If you own cats, you’ve probably witnessed a cat vomit at some point or another. Although cats frequently vomit, it is never typical for them to do so. Having said that, the cat does not necessarily need to be taken to the doctor every time she vomits, nor does it always require treatment. You may learn more about when to take a vomiting cat to the vet, the causes of cat vomiting, and the treatments available to make cats feel better in this website.
When to Take Your Cat to the Vet if They’re Vomiting
There are two main types of vomiting: chronic vomiting and acute vomiting. Chronic vomiting refers to frequent vomiting that lasts for an extended length of time (at least monthly, but it might be daily). Typically, the cat only vomits once or twice per episode. The acute kind manifests as when a cat starts vomiting after never doing so before. Only if the cat vomits more than once should you and your veterinarian be concerned.
A cat with acute vomiting usually needs more urgent care. The exception to this rule is a cat that is otherwise healthy and has only vomited one to three times. Your cat does not need to be taken to a veterinary hospital if she still wants to eat and does so without continuing to vomit, is acting normally, and appears comfortable.
Your cat should be examined by a vet as soon as possible if she throws up more than three times, has trouble swallowing food, and appears exhausted. She might just be feeling a fleeting sickness, but if it’s something more serious, therapy needs to start right away. Unless the cat is in excruciating pain or is immobile, she usually won’t need to see an emergency room.
However, if the cat is still eating and keeping food down, is not exhibiting any signs of weakness, and appears at ease, it is not important to see a vet for a cat that frequently vomits. If these statements are untrue, a cat who is vomiting repeatedly is either vomiting suddenly or is experiencing an acute crisis related to the issue that is producing his chronic vomiting.
Causes: Why Your Cat is Vomiting
There are certain exceptions, but acute and chronic vomiting might have the same causes. Chronic vomiting is not typically brought on by toxins (unless a cat is chronically exposed to the same toxin, such as eating a toxic plant). Ingesting a foreign body (often string) is not usually a cause of persistent vomiting, although it can be if the foreign body stays in the stomach.
Unfortunately, vomiting has a wide range of reasons and is a very ambiguous symptom. In fact, vomiting can occur as a symptom of practically any feline ailment. Toxins, medications, food (including eating the wrong things), gastric (stomach), intestinal, organ dysfunction, endocrine, neurologic (usually brain-related), infectious, and cancer are the broad categories into which vomiting causes can be divided. There are dozens of distinct diseases and syndromes in each of these groups. Here are some of the more typical causes:
- Toxins: Grapes, Xylitol
- Drugs: Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories
- Diet: eating a dead thing, changing one’s diet abruptly, and having a food intolerance
- Gastric: Ulcers, inflammation of the stomach
- Intestinal: Foreign objects, sudden inflammation, chronic inflammatory bowel illness, cancer, and constipation
- Organ dysfunction: Liver disease, kidney disease, pancreatitis
- Endocrine: Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), elevated calcium, diabetes ketoacidosis
- Neurologic: Vestibular disease (can be associated with inner ear disease), encephalitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain), cancers
- Infectious: Feline infectious peritonitis, feline panleukopenia, heartworm
- Cancer: may have a direct cause, like intestinal cancer, or a secondary cause, such cutaneous mast cell tumors.
Diagnosis: Narrow Down Why Your Cat is Vomiting
It can be challenging to determine why a cat is vomiting. The majority of acute vomiting instances are temporary and get better with merely symptomatic treatment and time. To be sure a more significant issue is not present, a basic workup is frequently advised. Obtaining a thorough history is the first step in figuring out the source of vomiting. Your veterinarian can have the following inquiries:
- Was the cat exposed to plants and other toxins?
- When did the vomiting start?
- What is the cat’s normal diet?
- Does the cat go outside and if so, does the cat hunt?
- What is in the vomit?
- Is the cat on medication?
- Is there also diarrhea?
- Is the cat drinking a lot or urinating a lot?
- Does the cat play with string?
