When you consider your feline friends, distinguishing between coughing, vomiting/retching, and regurgitation’s is not easy. Since all these issues can have different causes, it’s important to ensure thorough knowledge.
A few causes of cat vomiting include Hairballs, Gastroenteritis, Obstructions or Foreign Bodies, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Food Allergies, Systemic Illnesses, Parasites, and Cancer.
Many pet owners have seen their cats vomit, but it shouldn’t be frequent. Since vomiting can be a sign of some disease or illness, you must keep a check. If your pet is puking a lot, make sure to visit the doctor and get a thorough checkup.
We have covered a few reasons for cost vomiting and some treatment that can help your cat get to a healthy balance. Read on!
Possible Questions From a Vet
Your vet might bombard you with several questions to understand the reason for your pet’s vomiting. Some of these questions include the following list:
- Did you make dietary changes recently?
- What kind of food and treats do you offer?
- Do you have more pets in the house?
- Are the other cats vomiting too?
- Where does they spend time? Indoors or outdoors?
- What is the frequency of vomiting?
- What is the color of the vomit?
- Does your cat eat after vomiting?
- Are there symptoms of weight loss or diarrhea in your cat?
Since a cat’s vomiting is not limited to one reason, you need to answer the above questions to ensure that the veterinarian’s treatment goes in the right direction. Besides, there are two categories of reasons for cat vomiting. These causes include gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal.
Gastrointestinal Causes
- Foreign bodies
- Dietary indiscretion
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Cancer
- Ulceration
- Toxin ingestion like pesticide
- Parasites
- Diet hypersensitivity
- Constipation
Non-Gastrointestinal Causes
- Kidney disease
- Cancer
- Neurologic diseases
- Diabetes mellitus
- Feline infectious peritonitis
- Pancreatitis
- Liver disease
Types
Your feline friend might vomit because of a range of causes. Besides, the vomit appearance will differ as per the cause of vomit. Also, various cat owners are familiar with the hairball. It happens when your feline friend ingests hair during grooming.
Since hair cannot dissolve in your cat’s belly, they vomit it out. However, cat vomit has a more serious cause, including bile, blood, undigested food, and mucus.
Besides, it is important to note that you should discuss your cat’s vomit’s timing, appearance, and frequency with the veterinarian. Moreover, as a cat owner, you should know the difference between Regurgitation and vomiting.
Regurgitation is related to the expulsion of belly food from the esophagus, mouth, and throat, whereas vomiting refers to the forceful expulsion of the upper intestine and stomach contents. Besides, vomiting lasts for several minutes, making your cat look unwell.
Moreover, Regurgitation can take place with a warning. It is also quick, taking a minute where your cat spits up without heaving or retching. Therefore, if you describe these issues to the veterinarian, there will be a quick narrow down in the possible problem.
How Frequently Do Cats Puke?
People often assume that cats are pukers, but it is important to highlight that this is not true. If your cat shows symptoms of chronic vomiting, then there is an underlying problem to be addressed as early as possible.
Besides, cats normally have some occasional hairballs. But if that’s not one reason, then it’s a sign for you to consult a medical professional. Therefore, make sure to consult a veterinarian if your cat vomits frequently or multiple times within one day.
Causes
Here is the list of possible causes of cat puking:
Hairballs
As mentioned earlier, hairballs make a common cause of your cat’s puking. Since felines are prone to licking themselves, they accidentally swallow their hair. So, a large amount of hair accumulation takes place within their small bellies. Thus, they vomit hairballs out.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis means an upset belly due to toxins, medicinal side effects, dietary indiscretion, and more. Sometimes, this problem is mild, which resolves in a while, but you should consult a vet other times due to the seriousness.
Obstructions or Foreign Bodies
There can be damage and blockage to your cat’s GI tract if it consumes foreign materials. It can include string pieces, toys, hair bands, or anything else. Since it leads to serious vomiting problems, do not delay a proper checkup from your veterinarian.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Food Allergies
It is important to note that allergies are unusual in cats. However, it happens that it causes vomiting because of inflammation. Also, it can happen if your cat consumes triggering food. Besides, your cat might also deal with diarrhea due to allergies.
Systemic Illnesses
Chronic vomiting and nausea can occur in cats due to hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and pancreatitis. Thus, it is important to address these problems early on. Besides, its treatment also requires a need for lifelong management.
Parasites
Parasites mostly occur in kittens leading to vomiting issues. However, it is not limited to the kitten. Adult cats can face the same problems. Also, cat owners have reported seeing vomiting filled with live worms. However, these problems are treatable, and the vomiting stops.
Cancer
Unfortunately, digestive tract cancer isn’t unusual in cats. It causes indigestion and leads to vomiting. Besides, the other areas in your cat’s body affected by cancer will cause the same vomiting and nausea problems.
Is Vomiting a Serious Issue?
Since cats are prone to licking, vomiting out hairballs is a common issue. However, there is a need to take immediate action if the vomiting is frequent. If there are below symptoms in your cat, it is a cause of worry:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Health and behavior changes
- Diarrhea
- Habits changes
If your cat shows the above symptoms, book your appointment with the vet immediately.
Treatment
- For systemic illness or cancer, a proper diagnosis is the best treatment.
- For mild vomiting because of Gastroenteritis or hairballs, the vet will prescribe antacids and supportive care medications.
- Due to Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Food Allergies, the vet will give prescribed dietary changes.
- If your cat vomits due to Obstructions or Foreign Bodies, there will be a need for emergency surgery.
Summing Up
We hope the above information helps you understand the reason for your cat’s puking. Also, many pet owners are accustomed to their cat’s vomiting. Thus, most of them don’t take it seriously and look for home remedies.
However, we advise you not to take this very lightly. Since we never know the exact cause of a cat’s vomit without consultation, it is better to take professional help.
Your cat deserves proper treatment with full attention and care. So, make sure you visit a veterinarian while ensuring to show your love towards your cute feline friend.