Every cat parent has seen and heard their pet throw up—more often than not in the most inconvenient of places, like a newly-bought carpet or freshly-changed sheets. But cat vomiting is more than a harmless nuisance that comes with owning a cat.
It’s true that a healthy cat in perfect shape will vomit on occasion. If your cat vomits more than a few times a month, this may indicate a cause for concern. Frequent vomiting often points to underlying causes with varying degrees of severity, and it’s best to get ahead of these issues before they worsen.
Let’s take a close look into the most common reasons why cats vomit and what treatment options are available for each problem. We’ll also give you advice on when vomiting is concerning enough to take your cat to the veterinarian, so keep reading!
Common Causes of Cat Vomiting
There are two classifications of vomiting in cats: acute and chronic. Acute vomiting means your cat has been vomiting for no more than two to three days. This will likely be resolved by medication, changes in diet, and other remedies that address the symptoms.
Chronic vomiting, on the other hand, is repeated vomiting that occurs more than once a day. This is typically associated with serious, long-term illnesses and is often accompanied by other signs and symptoms.
Both acute and chronic vomiting have underlying causes. The causes of vomiting vary greatly, so consulting with a veterinarian is always the best course of action in determining which of these health issues may be the culprit.
Here are the most common causes of cat vomiting:
Rapid Eating
Portion control isn’t really all that popular in cats, and they may gorge on food as soon as you put it out. This occurs more frequently in multi-cat households, where cats worry that their fellow felines will steal their food.
You can avoid this by feeding your cats separately, or using puzzle feeders that promote slower eating.
Hairballs
Disgorging hairballs once or twice a week is perfectly normal in cats. Because cats groom themselves, they often swallow fur in the process. Vomiting hairballs is their way of preventing swallowed fur from creating blockages in their intestines.
However, vomiting hairballs daily is a cause for concern. This would require more regular grooming and a specialized hairball control diet. Laxatives can also help hairballs pass more easily through your cat’s gastrointestinal tract, but these medications should never be administered without a prescription from your veterinarian.
Inability to produce a hairball after repeated retching and vomiting is equally alarming. If these symptoms are accompanied by lethargy and loss of appetite, it may indicate an intestinal blockage that may require possible surgical intervention.
Foreign Body
While house cats no longer hunt for their food, their instincts as predators remain intact. This is why they tend to go after and ingest strings, thread, rubber bands, and toys.
Cats may also steal food from their owners’ tables and end up eating animal bones. When this happens, your cat’s body will try to expel the foreign object via vomiting. Other symptoms of foreign body ingestion include:
- Diarrhea or difficulty passing feces
- Abdominal pain or tenderness
- Loss of appetite
- Pawing at the mouth
In some cases, the foreign body will simply pass through. But these objects are more likely to cause blockages in the gastrointestinal tract or puncture the stomach or intestines. As such, it’s best to take your cat to the veterinarian right away if your cat has ingested a foreign body.
Parasites
Roundworms and other gastrointestinal parasites can also cause vomiting in cats. These parasites are transmitted to cats through flea or mosquito bites, ingestion of contaminated meat or infected rodents, and contact with the feces of an infected cat.
Along with vomiting, symptoms of parasitic infections in cats include:
- Diarrhea
- Coughing
- Weight loss
- Dull coat
The treatment of parasitic infections will involve oral medications prescribed by your veterinarian. Taking proper hygiene measures is also key to successful parasite control, such as cleaning the litterbox daily and keeping your home free from rats and other parasite carriers.
Toxins
Cats are curious by nature, and your kitty may end up ingesting edible or non-edible items around your home that are toxic to her. This can cause repeated vomiting, as your cat’s body may be attempting to get rid of the toxin.
Here are a few of the most common items that are toxic to cats:
- Chocolate
- Garlic
- Onions
- Raisins
- Xylitol
- Alcohol
- Coffee
- Houseplants
- Human medications
- Household cleaners
- Insecticides
- Pesticides
If you suspect that your cat has ingested any of these items, call the Pet Poison Helpline or take her to your veterinarian right away.
Medications
Vomiting is one of the most common side effects associated with different medications for cats. These include:
- Antibiotics
- Steroids
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Pain relievers
If your cat is taking any of these drugs and experiencing persistent vomiting, consult your veterinarian about changing the medication.
Stress
Stress can make cats vomit the same way it can make you feel ill or queasy. Studies have shown that drastic changes in a cat’s environment can stress them out and exacerbate sickness behaviors, such as vomiting, loss of appetite, and passing stool outside the litterbox.
Some common causes of stress in cats include changes in their caregiver, residence, daily routine, and general environment. Giving your cat more attention and love during these stressful changes can help her adjust better and even reduce symptoms of illness like vomiting.
Diet Change
A sudden change in diet can also upset your cat’s stomach and cause vomiting. This may be accompanied by diarrhea and a refusal to eat.
If you’re changing your cat’s food, whether to a different brand or a prescription diet, it’s best to make the transition slowly. Start by mixing in ¼ of the new food with the old food, and increase the amount gradually every day until she gets used to the new food.
Food Allergy
Just like humans, cats can be allergic to certain foods. In fact, they can develop allergies to the food they’ve eaten all their lives. Fish, chicken, and beef are the most common causes of food allergies in cats. Some cats may also be sensitive to grains and gluten, although this is quite rare.
