Most cat owners have experienced the unpleasant sensation of cat sick between the toes on a nighttime bathroom trip, or as a nice addition to your favourite rug. Vomiting is the active expulsion of stomach contents, which in cats can be violent, and may have many causes. It needs to be differentiated from regurgitation: where food is brought up with minimal effort from the oesophagus before ever reaching the stomach.
You may see warnings signs such as drooling, swallowing, licking their lips more, or hiding away. Short-term vomiting consisting of one or two episodes, or lasting less than 24 hours, in an otherwise healthy cat is usually nothing to worry about.
What do I do if my cat is sick?
If your cat is sick once or twice but appears otherwise well, remove their food for a few hours, then feed small amounts of a highly digestible food such as chicken, or a prescription diet from your vet. Allow them constant access to a small amount of water. After 24 hours go back to your usual routine.
When should I be worried about my cay vomiting?
It is best to contact your vet if your cat:
- continues to repeatedly vomit.
- cannot keep water down
- is lethargic or listless
- has pale, dry, cold or yellow gums
- has diarrhoea alongside the vomiting
- could have eaten something unusual
- has a known underlying condition such as diabetes or renal disease
- has blood in the vomit.
What could be the reason for my cat vomiting?
Occasional vomiting may be caused by:
Furballs
Cats often ingest hair while grooming. If it forms into clumps it may irritate the stomach, eventually being vomited up. If your cat vomits hairballs frequently your vet may suggest treatments or diets to reduce hair build-up and grooming your cat regularly to reduce the volume of hair ingested.
Eating too rapidly
Cats that gobble food too quickly may regurgitate. If you’ve got multiple cats make sure you have separate feeding bowls in separate locations to reduce competition. Try serving dry food in a used egg carton, or putting kibble in plastic bottles with holes that dispense the food as it rolls. These puzzle feeders slow eating, create mental challenge, combat boredom and increase exercise which combats weight gain.
Eating too much at once
Cats naturally eat small amounts and often. While not always practical, specialists suggest 5 small meals a day. Dry kibble absorbs fluid in the stomach and swells which may cause vomiting, especially in older cats.
Eating spoilt food or hunting
Like us, they can be susceptible to the bacteria or spoiled food or something they’ve caught. This may result in irritation of the stomach.
More serious causes for vomiting in cats
These are some of the more serious causes, where vomiting occurs on a more regular basis;
Ingestion of foreign bodies
Cats are more particular about what they eat than dogs but we do occasionally see cats with blockages. Cotton or string can cause a blockage or trauma to the gut.
Ingestion of certain toxins
We see fewer toxicities in cats because of their fussy nature, with a few exceptions.
Some cats like to nibble on grass. If unavailable, or out of boredom, they may eat house plants such as Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane) and lilies which are toxic. Ask your vet before bringing new plants into your house or garden.
Cats like the taste of antifreeze but it’s especially toxic to them. Never use it in ornamental water features, keep bottles secure and labelled, and wipe up spills immediately. Vomiting, increased thirst, lethargy and lack of appetite may be signs of ingestion. Ingestion is usually not witnessed, partly why it’s often fatal. Call your vet immediately if you suspect ingestion.
Food allergies or new foods
Not all foods suit all cats and any diet change should be slow, taking at least a week. It’s also thought some cats may actually be allergic to certain proteins in foods. If your vet suspects this, they may recommend a hypoallergenic diet using hydrolysed proteins. These are proteins that are broken down into very small pieces so are highly unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.
Parasites – roundworms, tapeworms and fleas
Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasite, affecting cats of all ages. Large burdens can be found in kittens resulting in vomiting, diarrhoea and a failure to thrive. Tapeworms are transmitted via hunting or by
Cats with kidney disease or liver disease
Other signs include lethargy, lack of appetite, weight loss and increased thirst. Cats with liver disease may have a yellow discolouration to the skin/gums. Liver disease can occur alongside intestine and pancreatic disease in a complex known as ‘triaditis’. If your vet suspects underlying medical reasons for vomiting, blood tests and other investigations may be advised. Treatments options will depend on the organs involved and severity of disease.
Gastrointestinal diseases
Infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or small parasites known as protozoa can cause gastrointestinal signs. Inflammatory bowel diseases are a complex group of disorders caused by an immune reaction and result in persistent or intermittent diarrhoea, and/or vomiting. It may be part of the above mentioned ‘triaditis’ syndrome.
Cancers
The two most common tumours affecting the stomach and intestines are lymphoma and adenocarcinoma. They may cause a partial blockage resulting in vomiting, weight loss, diarrhoea and appetite loss. The cat’s age, condition, the tumour location, the severity of disease and your wishes will affect treatment options. Surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be options once diagnosed. Sadly, sometimes euthanasia may have to be considered.
What will my vet do if my cat won’t stop vomiting?
After taking a history and examining your cat your vet may advise dietary adjustments and medical treatments alone if the symptoms are mild. With more severe symptoms, investigations such as blood tests, x-rays, urine samples or ultrasound may be discussed. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, antiemetics (anti-vomiting drugs) and stomach protectants.
If a blockage is suspected then surgery may be discussed. The most appropriate treatment is the one that will address the underlying cause, whatever that may be, and your vet is perfectly placed to determine that and then to get your cat on the mend.
You may also be interested in;
- Why is my cat always hungry?
- Why is my cat sneezing?
- How Do You Know If A Cat Is In Pain?
- What is pancreatitis in cats?
- Why does my cat bite me unprovoked?
Or use our free interactive tools, the poisons guide and cat symptom checker.
Discussion
My cat has been vomiting once and twice daily for a few weeks now. For the last several months, she has been vomiting @ 1x per week and the vet told me “cats throw up” and not to worry about it – now it has increased to 1-2xs daily – sometimes it has fur in it but a lot of times it is just liquid. She is otherwise fine – no weight loss, no diarrhea, she eats normally and acts normal – I’m not sure what to do, if anything, or if the vet is right and she just has a sensitive stomach…
If it’s getting worse, I definitely think it’s time to go back to the vet and potentially get some more workup done. Chronic vomiting is quite common in cats, and mostly the causes are very treatable, but vomiting every day is not normal!
Good luck!
My kitten My cat has been drooling for four to five days. Before this she feels very uncomfortable and stops after 10 seconds and does it twice a day
Unfortunately, there are lots of possible causes; among the more common are mouth injuries, diseases of the gullet and intestine (including obstructions), and potentially rabies if you are in an endemic area. If rabies is a possibility, isolate her immediately and seek medical attention from a health inspector or similar.
If not, you could consider looking for an injury or foriegn object in the mouth, but this really needs veterinary investigation if it’s anything other than a simple twig or bone trapped.
my 10 year old cat started throwing up a lot a few years ago so we took him to the vet, the vet gave him an injection to stop vomiting and told us to give him wet food.
ever since then he has only had wet food (he will be sick if eating dry). however he still gets occasional bouts of throwing up that are fixed by giving him plain chicken. (it seems to reset him)
He is going through a bout of vomiting currently so we gave him chicken for a day, then switch back to his wet food. he is fine for a couple of days after but starts being sick again. what could this be?? he is otherwise fine, no weight loss or appetite loss.
This isn’t normal, so i’d strongly advise going back to the vet and asking for a more detailed workup to try and get to the bottom of the issue – their advice sounds fine for acute (sudden onset/short duration) vomiting, but it seems like it’s now progressed into chronic (ongoing) issues, which really need more investigation. Good luck!
I brought a rescued cat home today. He is 2 months old and is very skinny. He vomited once after we forced him to eat. The vomit looked greenish and foamy. Then he peed on the bed but he pooped twice on the litter box and covered it well. He is not eating anything but drank some water thrice. Drank the water after vomiting. What shall I do?
