All cats vomit occasionally, but frequent or severe vomiting is not normal and may be a sign that your cat is suffering from something more serious that an upset tummy. Our emergency vets share some advice on when your cat's vomiting may be something serious.
Is vomiting normal for cats?
Just like their people, our feline friends can suffer from an upset tummy for a number of reasons.
Some of the most common causes of upset stomach in cats include, a reaction to eating something bad, viruses and parasites, or more serious problems such as cancer or organ conditions.
Pet parents should be aware that if your cat vomits more often than once a month, or keeps vomiting repeatedly, it's time to see your vet to determine the underlying cause of your cat's vomiting.
Why is my cat vomiting?
Hairballs / Furballs
Hairballs (furballs) are undigested, wads of fur that clump in your cat's stomach as a result of the cat's self-grooming. Hairballs are especially common in longhair cats, and cats that groom excessively. Hacking noises and spasms commonly accompany vomiting if your cat is trying to rid itself of hairballs.
In the majority of cases, hairballs are easily brought up by cats, but if your cat is experiencing difficulties when trying to expel a hairball it's time to see a vet. Occasionally hairballs become trapped and can lead to intestinal blockages which may be fatal.
Eating Too Much & Too Quickly
If your kitty eats too much food, too quickly, vomiting will likely result soon after they eat. If your cat often eats quickly then vomits, there are a number of fun cat bowls available to help slow your cat's eating and help to prevent vomiting.
That said, vomiting right after eating could be an indication of a more serious health issue such as hairballs, a digestive tract obstruction, dehydration, or esophageal issues. If your cat frequently vomits right after eating, it's time to visit the vet.
Some Serious Conditions Which Can Cause Vomiting In Cats
It can be tempting to dismiss your cat's vomiting as normal cat behavior, however vomiting can be a symptom of a serious underlying health condition. A few of the more serious causes of vomiting in cat include:
- Poisoning
- Intestinal foreign bodies
- Intestinal Parasites
- Food allergies
- Diabetes
- Hyperthyroidism
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Metabolic Disorder (ie: Kidney Disease)
How do I know if I should take my cat to the vet?
If your cat is vomiting periodically or infrequently, avoid giving your cat any food for about 12 hours. Provide kitty with a couple of tablespoons of water every 30 minutes or provide them with ice cubes during this brief fasting period. After 12 hours begin providing your cat with small amounts of bland food and gradually return to normal feeding if vomiting has stopped.
If your cat is experiencing repeated bouts of vomiting, you should contact your vet immediately. Continuous or severe vomiting could be a sign that your cat is seriously ill and requires immediate treatment. Contact your vet if your cat displays any of the symptoms below:
- 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 may sound 'icky' but 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.
Some of the things your vet may notice thanks to a sample of vomit are:
- Large amounts of mucus in your cat's stomach which 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 your vet notices that bile is present in your cat's vomit, it may be an indication of pancreatitis or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Red blood in vomit is a sign that your cat's stomach may be ulcerated.
- Strong smelling vomit may indicate that your cat has an intestinal obstruction.
Treatment
When it comes to treating vomiting in cats, the treatment will depend upon the underlying cause of the problem. Depending on what's causing your cat's symptoms, treatment could be as simple as temporarily withholding food, or as complex as surgery or chemotherapy.
If your cat is vomiting frequently, or repeatedly, contact your primary care vet for advice. If your cat is showing extreme symptoms contact your closest emergency vet. In Winston-Salem our emergency vets at, Carolina Veterinary Specialists are available any time you are unable to reach your primary care veterinarian, including late nights, weekends, and holidays. Contact us in for emergency veterinary care.
Anything that irritates your cat’s stomach or prevents the contents of their stomach from moving through the digestive tract can cause vomiting. Reasons for a cat being sick include hair balls, eating too much or too quickly, eating new or unusual food, an allergic reaction to food and parasites. Other causes include gastrointestinal conditions, pancreatitis, heat stroke and ingesting poisonous substances. While some of these issues are mild, others will require emergency veterinary treatment. “Why is my cat being sick?” is one of the most common questions our vets are asked. Short-term cat vomiting (less than 24 hours) is generally for a mild reason and not a massive cause for concern, especially if your cat’s health is otherwise fine. This may be down to a mild tummy upset. Long-term or severe cat vomiting is a far bigger concern and if your cat keeps throwing up or you think it’s something to worry about you should contact your vet or, out of hours, your nearest Vets Now pet emergency clinic, straight away. If it’s not an emergency but you would like some advice you can book an online video consultation with our vets between 8am and 11pm every day. Learn more here. If your cat has been sick once or twice but otherwise appears well: If this does not resolve the sickness and you are concerned about your cat vomiting repeatedly, call your vet or, out of hours, your nearest Vet Now emergency clinic or 24/7 hospital immediately.
