Why Is My Cat Throwing Up? Understanding Vomiting in Cats

Discovering a puddle of cat vomit on your floor is never a pleasant experience for any pet owner. It’s a common issue, but seeing your feline friend throw up can be concerning. You might be asking yourself, “Why Is My Cat Throwing Up?” Understanding the potential reasons behind this symptom is the first step in ensuring your cat’s health and well-being. This guide will explore the various causes of vomiting in cats, what different types of vomit might indicate, and the diagnostic and treatment options available to help your furry companion get back to their happy, healthy selves.

Decoding Cat Vomit: What Can It Tell You?

While the appearance of cat vomit isn’t a definitive diagnosis, it can offer valuable clues for you and your veterinarian to start investigating why your cat is throwing up. Here’s a breakdown of what different types of vomit might suggest:

• Yellow Vomit: This typically indicates the presence of bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver. Yellow vomit often occurs when a cat has an empty stomach, but it can also be a sign of potential liver issues. Sometimes, it simply means your cat ate something yellow!

• Clear Vomit: Clear vomit can be a sign of regurgitation, originating from the esophagus, or it might be from an empty stomach. It’s often just stomach fluids.

• White, Foamy Vomit: Similar to clear vomit, white, foamy vomit is frequently associated with regurgitation or an empty stomach. The foamy texture comes from air mixing with stomach fluids.

• Blood in the Vomit (Hematemesis): The presence of fresh, red blood in vomit is a serious sign. It indicates bleeding somewhere in the upper digestive tract, which includes the mouth, esophagus, or stomach.

• Coffee-Ground Vomit: Vomit that resembles coffee grounds is another sign of bleeding in the stomach. This appearance is due to digested blood, often associated with stomach ulcers or slower bleeds.

• Brown, Smelly Vomit: This type of vomit can be caused by bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract where the blood has been digested, or, less seriously, it might simply mean your cat has eaten something brown and, well, smelly.

• Undigested Food in Vomit: Seeing undigested food means the food hasn’t moved past the stomach. This can happen due to food intolerances or allergies, gastrointestinal obstructions, or any condition causing irritation in the upper digestive system. Noting when your cat last ate is crucial here. For example, if your cat hasn’t eaten for 24 hours and vomits undigested food, it strongly suggests an obstruction or a motility disorder.

An image depicting a cat throwing up yellow liquid, illustrating the symptom of bile in vomit.

Questions Your Veterinarian Might Ask

To get to the bottom of why your cat is throwing up, your veterinarian will likely ask a series of questions to gather crucial information. Be prepared to answer questions like these:

• Exposure to Toxins: Could your cat have ingested any poisonous plants or household toxins?
• Onset of Vomiting: When did the vomiting episodes begin?
• Normal Diet: What does your cat typically eat?
• Outdoor Access and Hunting: Does your cat go outside? If so, does it hunt and potentially eat prey?
• Vomit Content: What does the vomit look like? (As detailed above)
• Medications: Is your cat currently taking any medications?
• Presence of Diarrhea: Is your cat also experiencing diarrhea?
• Appetite: Is your cat still eating normally?
• Vomiting Triggers: When does the vomiting occur? Is it related to meal times or specific activities?
• Weight Loss: Has your cat lost weight recently?
• Changes in Thirst or Urination: Have you noticed increased drinking or urination?
• String or Toy Play: Does your cat play with string, yarn, or toys they might ingest?

Your veterinarian will use your answers to these questions to guide their physical examination and determine the necessity of further diagnostic tests.

Veterinary Examination and Diagnostic Testing for Cat Vomiting

Following your detailed history, a thorough physical examination by your veterinarian is the next essential step. During the exam, the vet will check for various signs, including:

• Abdominal Pain: Palpating the abdomen to check for tenderness or discomfort.
• Abdominal Masses: Feeling for any abnormal lumps or masses in the abdomen.
• Foreign Bodies: Checking for obvious foreign objects, sometimes even visible (like string under the tongue).
• Weight Loss: Assessing for signs of muscle wasting or decreased body condition.
• Heart Murmurs: Listening to the heart for any abnormal sounds.
• Enlarged Thyroid Gland: Palpating the neck area for thyroid enlargement.
• Fever: Checking the cat’s body temperature.

The physical exam, combined with the history you provide, helps the veterinarian narrow down the possible causes of why your cat is throwing up and decide on the most appropriate diagnostic path.

Initial Diagnostic Tests: X-rays and Blood Work

If indicated, the initial diagnostic tests typically involve abdominal radiographs (X-rays) and blood work, often accompanied by a urinalysis.

