Why is My Cat Throwing Up? Understanding Feline Vomiting

It’s a sound no cat owner wants to hear: that retching, gagging noise that signals your feline friend is about to vomit. While occasional vomiting in cats might seem normal, it’s often a sign that something isn’t quite right. Understanding Why Cats Vomit is crucial for responsible pet ownership and ensuring your cat’s well-being. From simple indigestion to more serious underlying health issues, cat vomiting can be triggered by a variety of factors, and determining the cause is the first step toward getting your kitty back to their happy, healthy self. This guide will explore the common reasons behind feline vomiting, what different types of vomit can indicate, and the diagnostic and treatment approaches your veterinarian might recommend.

Understanding Cat Vomit: What Does It Mean?

When your cat vomits, careful observation can provide valuable clues for your veterinarian. To help them pinpoint why your cat is vomiting, be prepared to answer questions about your cat’s recent history and the characteristics of the vomit itself. Veterinarians often start by asking questions to narrow down the possibilities and guide further investigation. These questions might include:

Has your cat been exposed to any potential toxins, such as household plants or chemicals?
When did the vomiting episodes begin? Was it sudden or gradual?
What is your cat’s regular diet? Have there been any recent changes?
Does your cat go outdoors? If so, does it hunt or scavenge?
What does the vomit look like? (Color, consistency, contents)
Is your cat currently taking any medications?
Is your cat also experiencing diarrhea or changes in bowel movements?
Is your cat eating and drinking normally, or have you noticed changes in appetite or thirst?
When does the vomiting occur in relation to meals or other activities?
Has your cat lost weight recently?
Is your cat drinking or urinating more or less than usual?
Does your cat exhibit any unusual behaviors, like playing with string or small objects that could be ingested?

While the appearance of vomit alone isn’t a definitive diagnosis for why cats vomit, it can offer important initial insights and guide your veterinarian in the right direction.

Decoding Vomit by Color and Appearance

Observing the characteristics of your cat’s vomit can provide valuable information. Here’s what different types of vomit might suggest:

Yellow Vomit: Yellow vomit typically indicates the presence of bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver. While bile in vomit can sometimes be a sign of liver disease, it more commonly occurs when a cat vomits on an empty stomach. It’s also possible your cat simply ate something yellow.
Clear Vomit: Clear vomit can be either regurgitation or actual vomit. Regurgitation often comes from the esophagus and may be undigested food or liquid expelled passively, without forceful abdominal contractions. Clear vomit can also originate from an empty stomach and consist mainly of stomach fluids.
White, Foamy Vomit: Similar to clear vomit, white, foamy vomit is often associated with regurgitation from the esophagus or vomiting from an empty stomach. The foamy appearance is due to air mixing with stomach fluids or saliva.
Blood in the Vomit: The presence of blood in vomit, known as hematemesis, is always a cause for concern. Bright red blood indicates fresh bleeding, likely from the mouth, esophagus, or stomach. Even small amounts of blood should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
Coffee Grounds Vomit: Vomit with a “coffee grounds” appearance is a sign of digested blood. This indicates bleeding in the stomach that has occurred sometime prior to vomiting, allowing the blood to be partially digested. This type of vomit is often associated with stomach ulcers or other conditions causing slow bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Brown, Smelly Vomit: Brown, smelly vomit can have several causes. It might indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract where the blood has been digested, similar to coffee grounds vomit. Alternatively, it could simply mean your cat has ingested something brown and foul-smelling, such as feces or spoiled food.
Undigested Food in the Vomit: Vomiting undigested food suggests that the food hasn’t had time to move out of the stomach. This can occur due to food intolerances or allergies, gastrointestinal obstructions, or any condition that irritates the upper digestive tract and disrupts normal stomach emptying. Noting the time since your cat last ate is crucial here. Vomiting undigested food many hours after eating, especially if the cat hasn’t eaten again since, is more concerning and might point towards an obstruction or a motility disorder where the stomach isn’t emptying properly.

Veterinary Examination and Diagnostic Process

Following your detailed observations, the next critical step is a thorough physical examination by your veterinarian. During the exam, the vet will look for various signs that can help determine why your cat is vomiting. This might include:

Palpating the abdomen to check for pain, masses, or enlarged organs.
Looking for obvious foreign bodies, such as string or thread, particularly under the tongue.
Assessing for signs of weight loss, dehydration, or lethargy.
Listening to the heart and lungs for any abnormalities, such as heart murmurs.
Checking for an enlarged thyroid gland, which can indicate hyperthyroidism.
Taking your cat’s temperature to check for fever.

The physical exam, combined with your history of the vomiting episodes, will help your veterinarian decide which diagnostic tests, if any, are necessary to determine why your cat is vomiting.

Initial Tests: X-rays and Blood Work

If further investigation is warranted, initial diagnostic tests often include abdominal radiographs (X-rays) and blood work with a urinalysis.

Abdominal X-rays: X-rays can reveal a range of abnormalities within the abdomen. They can help identify changes in organ size and shape, the presence of foreign bodies, tumors, constipation, and other issues that might not be detectable during a physical exam.
Blood Work and Urinalysis: Blood tests can detect organ dysfunction and diagnose endocrine disorders such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism, both of which can contribute to vomiting in cats. A urinalysis is typically performed in conjunction with blood work to assess kidney function, screen for urinary tract infections, and further investigate conditions like diabetes.