I really wouldn’t try to force feed a cat anything! It’s probably stress related, so let him have a nice dark corner to rest in and see how he is tomorrow – a one off vomit in a stressed cat is pretty normal. If it’s still going on overnight, vet time. Hope that helps, good luck!
Hello,
I am concerned for my kitty, he’s a couple years old now and has been throwing up maybe 4 times now. He cried during this last one which woke me up. I laid with him on the floor because he looked comfortable but as I was petting him his stomach area was gyrating. This concerns me a little bit, any advice? I honestly cannot afford a vet ER bill right now but I am extremely concerned and looking for guidance.
After vomiting 4 times, I’d be quite worried about him – that much vomiting suggests a more serious issue, and even if it’s “just” gastroenteritis, after 4 vomits, dehydration starts to become a serious risk. From your description, I’d also be concerned that he has some stomach pain – and really does need a vet check. Good luck with him!
my almost-nine month old kitten has thrown up twice today. first, he threw up bile this afternoon, around 1 p.m. then he threw up a mealy substance with flecks of orange around 3 p.m. he just threw up the same mealy substance, around 5.20. and again, a little more bile just now. the main colour is green, but again, there are flecks of orange in the vomit.
our pet hospital is closed, so we can’t go until tomorrow. should i make an effort to find a 24/7 vet hospital? he’s been eating fairly normally today and has been playing and sleeping as usual too.
After 3 vomits, if he’s able to keep water down and is bright and well in himself, and not showing any other symptoms, then it’s probably fine to wait until tomorrow. But do keep a close eye on him in case he shows any other symptoms or the vomiting persists.
Hi … My cat kuku is vomiting from yesterday and I’m much worried .
He is not eating anything from yesterday and only drink water yesterday only once but only little bit but not popping .
He is of 5 months nd… Not eating anything and not even smelling chicken which is actually his fav food .
Ok . Then tell me is it any emergency bcz from 1.5 day he is not eating and vomiting.. after 4 to 5 hours firstly white foam and yellow foam vomit now…
OK, I think at that age after more than 24h of illness, she does need veterinary attention, as dehydration can be genuinely life-threatening. Good luck!
my kitten is 3months old and he is vomiting for 3 to 4times a day and color of vomit is yellowish foamy. he is vomiting since yesterday night .. what do i do now? and is it life threatening? please help me out.
I definitely think he needs veterinary attention ASAP – at that age, dehydration can be life threatening, even if the underlying cause isn’t that serious.
Hello, i have a 6 month old short haired girl who had diarrhea for a couple days then threw up 3 days in a row on week two, we’re in week 3 and she threw up twice today. The first time was all her food and the second was watery. Other than throwing up she’s very active, does go to the bathroom. She does, however have a history of suckling on a furry blanket that i threw out because i noticed some fur in her stool. She wasn’t separated from her mom early but she and her sister have done that since i had them. is this a cause for alarm? Thank you
I think it’s unlikely to be immediately dangerous, but I really do think she should get a vet check pretty soon – that degree of digestive upset for so long isn’t normal, and could indicate other issues.
My cat has vomited once every day for the past 5 days. What made sense was her vomiting due to new food she ate but she is still vomiting after switching back to her old food. Her behaviour is normal. She has a skin rash on her back however this has been resolved by the vet. should I feed her a little less at a time and wait a couple more days before taking her to the vet?
Once a day for 5 days probably needs checking over – reducing the amount may help, if she’s still able to keep some down and is still drinking OK, but if you get to a week and she’s still vomiting, definitely vet time.
My 4 year old cat has been bile sick several times over the the past 36 hours and not eating. He hasn’t been out for the toilet either. He’s been pretty sleepy. He’s had a small bit of water and I’ve cooked chicken but he’s not interested. I have some probiotics arriving today but we can’t get to the vet till tomorrow. Any ideas what I can do?
Repeated vomiting with out passing faeces is a bit of a worry – it’s most likely constipation due to a hairball, but the possibility of a bowel obstruction is very real, and so I really would get a vet check sooner rather than later.
My cat keep vomiting more then three times in a day what could I give it to him for home remedies?
If they’re vomiting more than 3 times a day, then she needs a vet, not home remedies: there are lots of possible cause but they need diagnosing and treating effectively.
My 14yo cat has an inflammatory bowel disease, she has episodes where she vomits for a few days, barely eats and then goes back to “normal”. We are giving her a renal diet, as the vet suggested, it’s been going for months. A couple days ago, she started being scared of her own food, and won’t eat at all despite being hungry, what can we do? She seems to choke as soon as she eats a tiny bit as well.
I think it;s worth getting her checked over again – the most common cause for a cat to develop sudden “fear” around food is dental disease – fortunately this is almost always manageable!
My daughter’s friends 7 month old kitty was healthy until he threw up yellow vomit today. Then she came home and he was dead. The other two cats are fine. She is heartbroken what could have happened.
I am so sorry to hear that – it’s awful when something happens that suddenly.
Unfortunately, without a full veterinary post mortem/autopsy, there’s no way to know. The vomiting could be a symptom of the underlying cause (e.g. stomach ulcers), or just a response to severe illness (e.g. blood clots) – and without more information, it;s impossible to be sure.
Mmy cat was neutered the 12yj, . Was ok 24 hrs, then started throwing up ebrrytime he ate, was told to withhold food twice, heas has eaten after fast, took to vet, put on antibiotics and had fluid injevted. Thewup on way home, then when ate 24 hours later, threw up again, called they said withhold food again, from 12 yesterday till 8 this morning, he is losing weight, fed hem mouthful of food, he is wanting more, should I let him have it? He is drinking water. What should I do if he vomits it up, he is gonna starve just eating a mouthful of food a day and throwing it up. Please respond. Ty
Definitely have a chat with the vets – try to find out WHY they’re asking you to withold food; and if more tests are needed to find out what’s going on rather than repeating the same cycle.
Please help, my 1.5 yr old siamese has been vomiting (4x) tonight and her fur is puffed up and shes nursing 5wk old kittens. Luckily her twin gave birth to a litter just 2 weeks prior so nursing is a shared between the two. Im very scared bcuz shes never been sick before. What can i do until i can see a vet?
Make sure she’s got free access to small amounts of water, and get her to a vet ASAP
I have a 2 1/2 year old boy kitty who has vomited twice this month, each time a clear yellowy bile with no strong odor. He hasn’t had a change in diet and hasn’t ingested anything. This has happened each time we come back with food. so it may be that? he doesn’t eat it but maybe the smell? but otherwise he is totally healthy, has been the same, isn’t excessive with water and is peeing and pooping fine. I’ve tried to look into it but can’t find much. but can cats gag from a hair bring caught on their tongue or something? there was no hairball. I just can’t tell what the cause could be.. would totally appreciate advice
I’d be inclined to suggest a vet check to make sure there’s no underlying medical issue; if not, I’d wonder if he was eating too fast sometimes? You could try a puzzle feeder to slow things down, that might help if that was the cause.
I have a stray kitten. It was lethargic for whole day, in evening I tried to force feed him water then he vomited, it was white foamy and there were solid chunks of cockroach body. He is not eating or drinking anything. Vet is not available till tomorrow. What should I do.
NEVER try and force feed a cat anything, especially fluid – it’s very easy to drown them by accident! If there are no vets that you can find open, then get him to the vet first thing tomorrow.
My 3 year old cat has vomited 3 times in 24 hours. No hairball. She had a little diarrhea as well. She is acting fine and normal. She is eating and drinking regularly. Should I take her in?