• Abdominal X-rays: X-rays can reveal a range of abnormalities not detectable during a physical exam. They can show:

  • Changes in organ size and shape.
  • Foreign bodies that are radiopaque (dense enough to be seen on X-ray).
  • Tumors or masses.
  • Constipation or intestinal blockages.
  • Other skeletal or structural abnormalities.

• Blood Work and Urinalysis: These tests are crucial for assessing your cat’s internal organ function and overall health. Blood work can detect:

  • Organ dysfunction (liver, kidneys, pancreas).
  • Endocrine disorders like diabetes and hyperthyroidism.
  • Signs of infection or inflammation.
  • Electrolyte imbalances.

  A urinalysis, performed alongside blood work, is vital for diagnosing:

  • Diabetes
  • Kidney disease
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

  Blood tests can also sometimes provide clues about toxin exposure, such as antifreeze poisoning, although specific toxin tests are often limited. Suspected toxin exposure usually relies on a history of potential access to toxins and the presence of characteristic clinical signs.

A veterinary professional drawing a blood sample from a cat, a common diagnostic step in determining the cause of vomiting.

Advanced Diagnostics: Barium Study, Ultrasound, and Endoscopy

Often, initial X-rays may not provide a definitive diagnosis for why your cat is throwing up, except in cases of obvious foreign bodies. However, they are valuable in determining if further, more specialized abdominal imaging is necessary. These advanced studies can include:

• Barium Study: This involves administering barium, a contrast agent, orally or rectally and then taking a series of X-rays. A barium study helps visualize the gastrointestinal tract and can identify:

  • Foreign objects that are not radiopaque (won’t show on regular X-rays).
  • Motility problems within the intestines (how food moves through).
  • Obstructions or structural abnormalities.

• Ultrasound: Abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to create detailed images of internal organs. It’s excellent for evaluating the architecture of organs like the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines. Ultrasound can also be used to guide needle biopsies of organs for a definitive diagnosis.

• Endoscopy: Endoscopy involves using a flexible tube with a camera and light attached to visualize the inside of the gastrointestinal tract. It can be used to examine:

  • The esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine (upper endoscopy or gastroduodenoscopy).
  • The colon (lower endoscopy or colonoscopy).

  Endoscopy is particularly useful for:

  • Finding non-radiopaque foreign objects in the stomach.
  • Retrieving foreign objects using instruments passed through the endoscope.
  • Directly visualizing the lining of the stomach and intestines to look for inflammation, ulcers, or tumors.
  • Collecting biopsy samples of the gastrointestinal tract lining for microscopic examination.

  Endoscopy vs. Exploratory Surgery: Endoscopy is less invasive than exploratory surgery and generally has a faster recovery time. However, exploratory surgery allows for examination of the entire intestinal tract and other abdominal organs, and allows for larger and full-thickness biopsies. The choice between these depends on the specific clinical situation and what your veterinarian suspects.

Exploratory Surgery for Persistent Vomiting

In cases of persistent vomiting in cats where symptomatic treatment isn’t effective, and less invasive diagnostics haven’t yielded a diagnosis, exploratory surgery might be recommended. This can be true for both acute (sudden onset) and chronic (long-term) vomiting.

• Acute Vomiting: Surgery may be considered if there’s a strong suspicion of a foreign body causing an obstruction that cannot be diagnosed or removed via endoscopy.
• Chronic Vomiting: Surgery might be necessary to investigate chronic vomiting unresponsive to treatment, looking for conditions like:
  • Intestinal cancer.
  • Non-intestinal abdominal diseases.
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

During exploratory surgery:

• Diagnosis and Treatment (Foreign Bodies): If a foreign body is found, it can be removed surgically, both diagnosing and resolving the issue.
• Biopsy Collection (Unknown Causes): If no foreign body is found, biopsies can be taken from various organs, including the intestines, stomach, liver, pancreas, and lymph nodes. These biopsies are crucial for diagnosing conditions like IBD or cancer.

Surgery vs. Endoscopy for Biopsies: Some veterinarians prefer surgery for intestinal biopsies because it allows for full-thickness biopsies and sampling of a wider range of abdominal organs. However, endoscopy is less invasive, usually less expensive, and can often provide representative samples of the intestinal lining for diagnosis, with a much quicker recovery for the cat.

It’s important to understand that advanced diagnostics like endoscopy and exploratory surgery can be costly. Endoscopy can range up to $1,500, and exploratory surgery can exceed $2,000. Many pet owners face difficult decisions about pursuing these options. There are treatments that can be implemented without a definitive diagnosis, but these should always be discussed thoroughly with your veterinarian to understand the potential risks and benefits.