Blood work can also sometimes offer clues about toxin exposure, such as antifreeze poisoning. However, diagnosing toxins can be challenging, often relying on a history of potential exposure and the presence of classic clinical signs.

Advanced Diagnostics: Barium Study, Ultrasound, and Endoscopy

If initial X-rays and blood work don’t provide a definitive diagnosis for why your cat is vomiting, further imaging and diagnostic procedures may be recommended:

Barium Study: A barium study uses a contrast agent (barium) that is visible on X-rays. Following barium through the digestive tract allows veterinarians to assess the movement of food, identify potential obstructions in the intestines, and detect motility issues.
Ultrasound: Abdominal ultrasound provides a more detailed view of the internal organs than X-rays. It allows visualization of the architecture of organs like the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines. Ultrasound can also be used to guide fine needle aspirates or biopsies of organs for further diagnosis.
Endoscopy: Endoscopy involves using a flexible scope with a camera to visualize the inside of the stomach, upper intestines, or colon. It’s particularly useful for detecting foreign objects in the stomach that may not be visible on X-rays and allows for their removal. Endoscopy also enables direct examination of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract to identify inflammation, ulcers, or tumors, and allows for the collection of tissue biopsies.

Endoscopy vs. Exploratory Surgery: For some diagnostic purposes, particularly obtaining biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract, both endoscopy and exploratory surgery are options. Endoscopy is generally less invasive and less expensive, with a quicker recovery time. However, surgery allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of the entire intestinal tract and abdominal organs, and larger, full-thickness biopsies can be obtained.

Exploratory Surgery

In cases of persistent vomiting in cats that doesn’t respond to initial treatments, or when there’s strong suspicion of a foreign body or serious underlying condition, exploratory surgery might be necessary to determine why the cat is vomiting. This can be the case in both acute and chronic vomiting situations.

Foreign Body Removal: If a foreign body obstruction is suspected, surgery is often both diagnostic and therapeutic, allowing for direct visualization and removal of the object.
Biopsy Collection: In chronic vomiting cases, exploratory surgery allows for the collection of biopsies from various organs, including the intestines, stomach, liver, pancreas, and lymph nodes. This is often crucial for diagnosing conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or intestinal cancer.

While more invasive than endoscopy and requiring a longer recovery period, exploratory surgery can provide a definitive diagnosis when less invasive methods are inconclusive, especially when a broader assessment of the abdomen is needed.

Treatment Approaches for Cat Vomiting

Treatment for why cats vomit is highly dependent on the underlying cause. While specific treatments vary widely, some general approaches are commonly used.

Fluid Therapy

Fluid therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for most cases of vomiting in cats. Even if a cat doesn’t appear clinically dehydrated, vomiting leads to fluid loss, and maintaining hydration is essential.

Subcutaneous Fluids: In mild cases of dehydration or as supportive care, fluids can be administered subcutaneously (under the skin). This helps to rehydrate the cat and flush out the system.
Intravenous (IV) Fluids: For more severely dehydrated or weak cats, IV fluids are often necessary. A catheter is placed in a vein to deliver fluids directly into the bloodstream. IV fluids are more effective for rapid rehydration and allow for continuous fluid administration, but require hospitalization and are more expensive.

Dehydration can worsen vomiting, creating a negative cycle. Fluid therapy helps break this cycle and supports overall recovery.

Anti-vomiting Medications

Anti-emetics, or anti-vomiting medications, are frequently used to control vomiting and provide symptomatic relief. By stopping the vomiting, these medications help reduce fluid loss, alleviate abdominal discomfort, and encourage the cat to start eating again.

Dietary Changes

Dietary modification is a crucial part of managing both acute and chronic vomiting in cats.

Easily Digestible Diets (Acute Vomiting): For acute vomiting episodes, a temporary switch to a highly digestible diet can be beneficial. Veterinary prescription diets like Royal Canin Gastrointestinal High Energy or Hill’s ID, or bland homemade options like plain meat-flavored baby food (without onion or garlic) or boiled chicken (boneless, skinless) can be used for a few days. However, these homemade options are not nutritionally complete and should only be used short-term.
Diet Trials (Chronic Vomiting): In cats with chronic vomiting, dietary changes can be both therapeutic and diagnostic. Switching to a novel protein diet, hydrolyzed protein diet, or limited-ingredient diet can help identify food sensitivities or allergies and manage inflammatory bowel disease. Diet trials for chronic vomiting require consistency and patience, typically lasting several weeks to assess effectiveness.

Prednisone

Prednisone, a corticosteroid medication, is sometimes used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in cats. While it can be effective in reducing inflammation and controlling vomiting associated with IBD, prednisone has potential side effects, including increased thirst and urination, immune suppression, and muscle weakness. Prednisone is not appropriate for all causes of vomiting and can worsen certain conditions like pancreatitis, diabetes, and kidney disease. Therefore, prednisone should only be used under veterinary guidance after appropriate diagnostics have been performed and other causes of vomiting have been ruled out or addressed.

In Conclusion: Vomiting in cats is a common symptom with a wide range of potential causes. Understanding the characteristics of the vomit and providing your veterinarian with a detailed history are crucial first steps. From physical exams and basic tests to advanced diagnostics and treatments, a systematic approach is essential to determine why your cat is vomiting and provide the most appropriate care. If your cat is vomiting, it’s always best to consult with your veterinarian to ensure timely diagnosis and effective management, keeping your feline companion healthy and happy.