next 24 hours
You should also contact your vet if:
- Your cat cannot keep water down
- Has blood or unusual material in her vomit
- Has pale or cold gums
- Is displaying signs of listlessness, diarrhoea, fever, or another illness
We start to worry about cats being sick when they’ve vomited frequently in a single day or a couple of times over a few days. It’s also a cause for concern when they stop eating altogether or will try and eat but bring the food and water back up. This can be considered an emergency because your cat isn’t able to keep anything down and can quickly become dehydrated and lead to an issue with sugar. If your cat’s vomiting is accompanied by any other symptoms such as lethargy, diarrhoea or pale gums, if there’s blood in their vomit or they’re showing signs of pain, don’t delay in contacting your vet.
- Hair balls
- Eating too much or too quickly
- Eating new or unusual food
- Poisonous substance ingestion
- Parasites
- Gastrointestinal condition
- Pancreatitis
- Allergic reaction to a food
- Heat stroke
If your cat is going to be sick, you may see drooling, lip licking, excessive swallowing, retching and contractions of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm. Your cat may also hide away in a quiet area when she feels nauseous.
- Hair balls
- Eating too much or too quickly
- Eating new or unusual food
- Poisonous substance ingestion
- Parasites
- Gastrointestinal condition
- Pancreatitis
- Allergic reaction to a food
- Heat stroke
If your cat is going to be sick, you may see drooling, lip licking, excessive swallowing, retching and contractions of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm. Your cat may also hide away in a quiet area when she feels nauseous.
While cats don’t have the same reputation as dogs for scavenging, some do habitually eat things they shouldn’t.
Common causes of cats being sick include swallowing foreign objects such as pieces of string, rubber bands and ribbons, dangerous human foods such as onions and chocolate, and poisonous substances such as antifreeze, plants and human medications.
Internal parasites and serious diseases such as cancer or diabetes are also reasons for cats throwing up. If your cat is being sick regularly, there may be an underlying problem that will need to be diagnosed by your veterinarian.
Cats often vomit up hairballs. They develop these in their stomach through fastidious grooming. The fur they swallow can’t be digested and often ends up forming into a congealed lump. These lumps of hair can be dangerous as they can lead to blockages and irritations. Owners can do their bit to prevent hairballs both being thrown up and being stuck in the digestive tract by introducing a strict brushing regime to remove loose fur.
There is a difference between vomiting and regurgitation. Regurgitation is when cats throw up undigested food, often with little or no effort.
This undigested food may be covered in mucus and shaped like a tube. Regurgitation is often brought on by coughing, difficulty breathing, oesophageal problems or foreign bodies.
If your cat is vomiting foam, it’s likely to be bile. This is usually yellow or greenish in colour. Blie is an acidic liquid created in the liver and stored in the gallbladder until food has been ingested, when it’s released into the intestine. Bile helps cats break down food. It can, however, leak into the stomach and cause vomiting. If your cat vomits bile persistently or their sickness is accompanied by other health issues such as diarrhoea, loss of appetite or lethargy, seek urgent advice from your vet.
There is a difference between vomiting and regurgitation. Regurgitation is when cats throw up undigested food, often with little or no effort.
This undigested food may be covered in mucus and shaped like a tube. Regurgitation is often brought on by coughing, difficulty breathing, oesophageal problems or foreign bodies.
Your vet will check your cat over by performing a clinical examination and also ask you questions to see what you have observed at home. Since there are many possible reasons your cat may be vomiting, your vet may need to perform some further tests to work out what’s going on. These might include blood tests, urine tests, x-rays or ultrasound.
Treatment will depend on the diagnosis but may include intravenous fluids — a drip — to correct dehydration or antibiotics if infection is suspected. She may also be given anti-vomiting medication, called antiemetics, and stomach protectants if it’s appropriate. If a so-called foreign body is suspected, surgery may be performed to remove it.
Many causes of cat vomiting cannot be prevented. But by removing any potentially harmful foods or objects from your cat’s environment you can help to minimise the risk of foreign body ingestion or toxicity.
First Published 2nd February 2017 Last Updated 27th April 2021
Vets Now assumes no liability for the content of this page. This advice is not a substitute for a proper consultation with a vet and is only intended as a guide. Please contact your local veterinary practice for advice or treatment immediately if you are worried about your pet’s health — even if they are closed, they will always have an out-of-hours service available. Find out more about what to do in an emergency.