Cat Vomit: Two cat vets answer all of your questions.
We get asked a lot of questions about cat puke. From color to contents, shape, frequency and every awful thing in between, we’re asked it all. In this article and corresponding podcast snippets, Drs Bradbury and Guimaraes answer some of the most common questions posed by cat owners with vomiting issues.
Contents
Is my cat’s vomiting an emergency?
The most important question we need to answer is: Should I stop reading this article and take my cat to the ER? If your cat is experiencing any of the following, go to the emergency room:
Can’t keep down any food or water. Vomiting many times per day.
Vomiting blood
Vomiting what looks like coffee grounds
The greatest health risks, all of which are rare, that are associated with vomiting are bleeding, obstruction of the digestive system, and severe dehydration. That’s what this list is trying to address.
Do I need to bring my cat to the vet for vomiting?
Vomiting in cats is not normal, but neither does all vomit warrant a trip to the vet. Here is a simple diagram to help you decide if a vet visit is necessary.
The diagram isn’t perfect, and if you think your cat’s vomiting doesn’t fit in here, be safe and call your vet.
How should I prep for an appointment with my vet?
Short answer: Document their diet. Take pictures of their puke.
The more information we have about your cat the better, but here is a list of some things you can do prior to your visit:
Write down your cat’s feeding habits. What types and what brands of food (wet, dry and treats) are you feeding? How much? How often?
Take a picture of the puke. Gross? Yes, but incredibly useful.
Take note of how many times your cat has vomited in the last week with approximate times after eating if possible.
Make sure your kitty has fresh water to drink. Vomiting is dehydrating.
What can I expect during my visit?
Short answer: Questions, an exam, and diagnostics testing.
Question about the diet
First, your vet is going to ask you for all of the information in the “what should I do before an appointment” section. For the most productive visit, come prepared with that information.
Thorough examination
Once in the room, your vet will thoroughly examine your cat for signs of blockages, masses, and constipation, unfortunately though, examinations don’t tell us much about the state of your cat’s kidneys, blood glucose, thyroid, or intestines.
Diagnostic testing
If your vet can’t feel or see something that is causing the vomit, and that is often the case, they will recommend running diagnostic bloodwork and, when warranted, imaging (ultrasound or x-rays). Testing helps us get to the root cause of the vomiting so that we can create a treatment plan.
Are there over-the-counter remedies?
Short answer: Sometimes
Regurgitation
When a cat is regurgitating (immediately vomiting up food after eating), there are at-home changes you can make to try and help them out. Regurgitation is usually caused by eating too much too quickly. So smaller portions, putting up food when you’re out during the day, and separating multiple cats into different rooms during feeding are all at-home fixes that can curb the “regurg.”
If the problem is overeating, making the changes suggested above should clear up the regurgitation almost immediately. See your veterinarian if it doesn’t.
Hairballs
True hairballs come up looking like a tube of hair. There’s not a lot of food in them, and they’re more solid than liquid. If your cat is genuinely throwing up hairballs, then lubricating gels like Laxatone can help. Grooming or “lion cuts” for long-haired and short-haired cats decrease the amount of hair they ingest and can clear up the problem as well.
However, like regurg, if you don’t see improvement within a week, or if the issue worsens, make an appointment with your vet.
Plant matter
Sometimes grass or other plant matter will scratch your cat’s stomach and cause them to vomit it back up. The simplest way to prevent this is to stop them from eating the plant. Removing the plant or placing it in an area they can’t reach is your best bet.
There are common plants like easter lilies that can be deadly. So if the vomiting persists, call your vet.
Pretty much everything else
Unfortunately, there really aren’t any useful over-the-counter remedies when your cat is frequently vomiting up things like bile, partially digested food, or stomach acid. Usually, there is an underlying issue that will require veterinary-prescribed treatment plans to clear up long term.
Can changing diets fix it?
Short answer: Not recommended without consulting a vet first.
There is a chance that your cat has developed an allergy to food which is causing them to frequently vomit. BUT there are dozens of more common ailments which can be causing the issue, and changing your cat’s diet from beef to grain-free wild Alaskan salmon won’t fix them.
With some underlying ailments, abrupt changes in diets can actually cause more vomiting.
If your cat is vomiting more than twice per month and has not been diagnosed by a veterinarian, make an appointment and have the issue diagnosed before changing diets.