I have an 8 week old kitten that I got just 3 days ago, she has been very energetic until today. She threw up 6 times throughout the day and she seems to be sleeping a lot(although, I don’t know how much sleep is normal for her). Should I take her to the vet or wait to see if her nausea passes? She’s been drinking water but not eating.
At that age, I’d be suggesting a vet check after vomiting 6 times: even if she is drinking, she can dehydrate really fast. It may well prove to be nothing but a passing stomach upset, but kittens can go downhill very fast.
My 1& 1/2 year old threw up at 2 a.m – it was yellow and liquidy. Then she refused food. It is now almost 5 p.m. and she hasn’t had anything yet. We took her temperature – it’s normal.
A one-off vomit I wouldn’t worry too much about: but if she sarts vomiting more, goes off water, or develops any other symptoms, then I’d recommend a vet check.
My 4 year old cat threw up twice within 6 hours. He’s acting perfectly normal, each time the throw up was food. No bile, no foaming and definitely no blood. Throwing up isn’t uncommon for him and I took him to the vet last weekend. The Vet cleared him as healthy otherwise. Am I worrying too much? Is this perfectly fine? If he throws up again I’m inclined to take him to the vet again but it’s expensive and I’m not sure what they could do to help.
2 vomits and then fine and cleared by the vet means it is probably just him – it might be due to eating too fast, or he just ate something that mildly disagreed with him. In future, I’d use 3 as a cut-off, or any other symptoms of behavioural changes alongside a vomit.
Hope that helps!
my cat threw up fiive times in 10 min. At first it had a few hairballs in it then got clear. She also has diarrhea
miting 5 times in 10 minutes and diarrhoea probably means a gut infection – definitely time to talk to your vet!
My 10 year old female cat has been throwing up greed liquid, then getting a bad runny nose. she’s constantly going to the water bowl but will not eat. this first happened back in april of this year. i took her to the vet, they prescribed her antibiotics and if she doesn’t get better in 2 weeks come back. the antibiotics helped her to go back to her normal, happy self. about a 2 weeks after her antibiotics were over, the same symptoms came back. i took her back to the vet, he prescribed her some hydrolyzed protein food. he said it’s probably inflammatory bowel disease. she has eaten the food okay. she’s not a big cat so she doesn’t eat a lot. it’s been 4 months on this food. she’s been fine until about 3 days ago. the same vomiting, congestion, lethargy, and no appetite. could it be more serious than IBD? i don’t know what to do. i’m so worried for my little angel.
I’d definitely go back to the vet and explain that it’s recurred. I;’d also be inclined to have a chat about further diagnostics to confirm IBD (or anything worse), such as abdominal scans and possibly an intestinal biopsy.
Hi, my cat is 2 years old and has been throwing up unusually. He never usually throws up but in the past 24 hours its been about 7 times now and the vet suggested gastrointestinal cans for him so i gave him some today and he kept it down for about 5 hours and he then threw up 3 times later tonight. I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow but i am so worried about my little guy.
Hmmm, yes definitely time to get him seen. It’s probably a nasty gastroenteritis but if he can’t keep gastrointestinal food down, and has vomited 10 times in 2 days, that needs looking into, as there might be something more serious, such as an intestinal blockage. Good luck!
My 5 year old cat has always been healthy and would never say no to food. Over the past week she has been puking clear liquid, refusing food and has been hiding away, she did have an accident in my bedroom where I had to replace the mattress and she seems more tired than usual. I have only managed to get her to eat a small amount of cat treats and she drinks water occasionally. She has been loving cuddles more than usual though. Could this be an intestional blockage? I will be taking her to the vets very soon eitherway.
Yes, it could be a blockage, and I definitely agree it’s time for a vet check: good luck!
Hello. I have a 2-month-old kitten that we got from the street. This morning he was doing perfectly fine, eating, playing around in the garden, pooping. Until suddenly he started meowing and throwing up white foam, can’t keep water down and is acting lethargic and confused. I’m really worried it might be a blockage because he ate a piece of bread that fell on the ground, and we don’t have a lot of vets available.
Sadly, with such severe signs, I would strongly advise finding veterinary care – a blockage or a very serious GI infection such as panleukopenia seem distinct possibilities.
My 6 year old female cat has never had a history of hairballs and has changed foods a few times without issue. About 5 weeks ago, I got another cat (they seem to get along great) but vet recommended I switch them to the same food because the new cat is on a special urinary diet. My cat ate the new food for about 4 weeks but was gradually losing weight (I thought maybe good because she was overweight), 2 nights ago she threw up a large amount of the food which I originally thought was gorging, but since then even 2 pieces of dry food is enough to make her vomit. Now she’s thrown up 4x in 2 days. Last night she threw up plain white liquid too which I can’t tell if it’s water. She has been drinking a lot otherwise and seemed to keep some chicken breast down (not sure). I noticed last night she is scratching and biting herself aggressively and she has been sneezing for a few weeks too which was initially connected to an upper respiratory infection. I’m definitely calling the vet but suspect they will make me wait – do I need to go to an emergency vet?
If she can’t keep any food down, sooner is definitely better than later!
One possibility might be that she’s grooming the new cat; more likely, she’s a bit stressed by the new addition and is overgrooming, leading to more hairballs. That said, there might be other things going on too, so absolutely right to get a vet check.
my 10 yr.old female cat has been vomiting,digested food,hours after she eats…what could be the problem?
There are lots of possible causes, from the benign and mild (eating to fast) to the more serious (pyloric stenosis, for example). I’d definitely get a vet check to rule out serious medical issues, and then go from there – good luck!
My cat (2yo) has vomited 6 times now in just one day. It’s always very clear vomit that’s either just liquid or her food and she always meows really panicked before she throws up. I’ll definitely take her to the vet asap but should i be worried?
In all probability, it’s a nasty gastroenteritis – but that amount of vomiting can also be a sign of something more serious like a bowel blockage, so absolutely right to get her checked out. Good luck with her!
We adopted two 10 week old kittens last week. They have been eating, drinking, and playing consistently. Yesterday morning when we woke up we noticed vomit. Mostly liquid with digested food. Then again this morning same thing, so about 24 hours apart. We aren’t sure which one. They have a vet appointment already scheduled at the end of the week, but how concerned should we be, and should we try to move the appointment up?
At that age, one or two vomits each isn’t a huge deal. But if they seem lethargic or unable to keep water down, then I’d say it’s more urgent.
My 6 month old male cat was neutered a week ago last two days he has thrown up once or twice he’s still super energetic he doesn’t have diarrhea and he’s drinking and eating still the first time he threw up it was green with hair in it last time it was color of his food brownish but he’s fine. Should I be concerned.
Vomiting twice is unlikely to be a big deal, if he seems otherwise fine and is able to keep food and water down. If it persists for more than 3 days, though, I’d suggest a check up though.
I’ve 10yo Siamese. She’s in good condition, bright, no obvious medical issues. She’s always been a sicky cat and usually at the end of her worming period she’ll start being sick and it’s a sign to worm her again (every 3 months) but for the last few months she’s being sick every night mostly and has been wormed. She eats well, doesn’t bolt her food and is never sick during the day. It seems like she sleeps at night, gets up in the early hours and is sick. It’s only food she brings up – no hairballs of foreign bodies and she’s not one for catching birds etc. She’s drinking ok, doesn’t seem lethargic I’m at a bit of a loss as it doesn’t happen at any other time.
I’d be inclined to get a vet check and make sure there isn’t anything medical going on first!
