Cat Vomiting: 24 Common Causes and How to Deal with It
Cat Vomiting: 24 Common Causes and How to Deal with It
Cat vomiting is a common occurrence, and it can be caused by a variety of factors. Understanding the underlying cause is crucial for providing appropriate care. This article will delve into 24 common reasons for cat vomiting, offering insights and advice to help you navigate this situation.
I. Food-Related Causes
1. Hairballs
Hairballs are a frequent cause of vomiting in cats. Both long-haired and short-haired cats, even dogs and rabbits, can experience hairballs. A cat's tongue has barbs that help them groom their fur, but these barbs can also trap fur that is swallowed. This fur cannot be digested and can accumulate in the stomach, leading to vomiting. While vomiting a hairball once or twice a week is normal, more frequent episodes may indicate an underlying health concern. If your cat has ingested cat grass, the hairball might contain some coarse fiber fragments.
Prevention: Regular brushing to minimize shedding can help reduce hairball formation.
Cure: In my experience with hundreds of cats, switching to a raw bone diet is the only way to truly cure hairballs. Hairball formation is a chronic gastrointestinal issue, and reverting to a natural diet of raw bones can effectively address the root cause.
2. Eating Inappropriate Food
Cats may vomit after consuming food they are intolerant to, allergic to, spoiled, or have recently switched to without proper acclimation. In fact, any unusual food can trigger an allergic reaction. Additionally, processed human foods like grains, artificial colors, chemical additives, and preservatives can also cause allergies in cats. Cat allergies are usually mild, with affected cats vomiting several times a week, often within two hours of eating. Food allergies can also lead to intermittent diarrhea, though the severity might not align with the vomiting.
Prevention: Identifying the allergen can be challenging and requires a process of elimination.
3. Eating Too Quickly or Too Much
This issue often arises when cats overeat or consume food too rapidly, particularly in cats fed scheduled meals. Switching to smaller, more frequent meals can help resolve this problem. Some cats previously accustomed to scheduled meals might overeat when allowed free access to food, due to habit. Separate feeding areas for multiple cats can prevent food competition. Using a wider and flatter food bowl can also aid in reducing eating speed.
4. Indigestible Food
Some foods are challenging for cats to digest, like bones and meat, and can lead to vomiting.
5. Medication or Poisoning
Many medications, including deworming treatments, can induce vomiting in cats. My own cat once vomited profusely after taking a Bayer deworming pill.
II. External Stimuli
6. Stress
Stress or anxiety can contribute to cat vomiting. Stressful events, such as the arrival of a new family member (human, dog, or another pet), new furniture, renovations, overnight guests, moving, cleaning the house (especially with strong-smelling cleaning agents), a change in the owner's behavior or the imposition of forced behaviors, and any sudden environmental change, can trigger stress.
Other triggers include outings like going to the vet, traveling by car, and waiting. Ultimately, these stressors cause vomiting due to sudden environmental changes that create anxiety.
Prevention: Spending quality time with your cat, building a strong bond, and engaging in playtime can help reduce stress.
III. Digestive System Disorders
7. Oral Pharyngeal Stimulation
This can occur due to enlarged tonsils or the swallowing of a thread that gets lodged halfway down, with one end in the throat and the other in the stomach.
8. Gastric Disturbances
These include gastritis, Helicobacter pylori infection, parasites, ulcers, tumors, foreign objects, gastric dilation, gastric torsion, gastric obstruction, and motility disorders.
9. Intestinal Disturbances
This category encompasses conditions like enteritis, tumors, foreign objects, intussusception, parasites, bacterial or viral infections, colitis, and stubborn constipation.
10. Acute Abdominal Conditions
These conditions can include intestinal blockages, internal injuries or ruptures, ingestion of toxic substances, acute pancreatitis, peritonitis, abdominal tumors, and intussusception.
