Why Is My Cat Throwing Up?

What it usually means

Vomiting is a sign, not a diagnosis, and the list of causes is long. The most common everyday causes are hairballs, eating too fast, eating grass or houseplants, a sudden change of food, and food that disagrees with them. Intestinal parasites and food intolerance or allergy are also frequent, especially in younger cats. VCA lists these at the top of its common causes.

Less common but more serious causes include swallowed objects such as string, hair ties or ribbon, toxins such as lilies or human medicines, infections, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and metabolic illness such as kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and diabetes, which become more likely as cats age. A urinary blockage can also cause vomiting in male cats. That range is why a cat that keeps vomiting needs an exam rather than a guess.

Vomiting, regurgitation or coughing?

It helps to know what you saw. True vomiting involves effort: heaving and contractions of the belly, often with drooling or lip licking first, and the material is usually partly digested. Regurgitation is passive. Food comes back up quickly and easily, often right after eating, still shaped like the food, and it usually points to a problem in the esophagus rather than the stomach.

Coughing can look surprisingly similar, with a crouched cat, neck stretched out, making a hacking sound and sometimes bringing up a little foam. Cats with asthma are often mistaken for cats with hairballs. If you can, take a short video on your phone. VCA suggests this because it helps your vet tell the three apart quickly.

When to call your vet today

Call your vet the same day if your cat vomits more than two or three times in a day, if the vomiting carries on past a day, or if it comes with diarrhea, lethargy, hiding or not eating. Call, too, if your cat is a kitten, a senior, or has a known condition such as kidney disease or diabetes, because these cats dehydrate and decline faster.

Other reasons not to wait are weight loss, increased thirst or a change in urination along with vomiting, or a cat that has been bringing up food regularly for weeks. Cornell recommends a vet visit for any cat vomiting more often than once a week, even if it otherwise seems fine. Chronic vomiting is common in older cats and is often treatable once the cause is found.

When it's an emergency

Go to your vet or the nearest emergency vet now if you see blood or material like coffee grounds in the vomit, repeated retching with nothing coming up, a swollen or painful belly, weakness or collapse, or pale gums. Treat it as an emergency if you know or suspect your cat swallowed string, thread, tinsel or a toy, and never pull on string you can see in the mouth or under the tongue.

A male cat that is vomiting and also straining in the litter box with little or no urine needs emergency care immediately, because a urinary blockage can be fatal within a day or two. If you think your cat ate a toxic plant, medicine or chemical, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (a fee may apply) while you arrange to see a vet.

What you can safely do at home

If your cat has vomited once or twice but is alert, interested in food and behaving normally, it is reasonable to watch closely for the rest of the day. Make sure fresh water is always available, remove any plants or objects your cat may have chewed, and note what came up, how often and when. Keep a simple log of times, appearance and anything eaten.

Do not give any human medicine for nausea or upset stomach. Several common ones are toxic to cats. Do not withhold water, and do not start a long fast without advice; ask your vet before changing the food. If your cat eats very quickly and brings food back soon after meals, mention it to your vet, who may suggest slowing meals down with a puzzle feeder or smaller, more frequent portions.

What the vet will likely check

Your vet will ask how long it has been going on, how often it happens, what the vomit looks like, whether it relates to meals, and about diet, plants, toys and any medicines. They will examine your cat, feel the belly, check hydration and weigh them. For a young, bright cat with mild signs, they may start with a fecal test for parasites.

If your cat is unwell or the vomiting is chronic, VCA describes the next steps as blood and urine tests, x-rays and ultrasound to look for obstruction, organ disease or thyroid problems. Some cats need endoscopy or biopsies to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease or other gut conditions. Treatment depends entirely on the cause, from deworming or a diet change to fluids, medication or surgery.

Prevention

Brushing your cat regularly, daily for long-haired cats, reduces the hair they swallow and the hairballs that follow. Change foods gradually over a week or so rather than all at once, and keep toxic plants, especially true lilies, out of the home entirely. Put away string, hair ties, rubber bands, ribbon and sewing thread, which are a common cause of serious blockages.

Keep your cat on regular parasite prevention and yearly checkups, twice a year for seniors, so that slow-developing problems like kidney disease and hyperthyroidism are caught early. If your cat bolts food and then brings it up, feeding smaller meals more often or using a food puzzle can help. Above all, do not dismiss frequent vomiting as normal just because it has been going on a long time.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.