All the Causes of Cat Vomiting

1 All the Causes of Cat Vomiting

Causes of cat vomiting

01. Megaesophagus / esophageal stricture

If food moves too fast or in too-large pieces and doesn’t reach the stomach smoothly, undigested food is vomited. If your cat is a vacuum eater, buy a slow-feed bowl!

02. Foreign-body obstruction

Cats eat indigestible things—plastic bags, cloth, thread, slippers, toys, bells—blocking gut motility and causing constant vomiting. Over 5 vomits a day: rush to the vet; you can’t fix it alone.

03. Hairball syndrome

Hair swallowed while grooming builds a stomach hairball causing vomiting. Hairball paste and a comb are home essentials.

04. Indigestion / food allergy

Overeating, allergy to specific food, or unfamiliar food can cause diarrhea. Use a slow-feed bowl and change food.

05. Intestinal blockage

Besides vomiting, appetite and activity drop, the belly is painful to touch, and there may be blood in stool. See the vet.

06. Poisoning

Insecticides, pesticides, plants (poinsettia, onion, celery-family, aloe, lily of the valley, lily, etc.) cause vomiting if eaten. Identify what was swallowed and rush to the vet.

07. Uremia

No appetite; vomits bile or gastric fluid; severe cases bring not just vomiting but convulsions or multi-organ failure. Emergency vet!

08. Parasite infection

Hookworm or roundworm infection causes vomiting and diarrhea; poor nutrient absorption leads to malnutrition. Deworm properly!

09. Tumor

Lymphoma or other tumors cause vomiting, fever, weight loss, poor appetite. Emergency vet!

10. Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis also causes vomiting, as it secondarily affects the gut and causes abnormal motility. It often comes from injury, infection, or low blood pressure; most cases are chronic, only 1/3 acute. Chronic is milder; acute is severe—lethargy, poor appetite, plus dehydration, low temperature, jaundice, vomiting, abdominal pain, labored breathing, diarrhea, fever. Pancreatitis vomiting is usually 3–5 times daily or more. Emergency vet; switch to prescription food.

11. Kidney disease

Acute/chronic kidney disease irritates the gut lining with uremia, making it sensitive and vomit-prone; acute failure especially drops spirit/appetite with vomiting/diarrhea. Emergency vet; prescription food.

12. Protein allergy

Modern cats, inbred for pedigree, have very weak guts. Plus dry food piles on protein for data, which inbred cats can’t bear, causing frequent vomiting and soft stool. The diet must be ‘trial by eating’—try many, watch closely, and find the right one soon.

If vomiting is from hairballs, use hairball paste, cat grass, egg yolk, and combing. Not every cat vomits hairballs; if frequent vomiting—over 5 times a week—with poor appetite, low spirit, or weight loss after, rush to the vet. Most important: a cat that never vomits should get a yearly X-ray, since problems mean surgery.

Vomiting is a cat’s natural mechanism—don’t panic. But diarrhea must not be ignored—go to the vet at once! Here ‘diarrhea’ means fully liquid, not formed soft stool. Frequent soft stool is mild gut inflammation; a vet-recommended probiotic can help daily, and for other questions consult an online vet.