Your veterinarian will have a better notion of which diagnostics, if any, to utilize based on the responses to these questions. Although the appearance of the cat’s vomit does not provide a clear explanation for why it is vomiting, it might help the veterinarian narrow down their search. The following vomit traits, while not a perfect link, can provide some hints:
- Yellow vomit: Although it frequently happens on an empty stomach, this is bile and may be a symptom of liver illness. The cat might have eaten something yellow, too.
- Clear vomit: This may be esophageal regurgitation or empty-stomach regurgitation.
- White, foamy vomit: Once more, this usually results from regurgitation from the esophagus or an empty stomach.
- Blood in the vomit: Blood is coming from the stomach, esophagus, or mouth.
- Coffee-ground appearance to the vomit: This kind is caused by gastrointestinal bleeding, which is most frequently observed with ulcers.
- Brown, smelly vomit: This can result from eating something stinky and brown or from upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
- Undigested food in the vomit: Thus, the meal was never emptied from the stomach. It can occur as a result of food allergies or intolerances, blockages, or pretty much anything else that irritates the upper gastrointestinal system. Knowing when the cat last ate is crucial.
Treatments: Your Cat is Vomiting
Because there are many different causes of vomiting, there is no way for this resource to describe all of the possible treatments. However, we can make some treatment-related generalizations.
Fluids if your cat is vomiting
If the cat’s physical examination turns up no abnormalities and there are no concerning factors in its past, a veterinarian may decide to only provide symptomatic therapy, such as subcutaneous fluid administration (under the skin). Giving fluids can be crucial to flush the system and keep an animal hydrated even if they are not clinically dehydrated. A patient who is vomiting is most likely mildly dehydrated due to fluid loss through vomiting and inability to keep liquids down.
Dehydration is a self-perpetuating condition, which means that when an animal is suffering from it, she will not feel well enough to eat or drink and may even vomit more. She becomes more dehydrated as a result, which worsens her condition and decreases her desire to eat or drink, leading to more dehydration.
For practically all causes of vomiting, some type of fluid treatment is administered. IV fluids are frequently advised for animals who are extremely dehydrated or feeble.
Anti-vomiting medication
Giving an anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) drug can help stop the vomiting and reduce fluid loss, and is another popular treatment for most types of vomiting. Additionally, these medications may ease the cat’s gastrointestinal discomfort and increase its propensity to eat. Sometimes, stomach protectors like Pepcid or sucralfate may be advised, but their use is debatable. However, they normally don’t damage anyone. A painkiller may be added to the cat’s therapy regimen if the anti-emetics are ineffective in controlling the cat’s pain.
Diet changes
One of the most crucial therapies for cats who vomit both frequently and suddenly is nutrition modification. A temporary switch to an easily digestible diet, such as Royal Canin Gastrointestinal High Energy Cat Food, Hill’s ID Cat Food, or a bland human food like meat-flavored baby food (without onion or garlic powder added) or boiled chicken, may be necessary if your cat suffers from an acute case of vomiting. Remember that chicken and baby food are not complete meals for cats and ought to only be used for a short period of time. A diet adjustment can be therapeutic as well as diagnostic for cats who continuously vomit.
If the new food stops the vomiting, it may have been triggered by a food allergy, intolerance, or low-grade inflammatory bowel illness. Keep cats on the new food for a few weeks to evaluate if it is effective when testing diets for cats who frequently vomit. To ensure that the cat is receiving a complete, balanced diet, it should be on one of the prescription diets described above or one with fewer ingredients.
Prednisone if your cat is vomiting
As was already noted, some cats’ vomiting may be brought on by inflammatory bowel disease. The drug prednisone is used to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Prednisone has many negative effects, including an increase in thirst and urine, a weakened immune system, and weak muscles, thus we do not advise using it on your cat without first conducting any diagnostic tests. Administration to a cat may exacerbate some vomiting-related conditions, including pancreatitis, diabetes, and kidney disease.