Isn’t it normal for cats to throw up?
Short answer: No.
When you think cats, you think hairballs, right? That’s what we all see in cartoons and social media memes, isn’t it? Well actually, if your cat vomits more than twice per month, veterinarians consider this abnormal. It is a very common misconception.
Chronic illnesses
There are a few common but chronic (ongoing) illnesses that can cause a cat to frequently throw up. Parasites, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or inflammatory bowel disease are issues that we frequently see in cats. Ailments such as these are treatable but life-threatening if left unchecked.
Don’t forget, vomiting is painful for cats just like it’s painful for humans, and treatments are available to improve your furry family member’s quality of life.
What did you eat?!
Of course, it could also be due to something they ate. Such as:
Leaves of poisonous plants
Leaves of non-poisonous plants or grasses
Spoiled cat food
Too much cat food
Various human medications (Pepto Bismol is quite poisonous to cats)
Pieces of string or yarn
Antifreeze
Human foods like chocolate or onions
Anything your cat finds on the floor like rubber bands, toys, or bugs.
If the cause is something they ate, then vomiting often solves the problem. However, severe poisoning or GI obstructions won’t clear up on their own, and these are emergencies that should be treated at the emergency room.
Don’t assume it’s normal.
Be careful. Don’t assume that multiple episodes per month are always due to “something he ate.” Chronic diseases are a real threat to cats and are cheaper to treat and have higher success rates when caught early.
My cat throws up, but seems fine.
Short answer: If it happens more than twice a month, they’re probably not fine.
In the wild, cats need to look strong to defend themselves against coyotes, racoons, or other cats. Their ancestors learned to hide symptoms of illness and appear strong so as to fool their foes. Unfortunately, this evolutionary instinct often tricks their humans too.
So although your cat may seem fine, there can still be problems beneath the surface.
If the vomiting is happening more than two times per month or is accompanied by any other unusual behavior, call your vet, explain your situation, and ask what they think your next step should be.
Hairballs.
Short answer: Hairballs are fixable — if they’re actually hairballs.
Identifying Hairballs
Many of our clients confuse hairballs, which look like a tube of hair, with vomit that has some hair mixed into it. They’re not the same thing.
True hairballs come up looking like a cylindrical log of compacted hair and a little liquid. If you’re seeing anything different, it’s probably not a “hairball”.
But isn’t that normal?
Not really. Cats’ digestive systems were designed to handle the hair and pass it right through to the litter box. Sometimes long-haired cats have more problems with hairballs, but if it’s happening more than twice per month, that’s something to bring up to your vet.
Over-the-counter fixes
Fixes for hairballs include products that lubricate the digestive tract like laxatone. Alternatively, you can try shaving your cat. Seriously. Groomers can give your short-haired or long-haired cat a fresh cut that decreases the amount of hair they ingest.
Hairballs should clear up fairly quickly after these treatments. If they don’t, there is likely some other medical ailment causing the issue.
Daily vomiting.
Short answer: It’s a problem. Don’t wait to have it diagnosed.
Daily vomiting is a problem. There are many underlying but treatable diseases that can cause your cat to vomit for 2+ days in a row.
Sometimes daily vomit clears up on its own, but even the fact that it occurred is a cause for concern. We often hear from clients that the vomit will clear up and then reappear a few weeks later.
If this is happening to your cat, early detection is the name of the game. The sooner you diagnose, the more likely you are to control it. It is much easier to combat the underlying issue at the early stages than if you’re late in the game.
The magical rainbow of cat puke colors.
Short answer: If it’s red or black that’s bad. Otherwise, it can be a lot of different stuff.
Red vomit: Unless you know for a fact that your cat has ingested a non-toxic substance that has red coloring in it, red vomit usually means blood. Call your vet immediately.
Black vomit: Black vomit can be blood from the stomach. It is especially likely to be blood if the consistency of the vomit is like coffee grounds. Call your vet immediately.
Yellow or Greenish Vomit: If the consistency is watery, this is usually bile — the substance your cat uses to break down food. Bile is supposed to remain in the small intestine, but it can be forced into their stomach while vomiting. It may also have been there before they vomited, which is a sign of an underlying illness.
If the consistency is more like a smoothie, in addition to bile, it could just be partially digested food.Pink vomit: This could be blood in trace amounts which you should definitely talk to your vet about. It could also be salmon-colored food if it has a smoothie-like consistency.