11. Body Metabolic Disorders
This can involve acidosis, alkalosis, uremia, adrenal insufficiency, liver disease, or medication side effects, including morphine-like drugs, purine medications, and antibiotics.
12. Gastric Ulcers
While less common in cats, gastric ulcers can manifest as subtle symptoms, including intermittent vomiting. Diagnosis requires X-rays or an endoscopy.
Treatment: Medication aimed at reducing stomach acid secretion and motility.
13. Infiltrative Gastrointestinal Disease
A prevalent condition with an unclear etiology, this disorder leads to malabsorption. Veterinarians often refer to it as inflammatory bowel disease. Diarrhea is typically more severe than vomiting, which often serves as a precursor. Antibiotics or other anti-inflammatory medications can help manage the condition once diagnosed.
14. Pyloric Stenosis
This condition results in acute vomiting. Pyloric stenosis is not painful and does not affect appetite. Diagnosis is possible through barium meal radiography or endoscopy. If food therapy and medication fail, surgery to widen the pylorus and reduce obstruction is an option.
15. Abdominal Organ Disturbances
These can involve conditions like pancreatitis, peritonitis, tumors, and bile duct disorders.
IV. Infectious Diseases and Parasites
16. Infectious Diseases
Many infectious diseases, including feline panleukopenia (feline distemper) and hepatitis, have the potential to cause vomiting.
17. Parasites
Intestinal parasites, especially roundworms, can trigger vomiting.
V. Internal Organs and Other Conditions
18. Endocrine Disorders
Uremia, adrenal insufficiency, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, liver disease, sepsis, and electrolyte and acid-base imbalances can all lead to endocrine disturbances, potentially causing vomiting.
19. Neurological
This can include motion sickness during travel, head trauma, vestibular disease, and other neurological disorders.
20. Hyperthyroidism
Common in cats over 10 years old, hyperthyroidism might cause weakness but not necessarily a loss of appetite. Signs include coarse fur, occasional diarrhea and vomiting, and a heart rate exceeding 220 beats per minute. Diagnosis requires a physical exam, blood tests, and a review of the cat's medical history. In hyperthyroidism, thyroid hormone levels are 3-4 times higher than normal, leading to metabolic issues.
Treatment: Medication or surgical removal of the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism requires long-term medication management.
21. Liver and Kidney Disease
Metabolic problems in cats can strain the liver and kidneys, causing a buildup of toxins that lead to vomiting. The most common kidney disorder is uremia, where the kidneys fail to filter harmful substances from the blood, leading to nausea and vomiting. Liver dysfunction is often a consequence of aging or infections, impairing the liver's detoxification process. Chronic kidney failure is a prevalent condition in older cats.
Cats are carnivores, and their bodies metabolize protein into amino acids, generating nitrogen-containing compounds that are eliminated by the kidneys. This puts significant strain on the kidneys throughout a cat's life. High-carbohydrate, low-protein diets are often beneficial for senior cats. Vomiting, decreased appetite, refusing to eat, excessive drinking, and frequent urination are signs of chronic kidney failure.
Prevention: Liver and kidney diseases require nutritional adjustments. High-carbohydrate, low-protein diets are often best for cats with these conditions.
22. Muscle Disorders
Conditions like muscle dystrophy can cause muscle weakness, resulting in chronic weakness. However, the muscles don't atrophy, and sensory nerves remain unaffected. Devon Rex cats are prone to inherited muscle disorders, including esophageal dilation and generalized muscle weakness. Esophageal dilation occurs when food remains in the esophagus for 10-15 minutes after eating, failing to reach the stomach, leading to an enlarged esophagus due to the esophagus's inability to transport food effectively.
23. Pyometra in Female Cats
A feline reproductive disorder, pyometra causes abdominal enlargement, increased water intake, and vomiting, especially in severe cases. Ultrasound and blood tests are required for diagnosis.
24. Vomiting in Late Pregnancy
Vomiting is normal towards the end of pregnancy (around the final week) due to the growing fetus.
