Most owners don’t worry about their cat throwing up once in a while. When they vomit occasionally, it’s usually a minor problem, such as if they ate too much or became too restless right after their meal. However, vomiting in cats can be a sign of a more serious problem that requires an immediate visit to the vet. Chronic vomiting (lasting several days to several weeks) can be caused by systemic (which involves the whole body) or gastrointestinal disorders.
How is vomiting defined?
They correspond to the forced expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth. It is important to note the difference with the more passive regurgitation during which the food is more gently expelled by the esophagus and which does not involve contractions of the stomach. Cats prone to vomiting usually show signs of nausea: they drool, lick their lips and swallow excessively before vomiting.
Potential Causes of Vomiting in Cats
There are many reasons for vomiting, and in chronic cases, your veterinarian will find the exact cause to determine the best treatment for your cat. The most common causes include:
What should I do if my cat vomits?
Why do Cats vomit? After a single episode of vomiting, check your cat for other signs of illness, such as depression, fever, or diarrhea. If possible, identify and eliminate any items that may be causing the vomiting, then remove your cat’s food bowl for a few hours. Keep giving her water and try to encourage her to drink. If he’s not vomiting more, give your cat a teaspoon of food. If he still isn’t vomiting, continue to give small amounts at regular intervals for the next day, before returning to a normal diet if all goes well. Do not administer over-the-counter or human medications without specific advice from your veterinarian.
My cat is vomiting: how can I help it?
There are many reasons why a cat vomits. Vomiting may be due to toxic, expired food, a virus, or the side effect of veterinary treatment. If your cat vomits regularly, seek veterinary advice, especially if it is accompanied by diarrhea or fever.
YOUR CAT IS VOMITING: WHY?
Vomiting in cats is a reflex act, following a contraction of the abdomen, thanks to which the animal expels the ingested contents from its stomach. This may be due to toxic or spoiled food, a foreign body, a virus, or even the side effect of veterinary treatment. It is therefore essential to carefully examine the contents of the rejection, consisting of yellow or green bile and partially digested elements, to get an idea of the state of health of your animal before alarming you.
VOMITING CAT, WHAT TO DO?
soothe a vomiting cat
Know the difference between vomiting and regurgitation
Cat vomiting should not be confused with simple regurgitation. A vomiting cat expels the contents of its stomach through a contraction of its abdomen, whereas regurgitation is a simple passive rejection that occurs without contraction after the cat has eaten its food or grass to purge itself. Regurgitation in cats is a common and natural phenomenon. This should not alert you. On the other hand, it is necessary to monitor the state of health of a cat that vomits, to prevent, in the event of illness, that its condition does not worsen.
Cat vomiting, try to understand the causes
When your cat vomits, you have to try to understand why. Only careful observation of your animal’s behavior and the circumstances that cause it to vomit will allow you to determine whether your animal needs veterinary care or not. It is necessary to take into account the frequency of vomiting, the age of this symptom, the volume of its discharges, their content (color, undigested elements, presence or not of blood, etc.), but also the circumstances of the vomiting (change food, return from running away, stress, veterinary treatment, ingestion of foreign bodies, etc.).
What to do when your cat vomits?
The first thing to do when your cat vomits is to keep it away from the contents of its gastric discharge, to prevent it from trying to ingest it again and becoming more intoxicated. You must also ensure that his airways are clear so as not to risk choking, being careful not to get bitten. If your cat has ingested a toxic product, you must immediately take him to an emergency veterinary consultation. But if his state of health does not seem threatened, you can put him on a diet for twelve to twenty-four hours while hydrating him properly.
Your cat is vomiting, the signs to watch out for
If your cat is the victim of vomiting and this type of episode tends to recur, you must try to distinguish if there are no other symptoms that accompany this vomiting, starting with its temperature which should not not exceed 39°C. If your cat vomits, it is also necessary to monitor its stools. If the vomiting is accompanied by diarrhoea, he is probably the victim of a virus. In this case, do not hesitate to have your animal examined by a veterinarian who will be able to administer the appropriate treatment.
YOUR CAT IS VOMITING, THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO
The causes of vomiting in cats are numerous and it is not always easy to know the reasons. Certain serious pathologies can explain these episodes (kidney failure, diabetes, cancers, etc.). He may also be infected with a virus or suffer from food poisoning. In any case, it is safer to take your animal to a veterinarian to prevent its state of health from deteriorating. You must also make sure to provide him with suitable food and think about giving him water to prevent him from becoming dehydrated.