If you lived with a human who frequently vomited on your floors, you’d understandably be worried. Yet, many cat owners consider occasional feline vomiting as just part of cat ownership. So, Why Do Cats Throw Up So Much? And more importantly, when should you be concerned about your feline friend’s health?
“It’s never really normal for a cat to vomit,” states Dr. Sarah Schmid, a veterinarian specializing in canine and feline internal medicine at the University of Tennessee. However, before panic sets in, it’s crucial to understand that what appears to be vomiting in cats can sometimes be other similar actions.
“One of the first things I teach veterinary students is how to distinguish true vomiting from its look-alikes, because there are several,” Dr. Schmid explained in an interview with Live Science. Understanding these distinctions is the first step in determining if your cat’s episodes are normal or a cause for veterinary attention.
One common mimic of vomiting is the infamous hairball. Cats are meticulous groomers, spending a significant portion of their day – between 30% and 50% – licking their fur. Inevitably, a lot of this ingested fur ends up in their stomach. Usually, this fur passes smoothly through their digestive system and is eliminated in their stool. However, when the amount of fur is excessive, or the digestive system isn’t working optimally, hairballs can form.
Hairballs are expelled through what looks exactly like vomiting – an active heaving process. The key difference lies in the expelled material: instead of liquid vomit, you find a damp clump of fur on your carpet.
Despite being a “normal” occurrence to some extent, even hairballs can signal underlying issues if they happen too frequently.
“In a healthy cat population, about 10% of short-haired cats and 20% of long-haired cats will experience a hairball two or more times annually,” Dr. Schmid notes. If your cat is producing hairballs more often – for example, multiple times a month – it’s advisable to consult your veterinarian. Frequent hairballs could indicate overgrooming, suggesting a need for more regular brushing, or even point to a gastrointestinal (GI) problem.
Another common “vomit look-alike” is coughing. A cat coughing can appear to be vomiting, with similar body movements and sounds, but typically only foam or mucus is expelled. This is a respiratory action, not a digestive one.
Retching is yet another similar action. When a cat retches, their stomach muscles contract as if they are vomiting, but their stomach is empty, and nothing is brought up. This can be a sign of nausea or discomfort, even when no vomit is produced.
Finally, there’s regurgitation. Unlike vomiting and its mimics which are active processes involving abdominal contractions to expel stomach contents, regurgitation is passive. In regurgitation, undigested food, which hasn’t even reached the stomach yet, comes back up effortlessly.
“Often, regurgitation happens when cats eat too quickly,” Dr. Schmid explains. “Some cats get very excited about food and eat rapidly, and then immediately, the undigested food comes back up.”
You can distinguish regurgitation from vomiting by examining what’s expelled. If the material is mostly solid, recognizable food chunks and lacks yellow bile or partially digested matter, it’s likely regurgitation.
Even if it’s not technically “vomit,” any fluid or substance exiting your cat’s mouth warrants attention. These processes can appear very similar, and differentiating them accurately often requires veterinary expertise. When in doubt, it’s always best to contact your vet. It’s better to be cautious, as the underlying cause could be serious.
“Gastrointestinal disease and vomiting are among the most frequent complaints veterinarians see—consistently ranking in the top five or ten reasons pets are brought to the vet, based on pet insurance claims,” Dr. Schmid points out. “So, generally, digestive upset is a common health issue in cats.”
Even if the issue isn’t a disease, dietary factors can play a significant role. Dr. Schmid mentions that cats experiencing chronic vomiting – regular vomiting lasting for more than three weeks – often have a food allergy or intolerance. A veterinarian can diagnose these sensitivities and recommend a more suitable diet.
“In general,” Dr. Schmid advises, “if your cat is bringing things up frequently, or if you are concerned, you should consult your veterinarian.” Identifying the cause of your cat’s vomiting, or vomit-like episodes, is crucial for ensuring their long-term health and well-being.
