Hairballs furballs are undigested, wads of fur that clump in your cat's stomach as a result of the cat's self-grooming. Hairballs are especially common in longhair cats, and cats that groom excessively.
Hacking noises and spasms commonly accompany vomiting if your cat is trying to rid itself of hairballs. In the majority of cases, hairballs are easily brought up by cats, but if your cat is experiencing difficulties when trying to expel a hairball it's time to see a vet. Occasionally hairballs become trapped and can lead to intestinal blockages which may be fatal. If your kitty eats too much food, too quickly, vomiting will likely result soon after they eat.
If your cat often eats quickly then vomits, there are a number of fun cat bowls available to help slow your cat's eating and help to prevent vomiting. That said, vomiting right after eating could be an indication of a more serious health issue such as hairballs, a digestive tract obstruction, dehydration, or esophageal issues. Regarding diet trials for chronically vomiting cats, keep them on the new diet for several weeks to see if it is working.
As mentioned above, inflammatory bowel disease may be the cause of vomiting in some cats. The treatment for inflammatory bowel disease often involves the medication prednisone. Giving a cat prednisone can also make some causes of vomiting such as pancreatitis, diabetes and kidney disease worse. How to find a good vet. All Rights Reserved. Privacy bestfriends. Share Tweet Email Print. Chronic and acute vomiting in cats Throwing up can be separated into two broad categories: chronic and acute vomiting.
Keeping your cat healthy Causes of vomiting in cats The causes of acute or chronic vomiting can be the same, but there are exceptions. Some of the more common causes are listed below: Toxins: Lilies, antifreeze Drugs: Chemotherapy, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories Diet: Dietary intolerance to something in food, sudden change in diet, eating a dead thing Gastric: Foreign bodies, ulcers, inflammation of the stomach Intestinal: Foreign bodies, acute inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease more typically chronic , cancer, constipation Organ dysfunction: Liver disease, kidney disease, pancreatitis Endocrine: Hyperthyroidism overactive thyroid gland , elevated calcium, diabetes ketoacidosis Neurologic: Vestibular disease can be associated with inner ear disease , encephalitis inflammation of the lining of the brain , cancers Infectious: Feline infectious peritonitis, feline panleukopenia, heartworm Cancer: Can be a direct cause, such as intestinal cancer, or an indirect cause, such as mast cell tumors in the skin Diagnosing the cause of vomiting It can be difficult to diagnose the cause of vomiting in a cat.
Here are some questions your vet might have: Was the cat exposed to plants and other toxins? When did the vomiting start? Does the cat go outside and if so, does the cat hunt? What is in the vomit? Is the cat on medication? Is there also diarrhea? Is the cat eating? When does the vomiting occur in relation to eating or other activities? Is the cat losing weight? Is the cat drinking a lot or urinating a lot?
Does the cat play with string? Though by no means a perfect correlation, the following vomit characteristics can offer some clues: Yellow vomit: This is bile and can be a sign of liver disease, but it often occurs with an empty stomach. It can also mean the cat ate something yellow. Clear vomit: This can be regurgitation from the esophagus or from an empty stomach. White, foamy vomit: Again, this is typically regurgitation from the esophagus or from an empty stomach.
Blood in the vomit: The blood is from the mouth, esophagus or stomach. Coffee-ground appearance to the vomit: This type is from bleeding from the stomach, most commonly seen with ulcers. Brown, smelly vomit: This can be from bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, or from having eaten something brown and smelly.
There are several reasons for cats to regurgitate or vomit: Gorging — Cats that eat too much too fast may regurgitate from triggering a stretch reflex in the stomach. These cats regurgitate right after eating and the food is undigested in a tubular shape. It can also look like a round pile of undigested food. Hairballs — Cats spend a lot of time grooming. In the process, they eat a lot of hair. Some cats are able to pass hair through their digestive tract into their stools.
For other cats the hairball grows in the stomach until it causes irritation and is vomited up. Hairballs look like vomit mixed with hair. When cats have a food allergy they are allergic to either the protein or the carbohydrate in their food. Cancers of the digestive tract are fairly common in cats and can cause vomiting by interfering with normal digestion. Cancers in other areas of the body can also cause feelings of nausea, discomfort, and malaise which can also lead to vomiting.
Because vomiting can be caused by so many different conditions, there are also many different treatments. For mild cases of vomiting due to hairballs or gastroenteritis, your veterinarian may prescribe supportive care such as antiemetic medications like Cerenia and antacids. Occasionally your cat may need a change in diet or even a prescription diet, particularly if the vomiting is due to an underlying food allergy or inflammatory bowel disease. Vomiting due to a foreign body or obstruction of the GI tract is particularly serious.
In many cases, the foreign material will not pass through the GI tract on its own and may cause serious damage if it is not removed immediately. To treat this type of vomiting, your veterinarian may recommend emergency surgery to remove the foreign material and any damaged sections of intestine.
Many causes of cat vomiting, such as a foreign body or obstruction, can cause severe damage or even death if not appropriately treated right away.
Never give your cat any medications—either prescription or over-the-counter products— unless directed to do so by your veterinarian. Many causes of cat vomiting can be prevented. Make sure your cat is eating a high-quality and balanced diet, and do not feed too many treats or table scraps.
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