My cat that almost 2 throws up undigested food here in there. Every time I go to put food in the bowl she is the first one to rush to eat it. I haven’t noticed any difference in playfulness bowels look OK no diarrhea the cat has been hydrated and not showing signs of sickness could this be over eating? This has been going on here in there for about six months puke looks normal color as well. Is this a cause for concern to take to the vet?
I’d be inclined to get her checked out to make sure there’s nothing more sinister going on, to be honest.
My cat is almost 13! He has pancreatitis, a carrier of leukemia,& stage 1 kidney disease! He’s been vomiting lately! Can it be because my home is cold? I have him on CBD oil in the morning, fish oil at noon & [redacted] at night!
If he’s regularly vomiting, my immediate thought is that one of those conditions has worsened. Whatever, he needs veterinary attention ASAP.
Hi. My indoor cat vomited after I gave him grass. Now he is so lethargic and stopped eating. My other cats ate the same grass and they are fine! It is 6 hours after his vomit. He has no diarrhea though. When should I see a doctor? I am so worried!
If he is still drinking and able to keep water down, that’s not a massive problem – it’s probably a stomach upset that will sort itself out in 24 hours or so. If he develops any other symptoms or seems to be getting worse; or is not improving within 24 hours, then vet time.
I brought in a year old female cat from the street and she’s been doing wonderful except she’s vomiting if fed a snack outside of her feeding time. She’s seen the vet who said she looked perfectly healthy (before she began vomiting). It’s happened a few times and it was having her try liver and a freeze dried fish as a little treat. The puke is a light yellow. Poor baby screams before puking too I’ve never heard a cat do that before. 🙁
If there’s nothing clinically wrong, I’m afraid to say the best bet is probably not to offer food outside normal meal times.
Sorry to say, I have no better ideas…!
My 5 yr old male cat has been turning down his usual food and snacks x2 days. He has vomited white and yellow foam. Energy level is fairly normal. Does drink water.
Cried yesterday prior to vomiting white foam. Should I rush him to the vet or observe a while longer?
2 days of vomiting and not eating isn’t great – I’d definitely be suggesting getting him seen pretty rapidly if he’s not showed any signs of improvement.
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My 16 year old cat, Tucker died two days ago. He always had a sensitive stomach so i was careful of how much canned food i fed him. Only a little at a time so he did okay but sometime he would vomit. I fed him a couple of nights ago and he seemed to be okay but in the morning my husband found him in the cellar and he had passed away. I’m so upset. He never lived outside. I miss him terribly and feel it was my fault that he died. Thank you!
Probably not – a sensitive stomach alone might give him vomiting and diarrhoea, but no worse than that! At 16 there could have been an awful lot of other things going on, and it’s REALLY unlikely that it’s your fault for feeding him a little too much as a one-off!
My adult female cat acts fine. Has no symptoms. I feed her a pate type of cat food. She has been on this for a while. But lately she has been throwing up every 2-3 days, and happens about 6 hours after her breakfast meal. It’s not a lot of food, it’s mostly a very light pink to almost clear liquid and it’s quite a bit for this little 6 lb cat. She has no other symptoms. Is there a reason why there is so much liquid(is it coming from her esophagus, or possibly stomach acids). Please advise. She doesn’t drink a lot of water, so I do add some water(not too much) in her patè.
I don’t like that it’s pale pink – unless the food has a pink-ish dye in it, that suggests there may be some bleeding somewhere. Chronic vomiting like this can be difficult to get to the bottom of, but I would certainly suggest getting a vet check up for her, as there might be something internal going on – chronic pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or even bowel cancers, can cause these sorts of symptoms.
I found a cat on the street that was bandoned and left in a cage and is clearly undernourished. I bath her, dried her and gave her cat food and water she ate and drank really fast. She kept it down, but when she ate and drank for the second time she threw up white foam a few times and then she drank again after that and has been licking her lips a lot and just puked up foam once again. Is this normal for a cat who has been clearly neglected? Do you think a vet would know a place that would be willing to take her for free?
It could be, but she could also have a LOT of other health problems. I definitely agree its time to get her seen by a vet – and yes, most vets will know of shelters if she’s a suitable candidate.
my 2 month old kitten pooped green stool and then he got diarrhea after that he stopped eating and i took him to the vert. the vet gave him some injectables. we came back and he asked for food and he ate but after a few hours he threw up then i took him to the vet again and when i came back he asked for food but threw it up again. what do i do im so confused the vet is closed noe should i force feed him and kind of liquids should i give him please respond
Do NOT force-feed a vomiting cat – you will make matters much worse!
If your cat is vomiting despite medication, he probably needs further workup and investigation, or at least fluid therapy to prevent dehydration.
Hi-
my 10 year old cat seems to have a sensitive tummy. She pukes usually between meals (I feed her 3x a day and try not to go longer than 8 hours between meals). But she pukes probably once a week sometimes more (varies). She eats well and drinks well and is in good spirits but hasn’t always been like this except for the last year or so. Does this happen with age? Her blood work is normal although she did have an acute kidney injury which has returned to normal recently. Any idea on whats happening?
The most likely causes are either that she’s eating too fast (really quite common, but odd that it’s started so late in life – could be due to stress) or that there’s a low grade bowel condition – such as inflammatory bowel disease, or subclinical pancreatitis. If her bloods are normal that’s great, but it would be interesting to get her folate and cobalamin checked (markers for gut health) and her fPLI (marker for pancreatic function and health).
My Bombay cat Shady is approximately 11 years old and has not eaten anything substantial in a few days. This is day 3 and has vomited yellow for the third time today. Once early this morning and then twice back to back this evening. He is not acting lethargic or hiding. Not sure if it is just a hairball or if I should be more concerned. It is Sunday and the vet is currently closed. He did eat a few bites of chicken yesterday and was drinking but I haven’t noticed if he’s been drinking anything today. When should I be alarmed?
I wouldn’t say that it’s an emergency if he’s still bright, active, and able to keep some water down. If he develops any other signs, vomits after drinking, or seems very tired or lethargic, I’d be concerned about dehydration, and would say that needs more urgent assessment; otherwise, Monday morning would probably be OK.
We live in the country, and one of the cats has started to throw up food intermittently over the last week, he is now just heaving, and expelling clear liquid, plus I’ve seen 2 spots of liquid with blood in it.
A week of intermittent vomiting, especially with some blood, isn’t normal – definitely time to see the vet for a full workup to check there isn’t anything sinister going on!
He also just threw up which looks like foam.
Not drinking and vomiting for 24 hours means, in my book, it’s probably best to get him checked by your vets – it might be nothing more serious than a stomach upset, but dehydration can become dangerous scarily fast, and it’s best to get on top of it early.
My 5 month old kitten threw up twice last night and hasn’t eaten since yesterday morning…he has been in bed all day and now he keeps going to the litter box but jumps out a cpl seconds later…he is also licking his lips n it looks like he’s salivating…he has been kinda pacing back and forth between rooms…I haven’t seen him drink any water either.
My cat is 4. She hasn’t been eating much in recent days and has spat up a white foamy liquid 2-3 times over the course of the week. Other than that, she has acted normal and seems unbothered except the few moments she spat up, understandably so. Because of her overall normal behavior I am unsure what to think of this.
Hmmm, the most likely cause is probably some sort of stomach upset. However, if it’s been going on for a week, and not resolving, I’d be strongly inclined to make an appointment to get her checked over by your vet to make sure there’s nothing nasty going on.
My cat has been vomiting for 5 days. I do not know what to do
OK, persistent vomiting for 5 days needs a vet – full stop!
I have a cat of 3 months. He vomitted food 2 times a row and is sleeping alot. Is it normal?