VI. Treatment
Since cats with vomiting are often brought to the veterinarian without a clear diagnosis, treatment is often initially trial-and-error. If the cause is identified:
Food-related vomiting: Avoid anti-emetics. After vomiting, offer small amounts of water repeatedly to gradually alleviate dehydration.
Food intolerance or allergies: Switch to a different food. Avoid hypoallergenic prescription diets unless absolutely necessary.
Severe poisoning, medication, or food spoilage: Intravenous antidotes are typically used.
Persistent and severe dehydration-induced vomiting: Intravenous administration of glucose, saline solutions, and other fluids.
Metabolic disorder-induced vomiting: Symptoms often improve once the underlying cause is addressed.
Medication-related vomiting: Discontinue the medication, reduce the dosage, or change to a different medication.
Gastrointestinal foreign objects, blockages, or intussusception: Surgical intervention may be required.
In general, identify the cause and then provide appropriate treatment. Regardless of the reason, always hydrate your cat to combat dehydration caused by vomiting. Severe dehydration requires intravenous fluids until the cat urinates or skin turgor returns. Consider heart medications during fluid administration to reduce cardiac strain.
After vomiting, provide small amounts of easily digestible food, like soaked dry kibble. Gradually increase food intake until normal appetite returns. There's a common misconception online that cats should be fasted for 12 hours after vomiting, but this is incorrect. Eating helps regain energy. Denying food due to the fear of further vomiting can lead to prolonged nutritional deficiencies, weakening the cat, and even death. Offering small portions of easily digestible food after vomiting is safe.
Key Takeaways
From my years of experience with cats, here are some insights about cat vomiting:
1. Observe the vomit: The color, smell, shape, and frequency of the vomit can provide clues about the cause.
2. Note the time of vomiting: This helps determine if food is involved.
3. Don't withhold food: Avoid fasting immediately after vomiting, as it can worsen the cat's condition.
4. Seek veterinary attention: If you cannot determine the cause of vomiting or it persists for an extended time, consult a veterinarian promptly.
Cat vomiting is a common occurrence, and it can be caused by a variety of factors. Understanding the underlying cause is crucial for providing appropriate care. This article will delve into 24 common reasons for cat vomiting, offering insights and advice to help you navigate this situation.
I. Food-Related Causes
1. Hairballs
Hairballs are a frequent cause of vomiting in cats. Both long-haired and short-haired cats, even dogs and rabbits, can experience hairballs. A cat's tongue has barbs that help them groom their fur, but these barbs can also trap fur that is swallowed. This fur cannot be digested and can accumulate in the stomach, leading to vomiting. While vomiting a hairball once or twice a week is normal, more frequent episodes may indicate an underlying health concern. If your cat has ingested cat grass, the hairball might contain some coarse fiber fragments.
Prevention: Regular brushing to minimize shedding can help reduce hairball formation.
Cure: In my experience with hundreds of cats, switching to a raw bone diet is the only way to truly cure hairballs. Hairball formation is a chronic gastrointestinal issue, and reverting to a natural diet of raw bones can effectively address the root cause.
2. Eating Inappropriate Food
Cats may vomit after consuming food they are intolerant to, allergic to, spoiled, or have recently switched to without proper acclimation. In fact, any unusual food can trigger an allergic reaction. Additionally, processed human foods like grains, artificial colors, chemical additives, and preservatives can also cause allergies in cats. Cat allergies are usually mild, with affected cats vomiting several times a week, often within two hours of eating. Food allergies can also lead to intermittent diarrhea, though the severity might not align with the vomiting.
Prevention: Identifying the allergen can be challenging and requires a process of elimination.
3. Eating Too Quickly or Too Much
This issue often arises when cats overeat or consume food too rapidly, particularly in cats fed scheduled meals. Switching to smaller, more frequent meals can help resolve this problem. Some cats previously accustomed to scheduled meals might overeat when allowed free access to food, due to habit. Separate feeding areas for multiple cats can prevent food competition. Using a wider and flatter food bowl can also aid in reducing eating speed.
