball. It is often oblong and may be mixed with food or liquid.
Regular brushing can reduce the amount of loose hair your cat swallows. However, frequent hairballs, repeated vomiting or retching should not be dismissed as normal grooming. In rare cases, a hairball may cause a blockage and require treatment. Read more about hairballs in cats.
Food, feed changes and reactions to feed
A sudden change in food or something your cat has eaten can trigger stomach problems. Large meals or eating very quickly can cause some cats to regurgitate food shortly after eating. It is useful to note whether your cat is actually vomiting, as this can help distinguish vomiting from regurgitation.
In case of recurrent vomiting, other causes must be considered. Food reactions may be relevant, but the diagnosis cannot be made based on vomiting alone. The veterinarian may recommend a controlled dietary trial if this is relevant. Planned food changes should usually be gradual.
Foreign
Threads, yarn, rubber bands and small toys can be swallowed during play. Such objects can irritate or block the stomach and intestines. Thread and string can be especially dangerous because they can get stuck and damage the intestines.
A blockage is different from regular constipation. Vomiting, loss of appetite and abdominal pain may be signs, but symptoms vary. Call your veterinarian if you suspect a dangerous foreign body, even if your cat seems fine.
Poisoning
Poisonous plants, drugs, and chemicals can cause vomiting and serious illness. Examples of dangers to cats include lilies, antifreeze, and some medications intended for humans.
In case of possible poisoning, you should contact a veterinarian immediately. Keep the packaging, or take photographs of the plant or product the cat may have come into contact with. State what the cat may have ingested and when it happened. Read more about poisoning in cats.
Disease of the stomach, intestines, or other organs
Inflammation of the stomach, also called gastritis, can cause vomiting. The inflammation is not necessarily caused by an infection. Other possible causes include intestinal disease, pancreatitis, kidney disease, high metabolism, and some cancers.
Some infections, such as feline distemper, can also cause vomiting and serious illness. Treatment depends on the cause. A gentle diet alone will not treat an infection or other underlying illness.
Tell your vet if your cat has also lost weight, changed appetite, diarrhea or drinking or urinating more than usualSuch information may be important for the investigation.
Intestinal worms and other parasites
Intestinal worms can cause stomach and intestinal symptoms, especially in kittens. Roundworms can sometimes be seen in vomit, but many cats with parasites have no visible worms. Tapeworms are more often found around the rectum or in the stool.
Treatment for intestinal worms should be tailored to the cat's age, hunting habits and risk of infection in consultation with a veterinarian. A picture or sample of what you have found may be helpful. Read more about intestinal worms in cats.
What can the appearance of the vomit tell us?
The color and content can provide useful information, but cannot alone tell why the cat is vomiting or how serious it is. How often it happens, the cat's general condition and other symptoms are at least as important.
Cat vomiting white foam
White foam can consist of saliva, mucus, and stomach fluid mixed with air. It can occur when there is little food in the stomach, but does not automatically mean that the cat is simply hungry. Repeated episodes or other signs of illness should be investigated.
Cat vomiting yellow liquid
Yellow or yellow-green fluid may contain bile. This can be seen when the cat vomits with little food in the stomach, but the color does not indicate what triggered the vomiting. Do not assume that it is harmless if it happens repeatedly or the cat seems ill.
The cat vomits food or clear liquid
Food can come up through both vomiting and regurgitation. Note how long it has been since the meal, whether the cat is vomiting, and whether the food seems digested. Clear liquid can be water, saliva, or stomach fluid. If the cat is unable to keep water down, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
Bloody or dark vomit
Fresh blood may be red, while digested blood may look dark and grainy, similar to coffee grounds. Brown vomit can also be caused by food, so the color alone is not enough to determine the cause. Contact your veterinarian promptly if blood is visible or suspected.
What can you do at home if your cat is vomiting?
If an otherwise healthy adult cat has vomited once and is quickly back to normal, you can monitor it closely at home. This assumes that you do not suspect poisoning or a foreign body, and that the cat is retaining food and water.
- Allow your cat access to fresh water. Do not force water or food into it.
- When the cat wants to eat and the vomiting has stopped, you can offer small portions of a familiar food that the cat usually tolerates rather than a large meal.
- Do not fast your cat for a long time. If your cat won't eat, you should contact a veterinarian.
- Avoid new treats, leftovers and sudden food changes.
- Note the time, number of episodes and what the vomit contains. Feel free to take a picture.
- Monitor the cat's appetite, activity, stools and whether it is urinating normally.
- Do not give medications intended for humans or leftovers from previous treatments without your veterinarian's advice.
Contact your veterinarian if vomiting recurs, your cat is not acting normal, or you are unsure. Recurrent vomiting over time should be investigated even if your cat seems well between episodes. You do not need to wait until your cat has vomited a certain number of times.
What does the veterinarian examine?
The vet will ask about the duration and frequency of the vomiting, appetite, feeding, medications, and the possibility that the cat has eaten something it shouldn't. The cat will be examined for pain, dehydration, and changes in weight or general condition, among other things.
Depending on the findings, blood tests, urine tests, stool tests, X-rays or ultrasounds may be necessary. In the case of long-term or recurring complaints, further examinations may be necessary.
Treatment is tailored to the cause and may include fluids, antiemetics, pain relief, modified feeding, or treatment of an underlying condition. Some foreign bodies can be removed with endoscopy, while others require surgery. Early assessment is particularly important in cases of possible poisoning or blockage of the stomach or intestines.