Not normal, no, but not uncommon. Ideally, you’d get him checked out in case it was something nasty, but if he’s only thrown up twice, and is drinking and keeping fluids down, and seems fully alert and with it when awake, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to monitor for 12-24 hours and see how he goes, calling a vet if he deteriorates.
My 15 year old cat has been throwing up food and/or hairballs daily for many months. She lets out a horrible scream when she’s about to do it. The vet keeps saying “it’s just furballs”. We can’t afford expensive tests and treatment. I’m feeling it would be more humane to put her down, considering her age, than to let her go thru this some times several times a day. Please advise.
At that age, you might be right: she’s clearly very unhappy about it, and at the end of the day, it’s the quality of her life, not the quantity, that’s important.
Your response to this poster made me very upset! Why would you agree to such a drastic solution without suggesting an anti-vomiting medication first. It’s difficult giving our older Siamese cat pills, so we have them compounded and rub a small amount of the paste in her ear every other day. This has made a huge difference!! I just can’t understand why this is never mentioned!
Because the OP said she could not afford any more treatment, and antiemetics are pretty expensive drugs.
At the end of the day, humane and gentle death is always a better choice than ongoing suffering.
hi ! my 3 year old cat ate a lot of food this morning and he vomited everything. from then on, we tried giving him food but hes been hiding the whole day. the times we saw him were just him vomiting clear foamy liquid. he threw this up atleast thrice now) i noticed how he was hiding the whole day and he was very lethargic and whines every now and then. i researched a ton ever since earlier and it seems like he may be hungry. we tried giving him water and food but he only tries to smell it but continues to ignore it. im actually so worried that if this will pass without me going to the vet (our vets are closed now since its night) right away but i also saw how normal it is for cats to throw up few times and then the next 24 hours will make them feel okay. i also noticed how he had little bald spots on his back close to his tail and researched how parasites and being sick can cause that also so i dont know what i could tend to him right now. i plan on waiting a day to see if there might be improvements but after that i think i will bring him to the vet asap. can you suggest anything or tell me things that might be a possibility or some words that might help me calm down and not overthink about how hes feeling? 🙁
The most common cause of acute (sudden onset) repeat vomiting like this is gastroenteritis – basically, a stomach upset, which isn’t dangerous.
The reason we say get them checked out sooner rather than later is because exactly the same symptoms occur in more serious conditions (e.g. panleukopenia or a blocked bowel) many of which of which can be fatal without urgent treatment.
So in all probability he’ll be OK – but I would still be getting him checked out as soon as your vets is open again!
My 2 month old kitten vomitted first time because of a foreign item and puked it out after his meal.after that he is behaving aggressively and hissing and attacking itself and not eating or drinking anything . It has been 7 hours now
OK, definitely time to get him to a vet ASAP – it sounds like he might have another foreign body causing a blockage; alternatively, the object has caused some internal damage. Either way, the odds are he needs urgent veterinary attention!
My cat is only one years old. This morning I woke up to the sound of her violently throwing up. It was about 6 times of her throwing up and nothing game out excerpt for like clearlish-brownish liquid. Now she just laying in bed next to me.
6 vomits in 24 hours isn’t good – definitely time to see a vet!
My 5 month old kitten has vomited four times this morning so far. One BIG vomit (very yellow and like purée), one smaller vomit, one tiny vomit and then one that was basically just water. He’s just had a large drink of water and now settled into a bed for a nap.
No signs before this morning. His poos are loose but he had his castration last Tuesday so still getting over the after-effects of anaesthetic and medication. He otherwise seems pretty normal, maybe less playful but he usually sleeps about now. No new foods (he has pumpkin purée and probiotics, then hypoallergenic dry throughout the day) and I cleaned his water fountain yesterday.
Should I contact the vet?
Personally, I think 4 vomits in rapid succession in a kitten that age is a concern; if he’s keeping water down it’s not an emergency but I think getting him checked over would be a good idea. Good luck with him!
We have a 10 year old male Tabby that has been vomiting his digested food after drinking copious amounts of water. He has recently started to be lethargic and hides under the bed, away from our 8 year old diluted Tortie (she hisses at our male). The male seems to have some weight over the last couple weeks, as well. Please advise, thank you.
It sounds like a chronic (ongoing) problem, and that’s something that I think really needs veterinary attention: while acute (sudden onset) vomiting usually self-resolves with appropriate supportive care, these chronic conditions need a bit more investigation to manage them. Common causes include inflammatory bowel diseases, chronic pancreatitis, side effects to medications, and functional obstructions of the bowel. I definitely think it’s time to get him checked out by a vet: hopefully, it’s something really simple like eating too fast or mild constipation, but I really do think he needs to be fully assessed. Good luck with him!
My 1 year old cat has thrown up (orange liquidy) twice today and once yesterday with diarrhea . She has a history of having a loss of appetite and has to use an appetite stimulant every few days. Have been to ER in past for loss of appetite, the scans/imaging had no found issue or blockage. Is the vomiting an emergency?
I’d generally say that vomiting less than 3 times a day, if the cat is able to keep water down and isn’t showing any unexpected symptoms (like lethargy, abnormal behaviour etc – diarrhoea with vomiting is quite normal and may actually suggest it’s gastroenteritis rather than something more sinister), isn’t an emergency. If you feel she’s iller than she should be, or she isn’t able to drink and keep water down, then yes she does need vet attention. Hope that helps – good luck with her!
My 10 yr old calico is in good health, ate breakfast normally at 8 am ,spent day fine , was napping in the window for about 4 hours very relaxed ,not distressed and then jumped up at 5 pm and projectile! vomited orangeish very watery vomit with some digested food particles -a lot and very smelly! but not like feces ,& no red. She is resting now in her bed meatloaf style seems ok not great . wondering if this is emergency ? or wait if continues Never seen a cat do that type vomiting. She rarely vomits . She’s taking a bath now – You think I can watch it for right now . Should i withhold food tonight? My vet is closed now and ER vet is big bucks : (
Thx for any insight
A one-off vomit that doesn’t contain blood or any blue/green granules (which may suggest poisoning) isn’t usually an emergency, unless there are other symptoms: so monitoring and seeing how she goes would be reasonable – hope she does OK!
My 2-year-old cat is on day 3 of wearing a cone after a procedure to fix an ingrown toe nail. He’s been hating it but doing okay. Tonight he vomited for the first time since he got the cone. It was all liquid.
He doesn’t usually vomit often, but occasionally. I washed and dried the cone without removing it, but worry that the cone might now be gross for him. Also, might he have more to vomit up?
You can take the cone off to wash it properly, as long as he’s closely supervised (on someone’s lap, for example!) to stop him licking at the operation site. he must NOT be allowed to lick or groom the area!
I have a little kitten and this is his 1st time vomiting he eats wet food and also he has a little blood coming from his poop. Is this common?
No – blood in the faeces isn’t normal, and in a kitten, definitely vet time!
Hi there! Just got this kitten about a month ago. He is about 4 months old now. He has been vomiting chunky green liquid (some with partially digested food) for about 30 hours now, five times over this period. He will drink a little, move a little, eat a tiny bit… taking to the vet tomorrow but wondering what you suspect! How long should I wait before I go to the vet? Is it likely a “stomach bug” like he ate some plant or bug or something (he gets into EVERYTHING)? I am worried about FeVL??? Please advise! I am poor so hoping it will resolve but watching overnight…. thanks!!
5 vomits in quick succession in a kitten that age is quite a worry – the most likely explanation is that he ate something nasty, but it could be a bowel blockage, or an infection like Panleukopenia. Definitely time for a vet check before the dehydration becomes dangerous – hope he does OK.