4. Indigestible Food
Some foods are challenging for cats to digest, like bones and meat, and can lead to vomiting.
5. Medication or Poisoning
Many medications, including deworming treatments, can induce vomiting in cats. My own cat once vomited profusely after taking a Bayer deworming pill.
II. External Stimuli
6. Stress
Stress or anxiety can contribute to cat vomiting. Stressful events, such as the arrival of a new family member (human, dog, or another pet), new furniture, renovations, overnight guests, moving, cleaning the house (especially with strong-smelling cleaning agents), a change in the owner's behavior or the imposition of forced behaviors, and any sudden environmental change, can trigger stress.
Other triggers include outings like going to the vet, traveling by car, and waiting. Ultimately, these stressors cause vomiting due to sudden environmental changes that create anxiety.
Prevention: Spending quality time with your cat, building a strong bond, and engaging in playtime can help reduce stress.
III. Digestive System Disorders
7. Oral Pharyngeal Stimulation
This can occur due to enlarged tonsils or the swallowing of a thread that gets lodged halfway down, with one end in the throat and the other in the stomach.
8. Gastric Disturbances
These include gastritis, Helicobacter pylori infection, parasites, ulcers, tumors, foreign objects, gastric dilation, gastric torsion, gastric obstruction, and motility disorders.
9. Intestinal Disturbances
This category encompasses conditions like enteritis, tumors, foreign objects, intussusception, parasites, bacterial or viral infections, colitis, and stubborn constipation.
10. Acute Abdominal Conditions
These conditions can include intestinal blockages, internal injuries or ruptures, ingestion of toxic substances, acute pancreatitis, peritonitis, abdominal tumors, and intussusception.
11. Body Metabolic Disorders
This can involve acidosis, alkalosis, uremia, adrenal insufficiency, liver disease, or medication side effects, including morphine-like drugs, purine medications, and antibiotics.
12. Gastric Ulcers
While less common in cats, gastric ulcers can manifest as subtle symptoms, including intermittent vomiting. Diagnosis requires X-rays or an endoscopy.
Treatment: Medication aimed at reducing stomach acid secretion and motility.
13. Infiltrative Gastrointestinal Disease
A prevalent condition with an unclear etiology, this disorder leads to malabsorption. Veterinarians often refer to it as inflammatory bowel disease. Diarrhea is typically more severe than vomiting, which often serves as a precursor. Antibiotics or other anti-inflammatory medications can help manage the condition once diagnosed.
14. Pyloric Stenosis
This condition results in acute vomiting. Pyloric stenosis is not painful and does not affect appetite. Diagnosis is possible through barium meal radiography or endoscopy. If food therapy and medication fail, surgery to widen the pylorus and reduce obstruction is an option.
15. Abdominal Organ Disturbances
These can involve conditions like pancreatitis, peritonitis, tumors, and bile duct disorders.
IV. Infectious Diseases and Parasites
16. Infectious Diseases
Many infectious diseases, including feline panleukopenia (feline distemper) and hepatitis, have the potential to cause vomiting.
17. Parasites
Intestinal parasites, especially roundworms, can trigger vomiting.
V. Internal Organs and Other Conditions
18. Endocrine Disorders
Uremia, adrenal insufficiency, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, liver disease, sepsis, and electrolyte and acid-base imbalances can all lead to endocrine disturbances, potentially causing vomiting.
19. Neurological
This can include motion sickness during travel, head trauma, vestibular disease, and other neurological disorders.
20. Hyperthyroidism
Common in cats over 10 years old, hyperthyroidism might cause weakness but not necessarily a loss of appetite. Signs include coarse fur, occasional diarrhea and vomiting, and a heart rate exceeding 220 beats per minute. Diagnosis requires a physical exam, blood tests, and a review of the cat's medical history. In hyperthyroidism, thyroid hormone levels are 3-4 times higher than normal, leading to metabolic issues.