Treatment Options for a Vomiting Cat

Treatment for why your cat is throwing up is highly dependent on the underlying cause. Treating each specific cause is beyond the scope of this article, but we can outline some common general treatment approaches.

Fluid Therapy

Fluid therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for vomiting cats. Even if your cat doesn’t appear clinically dehydrated, fluid administration can be beneficial to:

• Flush the System: Help eliminate potential toxins or irritants.
• Maintain Hydration: Vomiting leads to fluid loss, and many vomiting cats are at least mildly dehydrated.

Dehydration can worsen vomiting, creating a negative cycle. Dehydrated cats feel unwell, are less likely to eat or drink, and may vomit further, exacerbating dehydration.

• Subcutaneous (Sub-Q) Fluids: For mild cases or as supportive care, fluids can be administered under the skin.
• Intravenous (IV) Fluids: For more severely dehydrated or weak cats, IV fluids are often recommended. A catheter is placed in a vein to deliver fluids directly into the bloodstream. IV fluids are more effective for rapid rehydration and delivering larger volumes of fluids but require hospitalization and are more expensive.

Anti-Vomiting Medications (Antiemetics)

Antiemetics are commonly used to help control vomiting, regardless of the underlying cause. These medications can:

• Stop Vomiting: Reduce fluid loss and discomfort.
• Improve Appetite: By reducing nausea and vomiting, cats are more likely to eat.

Sometimes, stomach protectants like Pepcid (famotidine) or sucralfate may be considered, although their effectiveness in cats is debated. They are generally safe, however. If antiemetics don’t provide sufficient pain relief, a pain medication might be added to the treatment plan.

Dietary Changes

Dietary modification is a crucial treatment strategy for both acute and chronic vomiting in cats.

• Acute Vomiting: A temporary switch to a highly digestible diet is often recommended. Examples include:

  • Prescription diets like Royal Canin Gastrointestinal High Energy, Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d.
  • Bland homemade diets, such as plain, meat-flavored baby food (ensure no onion or garlic powder) or boiled chicken (skinless and boneless).

  Important Note: Chicken and baby food are not nutritionally complete for long-term use in cats and should only be used for a few days under veterinary guidance.

• Chronic Vomiting: Diet changes can be both therapeutic and diagnostic. If switching to a new diet resolves the vomiting, it suggests that the vomiting was at least partially caused by:

  • Dietary intolerance or allergy.
  • Low-grade Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

  For diet trials in chronic vomiting cats, it’s essential to maintain the new diet for several weeks to assess its effectiveness. Prescription diets or limited-ingredient prescription diets are recommended to ensure complete and balanced nutrition during the trial.

Prednisone and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a potential cause of chronic vomiting in cats. Treatment for IBD often involves prednisone, a corticosteroid medication that suppresses the immune system and reduces inflammation.

Caution: Prednisone has potential side effects, including increased thirst and urination, weakened immune system, and muscle weakness. It can also worsen certain conditions like pancreatitis, diabetes, and kidney disease.

Prednisone should never be used in cats without veterinary guidance and diagnostics. However, in cases where blood work and X-rays are normal, and further diagnostics are declined, a trial of prednisone might be considered after a thorough discussion of the risks and benefits with your veterinarian.

When to Be Concerned About Your Cat Throwing Up

While occasional vomiting might be benign, certain signs warrant immediate veterinary attention. Seek veterinary care if your cat exhibits any of the following along with vomiting:

• Persistent or Frequent Vomiting: Vomiting multiple times in a day, or vomiting that continues for more than 24 hours.
• Blood in Vomit: Fresh red blood or coffee-ground appearance.
• Lethargy or Weakness: Unusual tiredness, decreased responsiveness.
• Loss of Appetite: Refusing to eat for more than 24 hours, or significant decrease in appetite.
• Dehydration: Dry gums, sunken eyes, skin tenting.
• Abdominal Pain: Hunching, reluctance to be touched, crying out when abdomen is touched.
• Other Symptoms: Diarrhea, fever, changes in urination or drinking.

Conclusion: Seeking Veterinary Advice for Cat Vomiting

Why is your cat throwing up? As we’ve discussed, there are numerous potential reasons, ranging from simple dietary indiscretion to more serious underlying diseases. Trying to self-diagnose and treat vomiting in cats can be risky. Early veterinary intervention is crucial for accurately diagnosing the cause of your cat’s vomiting and initiating appropriate treatment. If you’re concerned about your cat throwing up, don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are key to ensuring your feline companion’s swift recovery and continued well-being.