Hi my 9 months indoor kitten started vomiting clear foamy vomit yesterday now he’s not eating anything not sleeping just sits & has started to diarrhea .. shes now vomiting green/yellow and she is unusually very quite with no energy.. could it be something she ate? So far she is vomiting like once in every 4hrs
It could be, it could also be something nasty like panleukopenia: whatever the cause, though, she needs veterinary attention, because the dehydration alone is likely to become dangerous after that much vomiting.
My one year old cat recently got spayed, and it’s been about 10 days after her surgery. I removed her e-collar, and that same night she started throwing up and she threw up a hairball. She’s been throwing up since, and I’m not sure what the cause may be. She isn’t lethargic, and her stool is normal.
It’s probably not related to the surgery, but it’s not impossible that there’s some sort of delayed reaction: I’d be inclined to contact your vets and check with them, just in case there’s something more complicated than an upset stomach going on.
Hi! I have a 7 yr old munchkin cat, male, fixed. He had a bad bought of vomiting and hiding in the very beginning of July 2022 and I took him to the vet for ER service. $400 later, they did a scan of his digestive track to look for blockage, etc.. only thing found was a hairball making its way thru. To make sure they kept him overnight, out him on fluids, and also on cerenia (shot). They released him to me over 24 hours later and gave him one more shot of cerenia beforehand. Just after we entered 2nd week of Aug. Same situation again. Got him in on a normal vet visit. Again, a new scan was done, cerenia shot and they also gave me this gel stuff for hairballs. They think maybe it is the hairballs starting to bother him. It took me almost 2.5 weeks to figure out a way to get that stuff into his system. We can give it to him almost daily by a small cc feeding type syringe. We just tilt his head back and do our best to get it in towards the back of his mouth, so he has to swallow it. After the cerenia pill they gave me ran out he started to get sick again so this time they gave me more cerenia in pill form I had to, but into 1/4th’s and hide in treats. He had a final re-check on Thursday Sept. 22nd. New scan, complete blood work panel, urine test done. Everything came back fine.. So, on Sunday the 25th I STOPPED the cerenia. Things went well until 12:30am on 9/29 when he threw up a small portion of dried cat food (Hill Science Prescription C/D been on it for over 2 years). I did give him a lil soup an hour later and he did not throw that up. He is back to being a bit sickly, not very energenic and so I crushed a 1/4th pill of cerenia and added it into a small area of his lil soup hoping he would lick it all down… he ate some of it, but then stopped. He is now u stairs hiding and I think he only got a little of the cerenia, but not sure if it is enough to help. Also hoping he doesn’t throw it up. The vet says they can’t find or see any reason for him to be having this issue other than a hairball issue, but could it be a developed food allergy to his hill science prescription? The vet doesn’t think that is it. Is my vet missing something? I have paid out over $900 between vet visits, tests and meds… and we can’t really afford much more. I do not want to have to put him down, but this throwing up won’t stop unless he is on that cerenia. HELP!
This is odd, but it does suggest there might be some underlying issue here. If funds allow, I think the next step would be to talk about referral to a specialist gastroenterologist for further workup – munchkins have a number of genetic abnormalities, but as they are a relatively “breed”, the impacts on GI function are as yet poorly understood. There are a few anecdotal claims that they have an increased susceptibility to pancreatitis, which might be causing this – but I would have expected your vet to test for that. It might also be worth double checking with your vet that pancreatitis, triaditis and inflammatory bowel disease have all been thoroughly ruled out before making any final decisions.
Other than that – good luck, it sounds like there’s something unusual going on there with him, but I hope you can get to the bottom of it!
My 1.5 year old cat has vomited about 6 or 7 times today. Initially it was good, then liquid and foam….she then ate and drank and vomited the food two more times. When should I worry? Now?
Vomiting more than 3 times in a day is usually an indication for veterinary attention – so 8 or 9 times definitely needs a vet check, to manage the risk of dehydration if nothing else.
Hello, my 12 year old cat vomited once this morning, and has been off all day, hiding. He hasn’t eaten anything and just turns his head away when I offer him water. Tonight he came down to us, which Im taking as a good sign but Im still super worried. So grateful for any help you can offer in advance. Many thanks!
I’m more worried by the fact he feels unwell (hence the hiding) than a single vomit. If he’s still off colour after a day or so, if he can’t keep water down, or if he has any other symptoms, definitely get it checked, but if it’s a simple bout of gastroenteritis I’d expect it to improve within 24 hours. Good luck with him!
My cat started throwing up last night I thought it was just a fur ball. This morning I found four more liquid throw ups. Then he statutes hiding . I found him under a couch and brought him where I could see him. He drank quite a lot of water then started crying and throwing up again. He then went and hid in the corner he is very weak and lethargic, my vet is closed for the holidays. His ears are cold also any advice?
Cold ears, repeated vomiting, and unable to keep water down means he’s really ill, and needs a vet from somewhere. Try to find either an open practice or an emergency vet who can see him, because whatever the cause (and it could eb a blockage or just a stomach upset), the dehydration will be seriously dangerous if he can’t keep water down; and the cold ears may suggest he’s already going into early shock.
My female cat is 11 she has been pulling her fur out and has left a big bald patch and I’ve noticed she’s doing it in other places to .. I’ve put a cat suit on her and be also put an e-collar on but just doesn’t stop her and she’s also being sick to the point sits her food she had like 9 hrs or so ago but is ok in herself and still want a food … what should I do…..
Get her to a vet – stopping her from scratching won’t stop the itching which will be making her feel really bad. That she’s vomiting is another concern, so definitely vet time.
I have a 10 month old female kitten who always throws up if she eats too fast. Today I gave her and her brother new adult wet food. They have been eating kitten food, and today I gave them the same brand food but adult. She only ate a couple mouth fulls and then about 3 mins later she threw it up. She then threw up about 3 more times after that. She has been drinking and keeping the water down, she also ate a few pieces of hard food and did not throw that up. We monitored her all day and she hasn’t thrown up again, so we tried to feed her some wet food again and she seemed hungry and smelled the food then walked away. I am thinking/hoping it’s because of the new food and I didn’t introduce it to her properly, but her brother had no problems with it. She’s seems herself and is still wanting to cuddle and play.. what do you think?
Sounds to me like she didn’t like the food for some reason, to be honest! It might be worth mixing the old and new food together and gradually weaning them onto the new one. This is also less likely to cause stomach upsets.
now, if she throws up the old food too, that needs veterinary attention; but otherwise, just gradually wean her over and hopefully it will sort itself out as she adapts.
I adopted a 10 week old kitten about 5 days ago. He has been fine, but tonight he puked 3 times in about a 10 minute span. All 3 times a brown liquid. It’s been at least 30 minutes since his last vomit and he’s been running around and playing for most of it. The only vet open right now is a money matters place. He has a vet check up in 4 days. Am I ok just to monitor him for now or should I be taking him to emergency vet? Maybe see if I can get him in somewhere in the morning? This was 4 to 5 hours after his last meal of wet food, he’s also had a few bits of dry food for treats. Both are foods he’s been eating for awhile. He was chewing on a greenies dental treat earlier today which was a first for him and it was too big for him to eat so I took it away.
If he’s stopped and seems fine, is behaving normally, and is able to keep water down – then yes, I’d keep an eye on him and see how he goes. If he starts vomiting again, seems lethargic, or develops any other symptoms, in a kitten of that age I’d definitely be thinking about getting a vet check ASAP. Hope that helps!
He was ok for about an hour then threw up a few more times at which we had to take him to the only late night emergency vet which is 200 bucks just to check him out! Worth it for the peace of mind i guess! He was playful, vitals were good, vet gave him a saline injection under the skin and he’s been good to go since! Thanks for your comment!