Treatment: Medication or surgical removal of the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism requires long-term medication management.
21. Liver and Kidney Disease
Metabolic problems in cats can strain the liver and kidneys, causing a buildup of toxins that lead to vomiting. The most common kidney disorder is uremia, where the kidneys fail to filter harmful substances from the blood, leading to nausea and vomiting. Liver dysfunction is often a consequence of aging or infections, impairing the liver's detoxification process. Chronic kidney failure is a prevalent condition in older cats.
Cats are carnivores, and their bodies metabolize protein into amino acids, generating nitrogen-containing compounds that are eliminated by the kidneys. This puts significant strain on the kidneys throughout a cat's life. High-carbohydrate, low-protein diets are often beneficial for senior cats. Vomiting, decreased appetite, refusing to eat, excessive drinking, and frequent urination are signs of chronic kidney failure.
Prevention: Liver and kidney diseases require nutritional adjustments. High-carbohydrate, low-protein diets are often best for cats with these conditions.
22. Muscle Disorders
Conditions like muscle dystrophy can cause muscle weakness, resulting in chronic weakness. However, the muscles don't atrophy, and sensory nerves remain unaffected. Devon Rex cats are prone to inherited muscle disorders, including esophageal dilation and generalized muscle weakness. Esophageal dilation occurs when food remains in the esophagus for 10-15 minutes after eating, failing to reach the stomach, leading to an enlarged esophagus due to the esophagus's inability to transport food effectively.
23. Pyometra in Female Cats
A feline reproductive disorder, pyometra causes abdominal enlargement, increased water intake, and vomiting, especially in severe cases. Ultrasound and blood tests are required for diagnosis.
24. Vomiting in Late Pregnancy
Vomiting is normal towards the end of pregnancy (around the final week) due to the growing fetus.
VI. Treatment
Since cats with vomiting are often brought to the veterinarian without a clear diagnosis, treatment is often initially trial-and-error. If the cause is identified:
Food-related vomiting: Avoid anti-emetics. After vomiting, offer small amounts of water repeatedly to gradually alleviate dehydration.
Food intolerance or allergies: Switch to a different food. Avoid hypoallergenic prescription diets unless absolutely necessary.
Severe poisoning, medication, or food spoilage: Intravenous antidotes are typically used.
Persistent and severe dehydration-induced vomiting: Intravenous administration of glucose, saline solutions, and other fluids.
Metabolic disorder-induced vomiting: Symptoms often improve once the underlying cause is addressed.
Medication-related vomiting: Discontinue the medication, reduce the dosage, or change to a different medication.
Gastrointestinal foreign objects, blockages, or intussusception: Surgical intervention may be required.
In general, identify the cause and then provide appropriate treatment. Regardless of the reason, always hydrate your cat to combat dehydration caused by vomiting. Severe dehydration requires intravenous fluids until the cat urinates or skin turgor returns. Consider heart medications during fluid administration to reduce cardiac strain.
After vomiting, provide small amounts of easily digestible food, like soaked dry kibble. Gradually increase food intake until normal appetite returns. There's a common misconception online that cats should be fasted for 12 hours after vomiting, but this is incorrect. Eating helps regain energy. Denying food due to the fear of further vomiting can lead to prolonged nutritional deficiencies, weakening the cat, and even death. Offering small portions of easily digestible food after vomiting is safe.
Key Takeaways
From my years of experience with cats, here are some insights about cat vomiting:
1. Observe the vomit: The color, smell, shape, and frequency of the vomit can provide clues about the cause.
2. Note the time of vomiting: This helps determine if food is involved.
3. Don't withhold food: Avoid fasting immediately after vomiting, as it can worsen the cat's condition.
4. Seek veterinary attention: If you cannot determine the cause of vomiting or it persists for an extended time, consult a veterinarian promptly.
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