5 possible causes of the cat's vomiting
Brown vomit, white foam, mucus, hairballs and yellow vomit. Cats can throw up the strangest things and there are just as many different reasons why a cat vomits. Vomiting in cats can happen, sometimes just because the cat is pregnant and has morning sickness or has been too eager with the food and eaten too quickly or too much. Other times there can be more serious reasons for the vomiting.
Table of contents
Vomiting in cats
1. Hairballs
If your cat throws up hairballs, you will see them as compact clumps of fur, often accompanied by some food, foam and yellow mucus. Indoor cats spend a lot of time grooming themselves and ingest more hair, which accumulates in their digestive tract. Usually the hair ends up in the litter box, but if it accumulates too much, the cat will have to vomit it up as the body is unable to digest it. This is normal, as long as it does not happen too often.
What should you do when your cat vomits because of hairballs?
Brush your cat regularly to reduce the amount of hairballs in the stomach and find a type of food that prevents this from happening. It doesn't happen very often, but if the hairballs neither come back up nor pass through the intestines, they will need to be removed surgically.
2. Foreign bodies and poisoning
If you have a kitten at home, you should be extra careful about what you put out there. Threads, rubber bands and potentially poisonous plants are incredibly exciting to chew on, and can easily end up in your cat's body! Rat poison and ingestion of antifreeze are also something to be aware of. If your neighbors are sloppy with the antifreeze when they prepare their car for winter, the curious cat will be happy to come and drink the spill as they like the taste of it.
What should you do if the cat vomits because of foreign objects or poisoning?
Keep an eye on your cat's general condition. If the cat has not vomited everything, but there is still a foreign body in the intestines, it can cause acute constipation. If the cat seems unwell or you suspect cat poisoning, you should contact a veterinarian immediately.
3. Food and intolerance/allergy
If you change the type of food suddenly, this change can lead to vomiting. The same applies if your cat has a sensitive stomach and eats something it cannot tolerate. Is your cat throwing up right after eating? Then there is a possibility that it has eaten too quickly.
What should you do when the cat vomits because of food or intolerance/allergy?
If your cat is a glutton, you can feed smaller portions several times a day or use a slow feeder so that it takes a little longer to eat. If you are going to change food, make sure it happens gradually over a week. If your cat has food intolerances or allergies, your veterinarian can recommend a customized diet.
4. Diseases, infections and viruses
If your cat has a stomach infection (gastritis), they will vomit and have a loose stomach. The same applies if your cat has inflammation of the colon (colitis) or feline viruses such as feline distemper, feline immunodeficiency virus and salmonella. There can also be more serious illnesses that make your kitty feel nauseous. These can include heart failure, cancer or central nervous system disease.
What should you do when the cat is vomiting due to diseases and infections?
If your cat has an infection, easily digestible food such as boiled white fish, chicken mixed with boiled rice and potatoes can help. If your cat does not show improvement within a short time, you should contact your veterinary clinic. There are also suitable veterinary foods that relieve the intestines if your cat has chronic vomiting and diarrhea. Veterinary food should only be given after consultation with a veterinarian. It is best to contact your veterinary clinic so they can rule out the various conditions and find the best treatment for your cat.
5. Intestinal worms
Intestinal worms such as roundworms and tapeworms can cause a cat to vomit. You may see thin, short larvae or long, worm-like creatures in the vomit. These worms can move around even after they have been in the stomach, and it is not a pretty sight!
What should you do when your cat throws up intestinal worms?
To prevent this, you can give your cat regular worming treatments. This applies mostly to outdoor cats that hunt mice, rats and birds.
Cat vomiting: When should you see a vet?
If the problems are mild and temporary and the cat is otherwise in good general condition, eating and drinking, you can try to treat the symptoms yourself. You should therefore consult a veterinarian if your cat:
- Vomits frequently.
- Experiencing vomiting in combination with diarrhea.
- Has poor or changed general condition.
- Do not eat or drink.
- Vomiting blood.
- May have ingested something stuck in the intestines/something poisonous.
- Is a kitten under 6 months old or an older cat.
There can be an incredible number of reasons why a cat vomits. As a rule, it is completely harmless if it only happens once in a while. If it happens more frequently (more than twice a month), you should have a veterinarian investigate the underlying causes of your cat's discomfort. They will be able to analyze blood samples and check the various organs of the cat so that together you can come up with a treatment plan.
