Mary Allen
Vomiting is quite common in cats and causes uncertainty in many owners. There can be many different causes behind the urge to vomit, some of which are harmless, and others can be life-threatening for the cat.
Cats have a highly sensitive vomiting center. Along with coughing and sneezing, vomiting is one of the protective reactions with which the organism defends itself against pollutants or pathogens. With a few exceptions, this protective reflex should not be suppressed with medication.
Why Cats Vomit
Harmless Cleaning Function
If the cat throws up every now and then, that’s completely normal: With the act of vomiting, the body tries to rid itself of harmful substances, such as grass that has been eaten, hair that has been swallowed, indigestible food components – or “donations” from people’s plates. Even one-off vomiting after a heavy meal is not a serious symptom.
The grass is not usually swallowed, but instead chewed by the cat to release the bitter substances it needs for digestion or to provoke vomiting – usually to be able to choke out hairballs in the stomach. This can be quite exhausting, which is why food parts occasionally come along. Individual swallowed straws are excreted via the intestine.
The most important clue is the cat’s general condition: If it behaves normally – it eats and drinks, as usual, moves around, and enjoys playing and life – there is no danger.
Cat grass is used for digestion and should always be available.
Organic Causes
If there are other symptoms, or if the cat vomits more than once or twice a month and the vomit is not hairballs but food residue and/or yellowish liquid, a veterinarian should be consulted.
Not only disorders of the gastrointestinal tract cause vomiting. It can also be associated with numerous other diseases. These include, among other things:
- worm infestation
- metabolic disorders
- kidney disease (CKD)
- Brain diseases or injuries
- intestinal obstruction
- poisoning
- infectious diseases
- Food intolerance or allergies
Violent, repeated vomiting weakens the body immensely.
Vomiting is in itself a non-specific symptom. Therefore, side effects such as
- Fever,
- dehydration,
- pain (e.g. when lifting),
- increasing exhaustion,
- glassy eyes as well
- listlessness or clouding of consciousness should be taken into account.
These are red flags that warrant an immediate visit to the vet.
The nature of the vomit also provides clues: If there is blood in the vomit, the veterinarian should be consulted immediately, as well as if the vomit smells of feces and/or is dark in color.
If possible, take some of the vomit with you to the vet. Analysis of this sample can significantly speed up the diagnosis and potentially save the cat’s life.
If you suspect that the cat has ingested a toxic substance (e.g. antifreeze or rat poison), be sure to take the relevant packaging with you to the vet.
With many chronic diseases, the symptoms are usually less clear, or the development of these diseases is so slow that one gets used to the weak signals at the beginning and no longer really perceives a deterioration.
Mental Causes
Some cats have a sensitive stomach and vomit more or less regularly. If the vet can’t find a cause, it’s often because the real reason for the vomiting is a mental imbalance in the cat.
Vomiting can also be a sign of stress.
Tony Buffington, a professor of veterinary medicine at Ohio State University, rates regular vomiting of hairballs (already once a week) as a sign of stress and cautions against dismissing it as a harmless feline quirk.
“We believe that stress slows down gut motility, which leads to vomiting. Pet owners need to realize that regular vomiting in cats is not normal.”
Possible stress factors for cats can be:
- Changing routines (moving, new roommates, a new partner cat)
- Bullying in multi-cat households
- boredom and underwhelming
Not every cat reacts to its bad state of mind with uncleanliness or destructiveness – many suffer silently, and that then hits the stomach.
When there is stress in a multi-cat household and food envy, cats tend to gulp down their food quickly, which can also lead to vomiting.
Cats that compensate for stress through increased grooming (so-called overgrooming) also vomit hairballs much more frequently than usual.
If you manage to get your cat’s emotional problem under control, it may still happen that the vomiting does not stop immediately and the stomach is affected for a while. Then such a cat also needs help from the veterinarian.
If The Cat Vomits, Fasting Is The Order Of The Day
Cats with stomach problems need a special diet, a bland diet. Immediately after vomiting, the cat should not be fed. Feeding the cat before the irritated stomach lining has settled can turn a harmless upset stomach into a serious problem.
A food allergy to certain dietary proteins can easily develop in a sensitized stomach – a disease that usually persists for life and that can only be controlled with a hypoallergenic diet.
Or the cat develops an insurmountable aversion (acquired aversion) to its usual food or diet because it associates its discomfort with this very food.
Fasting for 24 hours gives the gastrointestinal tract enough time to recover.
However, young animals, chronically ill or overweight cats should not starve for so long. In the first two, the energy reserves are too small to be able to do without food, and in the latter, there is a risk of hepatic lipidosis – a life-threatening disorder of the fat metabolism.
After consulting a veterinarian, these cats can be offered a diet that is easy on the stomach. In addition to the famous boiled rice with chicken fillet, there are also ready-to-eat stomach foods at the vet. In severe cases, the veterinarian can also provide cats with all the important nutrients via IV fluid.