Besides vomiting, other symptoms of food allergies in cats include:
- Diarrhea
- Itching
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Redness of the skin
- Hair loss
- Wounds from scratching
To determine whether food allergies are causing your cat’s vomiting, take her to the veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian may prescribe a “food trial” in which your cat solely consumes proteins she hasn’t eaten before. This is done to test for food allergies.
If your cat is diagnosed with a food allergy, your veterinarian may prescribe a special diet for her.
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus in cats is a chronic condition in which the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin to maintain the proper balance of glucose levels in the body. This leads to unusually high levels of sugar in the blood.
Diabetes is primarily characterized by weight loss, increased thirst, and excessive urination. However, diabetic cats may also experience vomiting, especially during the later stages of their illness. They can experience hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), both of which can cause vomiting.
Treating feline diabetes involves insulin therapy and a prescription diet. Early and aggressive treatment of diabetes can help cats achieve and maintain normal glucose levels until insulin is withdrawn, but in some cases, cats will need daily insulin injections for life.
Veterinarians recommend that owners of diabetic cats avoid giving their pets extra shots of insulin when they’re vomiting or not eating. Instead, they should take their cats to the veterinarian right away to determine the best course of action.
Hyperthyroidism
Cats over the age of 10 to 13 are at risk for hyperthyroidism, a disease caused by the overproduction of thyroid hormone by enlarged thyroid glands. This affects the metabolism, increasing the metabolic rate and energy consumption of the body. It also affects the heart and other internal organs.
Vomiting is one of the primary symptoms of hyperthyroidism, along with other clinical signs like:
- Drastic or inexplicable weight loss
- Increase in appetite
- Increase in water consumption
- Increase in activity levels
- Unkempt or matted fur
The treatment options available for hyperthyroidism in cats include dietary changes (low-iodine diets), oral anti-thyroid medications, and radioactive iodine therapy. Some cases of hyperthyroidism may require surgical thyroidectomy or removal of the thyroid glands.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
One common cause of chronic vomiting in cats is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition characterized by chronic inflammation and irritation of the stomach or intestines. While there is no known cause of this disease, cats with food allergies or parasitic infections are at higher risk for developing it.
A cat with IBD will usually vomit intermittently over a prolonged period of time, and also experience symptoms like:
- Chronic diarrhea
- Bloody stools
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Flatulence
- Lethargy
Treatment for feline IBD includes putting affected cats on hypoallergenic, low-fat, high-fiber diets with easily digestible proteins. Cats with parasites will also require deworming to relieve their IBD symptoms. If deworming and dietary changes prove ineffective, your veterinarian may prescribe certain medications such as steroids and antibiotics.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a condition that occurs when the pancreas, the organ responsible for hormone production and food digestion, becomes inflamed. Acute pancreatitis can develop into chronic pancreatitis in some affected cats. There is no known cause for this illness, but it’s often associated with other diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and liver disease.
Vomiting is a common sign of pancreatitis in cats, as well as:
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
The treatment of pancreatitis depends on the severity of the episode. Acute pancreatitis episodes may require aggressive intervention, involving hospitalization with treatments like antibiotics and intravenous fluid therapy for dehydration. At-home treatments, on the other hand, may involve appetite stimulants and a prescription diet.
Cancer
Different types of feline cancer may cause chronic vomiting in cats, such as adenocarcinoma and lymphoma. Sadly, the cause of cancer is often unknown, although the feline leukemia virus and environmental toxins may be contributing factors.
Cancer can be hard to spot in cats, as they’re known for hiding symptoms of illness from their owners. But aside from vomiting, here are a few clinical signs to watch out for:
- Noticeable lumps that change in size
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty urinating/passing stools
- Drooling
- Lethargy
- Pain
- Seizures
While cancer is one of the leading causes of death in cats, it can be treated in certain cases if caught early. Surgery and chemotherapy are among the treatment options available that can help prolong the lifespans of cats with cancer and improve their quality of life.
Take note as well that chemotherapy can cause vomiting in cats, particularly 2 to 5 days post-treatment. In this case, food and water should be withheld for no more than 12 hours, then slowly re-introduced in small amounts.
Treatment Options for Cat Vomiting
The treatment for cat vomiting will depend heavily on its cause. Here are some of the most common ways to treat vomiting in cats:
- Fluid therapy
- Antiemetics
- Dietary changes
Take note that all these options must be prescribed (and oftentimes administered) by your veterinarian. However, if your cat is suffering only a mild case of nausea and vomiting, you can try a few home remedies to give her relief. These include:
- Withhold food for around 12 to 24 hours, but make sure not to prolong her fast.
- Keep your cat hydrated.
- Give your cat bland food, such as boiled chicken breast with white rice.
- Switch to cat food with highly digestible proteins, but be sure to make the transition gradual.
When to Take Your Cat to the Veterinarian
Mild cases of cat vomiting can be successfully managed at home. However, you should take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible if:
- Your cat ingested toxins
- Your cat vomits right after eating
- Your cat vomits repeatedly throughout the day
- Your cat is vomiting blood
- Your cat’s vomiting is accompanied by symptoms like diarrhea, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
In Closing
Vomiting is fairly normal in cats, but that doesn’t mean it should be taken lightly. If your cat vomits frequently, there may be an underlying cause that poses serious risks to her health and well-being. Your veterinarian will help you discover the exact cause of her vomiting and give her the proper treatment, whether at home or in the hospital.
In milder cases of vomiting, however, making a few changes to your cat’s diet may help resolve the issue and help her get her hearty appetite back!