Vomiting in Cats
Written by Small Door's medical experts
Occasional, single episodes of vomiting in cats and kittens are a completely normal occurrence. However, if you find that your cat is becoming sick for a prolonged period of time, it may be an indication of an underlying condition. Read on to learn more about vomiting in cats and how it is evaluated and treated.
In this article:
Vomiting in cats is when the contents of the upper intestinal tract and stomach (food or water) are forcefully expelled. This is not to be confused with regurgitation, which is when the contents of only the mouth and esophagus are expelled (similar to a burp, except food or water will come up).
Types of cat vomit
Types of cat vomit may include:
Undigested food
Water
Bile
Hairballs
Foreign objects
If you notice your cat’s vomit is thick and yellow, this may also be a sign of a serious underlying issue. In all cases, your veterinarian may help you distinguish between a serious vs. benign vomiting issue.
Classifications of vomiting include:
Non-productive retching: This is what occurs when a cat is trying to vomit, and may be experiencing stomach contractions and gagging, but is unable to bring any substance up. This may be especially concerning, as it may be a sign that your cat ingested a foreign object and now has an intestinal blockage.
Regurgitation: Regurgitation is when a cat will bring back up undigested food or water from within the esophagus, often from eating too quickly. This food or water never made its way all the way through the intestinal tract down into the stomach, and it’s brought up through a kind of “burp.”
Vomiting: This is when a cat brings up contents from within the stomach, and it usually involves a heaving or stomach contraction prior to the cat expelling the vomit.
Signs that indicate your cat or kitten is feeling nauseous or may vomit include:
Excessive drooling/salivation
Hard or repeated swallowing
Contractions (or visible heaving) of the abdomen
Stomach noises (gurgling, bubbling sounds coming from the abdominal area)
Lack of interest in food or eating
Vomiting may have a variety of different underlying causes in cats. A few of the most common causes are:
Hairballs (a ball or wad of hair caused by self-grooming and licking)
Dietary indiscretion (eating things they shouldn’t, such as trash, human food, toxins/poisoning, or foreign objects)
Food allergies
Acute allergic reactions to things such as insect bites
Constipation
Inflammatory bowel disease
Kidney disease
Cancers of the digestive system (such as lymphoma)
Viruses (such as feline enteric coronavirus)
Intestinal parasites
Intestinal bacterial overgrowth
Metabolic/Endocrine disorder (e.g., diabetes, Cushing's disease, etc)
While all cats vomit at some point in their lives, it’s important to inform your veterinarian of any type of vomiting your cat is experiencing so that they may fully assess your cat’s health and determine whether the episodes of vomiting are benign or an indication of a bigger issue.
Vomiting may be due to something benign (such as the occasional and completely normal hairball) or an indication of something more serious (like an underlying disease or possible toxin ingestion). According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, you should see your veterinarian right away if your cat vomits more than once per week or shows any of these signs along with vomiting:
Blood in vomit
Increased thirst
Decreased appetite
Increased or decreased urination
Weakness
Diarrhea
Weight loss
Lethargy
How serious is vomiting in kittens?
Kittens are more vulnerable to experiencing serious health complications from prolonged vomiting, especially with continued vomiting that goes untreated. Some of these complications may include:
Electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of salt in the blood)
Weight loss
Inability to gain weight
The following are diagnostics typically performed on cats and kittens that present with concerns of vomiting:
Blood testing – complete blood count (CBC), chemistries, electrolytes, thyroid testing (T4): This is a collection of blood tests that measure your cat’s red and white blood cells, organ values, salt, potassium, and chloride levels, as well as their thyroid levels.
Urine testing (urinalysis): This is a test that involves analyzing a urine sample from your cat to see if their urine contains protein, bacteria, red or white blood cells, or an abnormal pH level.
Stool sample testing (fecal testing): A fecal test can examine a fresh stool sample from your cat to check for the presence of any intestinal parasites, bacteria, or other organisms, such as yeast.
Radiographs (X-rays): This imaging allows for visualization of radiopaque materials in your cat’s body. This is helpful to look for any potential underlying causes of vomiting, such as foreign objects in the stomach or masses. However, if a foreign object is not radiopaque, it may not be visible in an X-ray image. In these cases, your veterinarian may then perform an abdominal ultrasound. An example of a radiopaque foreign body is a sewing needle.
Ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves to obtain a more precise view of your cat’s internal organs or tissues. Ultrasounds are helpful to identify soft tissue materials and objects that may not show up clearly on an X-ray (also known as radiolucent materials). An example of a potential radiolucent foreign body is a piece of a cloth toy.
In some cases, advanced diagnostics, such as endoscopy or gastrointestinal biopsy, may be required. An endoscopy involves a long tube with a tiny camera attached to the end being fed down into your cat’s gastrointestinal system, where your veterinarian may then see any potential areas of concern. During this procedure, if your veterinarian does see an area of concern (for instance, say intestinal inflammation or masses), they would be able to take a small piece of tissue, also known as a biopsy. This tissue would then be sent to a lab to be reviewed by a pathologist.
Typically, acute vomiting in cats may be treated through outpatient supportive care. When a cat has been vomiting for less than 2 days with no other signs of disease, your veterinarian may recommend supportive care, which includes stopping food intake for about 24 hours to give your cat’s digestive system a rest. Your veterinarian may give you fluid guidance depending on whether they provide fluids by injection.
More advanced treatment for vomiting in cats may include:
Fluid therapy: Fluids may be administered through the skin (subcutaneously) or via an intravenous (IV) catheter.
Antiemetics: These are usually administered via injection (either subcutaneous or IV) to help stop the nausea and vomiting.
Gastroprotectants: These medications may include Pepcid (an antacid that regulates the pH within the gastrointestinal system) or Sucralfate (a coating agent that provides a protective coating within the stomach).
Depending on the underlying cause, other medications may be needed, such as antibiotics if your cat has a bacterial infection, or a deworming medication if an intestinal parasite is confirmed.
When vomiting is related to a more serious cause, sometimes hospitalization is required to stabilize cats.
Cats receiving treatment for acute and non-severe cases of vomiting usually have a good prognosis and fairly quick recovery within a few days to a week.
Cats experiencing long-term vomiting may require regular treatment, such as needing daily medications or special prescription diets.
What to feed your cat when they’re recovering from vomiting
For cases of acute vomiting, it’s recommended to withhold food from your cat for 12-24 hours to allow for their digestive system to calm down, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Water should remain readily available. Your veterinarian may recommend a bland diet, which is a special type of prescription cat food (available in both dry and canned forms) that is gentle on the stomach and easy to digest.
While not all vomiting may be prevented in cats, ensuring your cat remains up to date with their core vaccines and deworming schedules, as well as keeping away all potential toxins, trash, or swallowable objects, may help lower the risk of vomiting in your cat.
All cats vomit from time to time, but vomiting more than a few times per month or accompanied by other symptoms may be a sign of a serious problem. Being aware of the different underlying causes of vomiting and what signs to look out for may help ensure your cat or kitten receives timely veterinary care as quickly as possible. If you do notice your cat experiencing any abnormal or recurrent vomiting, contact your veterinarian right away.