Green vomit: In addition to bile or partially digested food, this may be digested plant matter.
Clear or Foamy vomit: This is usually stomach acid that occurs on an empty stomach. It could also be recently ingested water.
What you can see from this answer is that the color of vomit leaves a lot of uncertainty about what is causing the vomit. All we really learn is what was inside the stomach (and sometimes the small intestine). If it’s blood, call your vet, but if it’s food, bile, or stomach acid, that’s all supposed to be in there.
Of course, it’s also all supposed to stay in there.
Undigested food / throwing up after eating.
Short answer: Usually eating too fast or too much. If you can’t fix it quickly, it’s something else.
Regurgitation vs Vomit
Throwing up directly after eating is called “regurgitation,” and it’s different from vomiting. Rergurg doesn’t involve the physical contraction of the stomach muscles that we typically associate with vomiting. Oftentimes, especially with dry food, it will come back up looking like a tube, completely undigested and looking like what you put in the bowl.
If regurg doesn’t happen immediately after feeding, it may not be regurgitation even though the food looks undigested. The differences can be subtle. Vomiting and regurgitation also have different treatment plans. To be sure which is which, consult your vet.
Causes and Remedies
It’s usually caused by eating too fast or too much and can be stopped by feeding less at once. Sometimes an open bowl of food left out while you’re away for the day is the culprit. Taking that away can solve the issue. If you have multiple cats, separating them during feeding so that no one scarfs down the other’s leftovers also helps.
If it doesn’t clear up quickly…
Regurgitation should stop almost immediately if overeating is the cause. If it doesn’t resolve quickly, there is an underlying, potentially serious issue, and you should contact your vet.
Vomiting in older cats.
Short answer: This is the stage in life when vomiting is more likely to reveal underlying issues.
As we’ve mentioned in previous sections, vomiting can be a red flag for an underlying illness. In older cats, as the effects of their lifestyle or genetics begin to take their toll, these types of underlying chronic illness become more and more likely.
The most common illnesses that afflict older cats and cause vomiting are:
Chronic Kidney Disease - It is most common in cats over the age of 9. To oversimplify, the cause is usually “wear and tear”, and it is very treatable if caught early. Your vet will likely run blood work, and urine analysis in order to diagnose. More details.
Diabetes - Just like in humans, it is usually caused by eating too much over a number of years. If caught early, it is very treatable and even reversible. Your vet will likley run blood work (sometimes multiple tests over time) in order to diagnose. More details.
Hyperthyroidism - Common in adult or geriatric cats, it is usually caused by an overproductive thyroid gland which is very treatable if caught early. Your vet will likely measure blood pressure, and run blood work in order to diagnose. More details.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) - Affects all ages of cats, though more commonly older ones. The cause is inflammation in the intestines or GI tract. Again, there are numerous treatment options when caught early. Your vet will run blood work, fecal tests, and may need to see inside with ultrasound in order to diagnose. More details.
Vomiting in kittens.
When kittens vomit it’s most commonly for one of two reasons.
Eating things they shouldn’t
Kittens are notorious for eating things they shouldn’t and then yakking them back up all over your sofa. So one frequent cause for vomiting in kittens is eating the wrong thing. This may happen to your little fur-ball more than once in a short period, but stay vigilant, because the next common cause is just as likely.
Parasites
45% of cats will get parasites during their life, with prevalence highest among kittens. Roundworms, are very common and can be contracted from mother’s milk. Isospora, a protozoan, can be picked up by ingesting some of the insects that kittens often enjoy chasing around your home. The ongoing vomiting caused by parasites in kittens can leave them susceptible to other types of infectious diseases.
Don’t wait to call your vet
If your kitten is vomiting and not throwing anything back up, don’t wait to call your vet. Continuous vomiting quickly dehydrates their little developing bodies, and they can get seriously ill in much less time than a full-grown adult cat.
Closing thoughts.
The two themes that we hope everyone who reads this article walks away with are:
Frequent vomiting in cats is not normal. Yes it can just be something they ate, but if it’s happening more than twice per month, it’s often something else. Call your vet or bring it up with them during your annual visit.
At the vet visit, expect to run some kind of testing or diagnostics to understand the root cause of your kitty’s vomiting. We usually can’t tell with just a physical examination.