why is my cat throwing up

Cats vomit. It is one of the least dignified things we do and one of the most misunderstood. Some of it is utterly normal and some of it is a warning, and the whole skill is telling the two apart. Below is how to read what your cat has produced on the rug, and the one combination of signs that means you stop reading and phone the vet.

the line that matters most, first

If your cat is vomiting AND has stopped eating, or is vomiting repeatedly, or seems weak, lethargic, or is also having diarrhoea, that is a vet visit today, not a wait-and-see. A cat that is not eating is a cat heading for trouble faster than most owners realise, because cats that go without food for even a couple of days can develop serious liver problems. Repeated vomiting also drains fluid quickly, and a small animal dehydrates fast. So: the odd single vomit from a bright, hungry, otherwise normal cat is usually nothing. Vomiting paired with a cat that has gone quiet and off its food is not. Hold that distinction and the rest of this page falls into place.

the harmless commonplace causes

Most vomiting most of the time is one of a few boring things. Hairballs are the classic: a cat grooms, swallows fur, and eventually brings up a damp cigar of it, sometimes with a dramatic performance beforehand. The occasional hairball is normal, though frequent ones are worth addressing, which I have covered in why does my cat have hairballs.

Then there is the cat who eats too fast and returns the meal almost whole, minutes later, undigested. This is regurgitation more than true vomiting, and it usually means the cat gulped. A slow-feeder bowl, or smaller meals more often, fixes most of it. A sudden change of food can also upset a stomach, which is why you switch foods gradually over a week rather than overnight. And a cat that has eaten grass will often bring it back up, which is generally nothing to fear.

the causes that need a professional

Beyond the everyday, vomiting is a symptom of a great many real conditions, which is exactly why persistent vomiting is not something to manage at home. It can point to eating something poisonous, and cats are surrounded by hazards, from lilies to human medications to certain foods, which I keep listed in what foods are toxic to cats. It can mean a swallowed object stuck in the gut, which is a surgical emergency. It can flag kidney disease, an overactive thyroid, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, or parasites. None of these are things you diagnose from the sofa, and several are common in older cats, so a cat that has begun vomiting regularly, even if it seems otherwise well, has earned a check-up.

what the vomit is telling you

Your vet will want details, so it is worth noticing them. How often, and for how long. Whether it is undigested food, foam, bile, or hairball. Whether there is blood, which looks red or like coffee grounds and always warrants a call. Whether the cat is eating, drinking, and using the litter box normally. A quick note on your phone, or a photo, unglamorous as it is, genuinely helps the vet get to the answer faster.

what you can do at home for the mild cases

For a one-off vomit from a cat that is otherwise its normal self, the sensible steps are gentle. Make sure fresh water is always available. Feed smaller, more frequent meals, and slow down a gulper. Keep up regular grooming to reduce swallowed fur if hairballs are the pattern. And watch. If it happens once and the cat bounces back to eating and playing, you can relax. If it keeps happening, or any of the warning signs from the top of this page appear, you stop watching and start dialling. A cat cannot tell you where it hurts, so a change in a normally reliable stomach is a message worth answering.

Related reading from my desk: why does my cat have hairballs, the commonest culprit, and why does my cat eat grass, which so often comes back up on your way to work.

Vomiting together with loss of appetite, lethargy, diarrhoea, blood, or that continues beyond a day or two needs prompt veterinary attention. Cats deteriorate quickly when they stop eating. I am a cat with opinions, not a veterinarian.

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