I just adopted a 10 wk old kitten from a Vet on Tuesday. They gave me Hill’s Science Die for kittens and said 1/4 cup twice a day. I gave her a 1/4 cup Tuesday when I got home and as of this evening she has barely touched it. So, no extra food last night, this morning or this evening and still about 3/16 of a cup left in her bowl. She has barely touched her water and this morning she vomited a good amount of clear fluid. This evening she tried chewing into a bag of Special Kitty kitten food that I was going to return on Thursday. I moved the bag, then she tried chewing the carpet where the bag was. And for the past hour, she has been running around, non stop meowing. During the day yesterday and today she had lots of energy, played and napped.
It’s been about 25 years since I’ve had a kitten, but I’ve had 6 cats throughout my years and all from kittens. My cats have always been indoor cats and have lived between late teens and early twenties. I’m just concerned.
Do I need to call the vet or is this possibly her readjusting to a new environment?
There’s a good chance that she is just adapting to a new environment, but I’d definitely keep an eye on it: if she’s still reluctant to eat or drink after a day or so, or has more bouts of vomiting, or develops any other symptoms, I’d definitely ring your vet for follow up.
My cat (roughly 10yrs) has puked up all her food about 30mins after eating. It was each of her breakfasts in the last two days and she gets a combo of wet and dry food w/water. She has blood work done in the spring and it came back great. She doesn’t seem to have anything else wrong. She will still go eat and play. One of my two cats is having some mild diarrhea and I cant tell which it is. Other wise all is normal with both. Should I take her to the vet? Or change the amount of food she gets and see if she’s just eating to fast?
I should mention she cries right before she’s about to puke and wont stop until she gets it all out. She ate her dinner with no problem last night.
My kittie is 10 yrs old, never been sick a day in her life..for 2 days straight she cannot even keep water down..she hardly has ever thrown up..sadly now thats all she does. I took her to emergency vet..she had bloodwork and xrays , without finding anything they gave her saline injection and sent her home for me to monitor her. She still wont eat or drink..she sleeps alot and hides.so heres my question..xrays didnt show..but will an ultrasound show an obstruction or mass?
I fear this is what she may have.
Please advise..im terrified to lose her 😓
X-rays and ultrasound have different strengths and weaknesses, and usually, if one misses something, the other will pick it up. It does sound like an obstruction would be a concern, but gastroenteritis can look quite similar. If it’s not improving rapidly, though, back to the vet and ask about further tests. Good luck!
Last week we lost our 3 year old fluffy boy on the morning of my daughters 15th birthday. During the week before his death we noticed he would vomit a small amount of fluid almost every morning but due to the very hot weather i put this down to him just drinking too quickly. His eating was fine and poops seemed normal so honestly didnt think much of it. The morning he died we found him lay in front of his food bowl, paralysed from the shoulders down screaming and trying to get up! It was the most heartbreaking moment of my life! After trying 7 different vets and explaining the situation i was quoted by almost all that it would cost nearly £200-£350 just to see
him plus any treatment on top! I am a single parent,only work part time and have no family or friends that could help with costs. I finally found a pdsa ‘emergency’ clinic 30 minutes away that would see him 2 hours after my call but very sadly after moving him into the carrier and into a taxi, he stopped breathing. When we arrived, i explained everything to the vet, who then very abruptly and unsympathetically told me i should have KNOWN he was ill and got him seen to sooner! She gave me no explanation of what could have caused his death and only said that his eyes were jaundice. His sister (same age,same litter) sometimes vomits after guzzling water and as he was still eating, pooping and acting his normal cuddly self (although less on the very hot days) i honestly assumed this was down to the heat and his water intake. I am now, obviously, even more devastated over his death because if i had acted sooner, maybe this wouldnt have been the result but also that we have no answers as to what may have been wrong in the first place! I am not writing this for sympathy-just maybe some clues/advice as to what may have been the cause
I am so sorry to hear that – it’s awful when an apparently OK animal suddenly deteriorates like that.
The vomiting you describe is a fairly non-specific sign: it doesn’t tell us what has actually gone wrong, just that something isn’t right. In this case, what you’re describing could be due to a wide range of different causes: liver disease, anaemia, poisoning, diabetes, a stroke, kidney disease, or (perhaps most likely) a blood clot. It’s quite likely that there were multiple issues – low grade kidney disease (very very common in cats that age), leading to high blood pressure and increased thirst, and triggering some other event such as a stroke. I can’t give you a definite answer though – it might be something completely different – the only way to tell would be with a post-mortem, and understandably many people don’t really want to go down that line.
I have a 9 week old kitten. He had been with me for 2 days. He has been drinking, but has only eaten a little bit of wet food since being here, (about the size of a dime). At 7am on his first morning here, he cried loudly for a few seconds and then threw up, and then had a very soft poo immediately after. He was fine all day (despite eating so little). He just threw up again (2:30am). Same thing. Cried loudly then threw up. The vomit both times was a very small amount (size of a quarter), light brown liquid. He didn’t poo this time, but drank water and went back to bed with my kids. I’ve only ever had adult cats. This is my first experience with a kitten. I’m not sure if he’s just not eating because he’s new around here, or if there is something more.
Repeated vomiting might be because of stress and/or a change in food – but if he’s not eating, I’d be inclined to get a vet health check just to be sure there isn’t anything else going on!
My 12yr old cat has thrown up once or twice a week for a few years now. He eats, drinks, and plays normal even right after hes thrown up. Last month he went 25 days without puking and this week hes puked 3 times. Weve changed his food, brushed him more, and got a feeder to slow his eating. He eats dry and wet food. Its very hard to get him to a vet but I dont want things to get worse either. He loves to eat plastic and I’m constantly monitoring his throw up to see if he ate any.
I think this needs veterinary assessment, because it’s clear that at best it’s no better, and may be getting worse, despite all the changes you’ve made. Good luck with him!
We just moved to a new house 3 weeks ago, and ever since one of my two cats (5 yrs old) has been vomiting often and is very lethargic and not her usual affectionate self. She has always had a sensitive stomach. Could it be the stress of the move? It is very hard to get an appointment with vets in my area, and the soonest I could get is in July. I am concerned as to whether it is safe to wait. The nearest ER is an hour away, and I’m afraid the stress of the journey for an emergency appointment may make things worse if it is stress, but I don’t want to put her in jeopardy either. Thoughts?
Stress can cause nausea, but vomiting for 3 weeks in a cat that age really isn’t normal! Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know what’s going on here; chronic vomiting is usually not an emergency, as long as the cat is keeping hydrated, keeping some food down, and isn’t rapidly losing weight or showing any other signs. However, occasionally it can be a sign of something that does need urgent attention (such as a stomach ulcer). The “safe” option would be to see the ER for a workup and make sure there’s nothing alarming going on; 90% chance there isn’t, but it’s impossible to be sure.
If she’s not keeping food down at all, then that definitely needs an ER visit, as it’s not just stress, there’s definitely something going on! I don’t know what the situation in your area is, but it might be worthwhile letting the vet know you’d take a cancellation or a walk-in appointment?
I have two cats one aged 5 and the other estimated to be around 17. I took them the vet over a month ago because I had some concerns. The older cat had slightly elevated levels for her kidneys and thyroid, but the vet described it as the “higher side of normal” . She gave her special food to eat. The younger one had a UTI infection and she found “one or two crystals” in his urine. Even though I asked for blood work for him, she wouldn’t do it because he was “too young to have anything major. About two weeks a ago I noticed the younger cat was drinking more than normal…he us obsessed with the tap in the bath and will mostly drink from that. The pattern is he will visit the tap multiple times for an hour in the morning. Won’t drink all day then will do the same thing in the evening. He still very active, grooms himself, plays, eats well ( both wet and dry… he has developed a liking for the older cat’s Hills Kidney and Joint Care kibble) I am planning on taking him back to the vet soon…the problem is I luve in a rural area and she is 100km away. Traveling expenses and vet fees are very expensive where I live, and people get together as group when we travel to the city. This morning this cat threw all the wet food he ate for breakfast. He was crying in pain before he threw up. There was grass and a fair amount of fur so I’m hoping it just a hairball, but never in the five years that I’ve had him have I seen him throw up. He is sleeping now and doesn’t appear to be in any pain. But I am seriously worried…I don’t know when I’ll be able to get a lift back to the city.
A one-off vomit is rarely a problem, and a big hairball can definitely seem painful to clear! But if it happens again, time to reconsider. Think about using an online triage tool too – we’ve got one at https://vethelpdirect.com/interactive-pet-symptom-checker/
My cat was vomiting and had diarrhea. My local vet did X-rays and notice believed my cat swallowed something which was causing the vomit and diarrhea. My cat was given antibiotic and nausea medicine.When my cat pooped whatever it was out she still was vomiting. I took cat to a gastric specialist and he stated that whatever my cat swallowed could have damaged her gastric organs. He gave me a longer antibiotic treatment. My cat has been good for seven days but now she is throwing up again. I am not sure if my cat is throwing up because I took her outside and she ate some grass. I had read that grass might cause cats to throw up I just do not know what could be the cause for her to be throwing up now
It’s more likely that she’s eating grass BECAUSE she feels sick – but it might be worth getting a follow up check done to see if there’s anything else going on.
I have a 4-month old kitten and we are suspecting he ate chicken bone. He’s been lethargic and week for 2 days now and we had consulted a vet though he was recommended to take the tests. Unfortunately, I do not have the money and I am dying of guilt because I cannot afford the required tests. I don’t deserve him. I cannot stop crying because I cannot see him like that. It breaks my heart each time I hear him squeak or growl in pain. I cannot find him as of the moment and I feel like he’s dying which is something I cannot bear. He keeps on avoiding me and it makes me devastated. I don’t want him to go, but I’d rather send him off than see him suffer.
It’s much better to let him go peacefully and without pain than leave him to suffer, especially if there aren’t any charity clinics near you that can help. Do the right thing for him – even though it hurts.
Hi, just an update. We were supposed to have the tests done on Sunday but unfortunately he passed away on Saturday around 3am. I am disappointed with the clinic where we went to initially because they weren’t able to diagnose the external concerns I raised like where the bleeding was (confused whether it was from his mouth but for me it’s not really coming out from his mouth) They simply checked his temperature.
I looked for another clinic (municipal clinic) and from there we were advised to have him checked to a more equipped clinic (which is btw the initial clinic we went to). The municipal clinic, I’d say much better since they noticed something was coming out of my baby’s nose. We decided to have him transferred emergently but told us we should schedule and the earliest appointment was Sunday, June 5th. Unfortunately, my baby didn’t make it.
I just found out from acquaintances and other friends that the clinic we initially went to is not recommendable as they shared horrible experiences from them. As they coined it, “money matters” was the term they used to express their disappointment since the clinic do not realize the sense of urgency we pawrents are feeling.
I find comfort knowing he’s in a better place than see him suffer. I kept telling him how much I love him and that I’d rather let him go than see him in pain.
I hope I could post some pictures of my playful, lovely and mischievous boy here but I know he’s safe and not in pain some where above the clouds.
Thank you for replying, I am deeply moved knowing that there’s an entire community right here who loves and values animals as much as I do.
My nearly 9 year old cat has been vomiting multiple times per day and has had diarrhea and barely eats. She appears to want to eat, but it seems very difficult for her to eat and it typically comes right back up. It seems she may have an intestinal blockage or something of the sort. I have an appointment for her to see the vet on 6/10/22 (the earliest appointment I could get). Will she be okay until then or does she need to see an emergency vet?
If she’s vomiting multiple times a day and isn’t keeping anything down, she’s at serious risk of dehydration. If there’s a possibility that she has an intestinal blockage, then she really needs to see a vet as soon as possible – good luck with her.
My young beautiful energetic kitty died of Lymphoma. She was an indoor cat. I love and miss her. How can a cat so young die of this? She only showed signs for 2 weeks!
Unfortunately, like all cancers, the most important reason is simply very bad luck: two or three random mutations in the wrong genes at the wrong time. There are some environmental risks – exposure to certain chemicals and forms of radiation can increase the risk – but it’s very unlikely that she was exposed to high enough levels to be harmful if she lived with you, unless she had access to industrial waste. In cats, infection with a virus called Feline Leukaemia Virus is also a risk factor, and if a cat develops white cell tumours (like lymphoma) young, it is often a cause – usually associated with being unvaccinated against this disease. However, tragically, lymphoma can develop at any age, and if aggressive, these poor cats can deteriorate really fast.
I am so sorry for your loss – it almost certainly wasn’t your fault, just a tragic cellular accident.
I had her vaccinated as a kitty with the leukaemia shots. But not after that. Each year she did receive her core shots, including Rabbies. She was strictly indoors.
Did I do wrong? I’m dealing with incredible guilt.
If she was an indoor cat then almost certainly not that.
So no, it doesn’t look like you did anything wrong at all. It’s tragic, but sometimes these conditions develop due to sheer bad luck: a cell makes an error when dividing, then another error a bit later, and the result is lymphoma.
Thank you very much.❤️
I have a 8 month old kitty and he’s been vomited clear mucus about 10 times this evening he was fine all day, should I take him to emergency vet or should I just wait till morning?
10 vomits in one evening probably indicates emergency vet – it might be nothing but it could be really, really serious, like poisoning or an intestinal blockage. Either way – I definitely think he needs to be seen as soon as possible, as even if the underlying cause isn’t that serious, the dehydration and electrolyte loss from that much vomiting will rapidly start to be a major issue.
My 3 months 19days kitten threw up 10 hours and half an hour ago after eating raw chicken from her brother’s plate.
She was on a course of 3 days of antibiotic after eating birds seeds and yesterday was her last shot, I gave her food (cooked chicken) after 8 hours from the last time she threw up and it has been 3 hours she hasn’t vomited is she on the clear or should I take her to the vet?
I feel anxious and couldn’t sleep fearing she would throw up and the vet will be closed
If she’s stopped vomiting she should be OK – but feeding raw chicken to cats where there are kittens in the house can easily cause problems as they share the bugs around, so perhaps hold off the raw until her stomach’s settled down!
my little kitten( 8 month old) ate leftover chicken bones that were on the table, but at about 3 am of the same night he started vomiting and the vomit had undigested little bone pieces, he then repeatedly kept vomiting around 7 to 8 times throughout the morning and he seems sort of tired, is it necessary to take him to the vet now even though its late or should i wait to take him first thing in the morning? I’m anticipating for an answer.
Yes – vomiting after eating cooked chicken bones is a really bad sign and may indicate that there is intestinal damage. Vet ASAP!
I’m very worried- my 5 yr old cat threw up tonight. Her throw up had her solid dry food undigested with a clear “spit like” fluid around it. She’s my first cat so I don’t know what to do. Is this normal? If not what could be the reason and is it something to worry about?
A one-off isn’t usually anything to be too worried about – causes include eating too fast or excitement! If it happens regularly, or any other symptoms appear, then book a check up.
My 11 month old kitten keep vomiting he’s been vomiting for 4 days .He vomits about once or twice a day but other than his vomiting he is acting normal and eats his food normally shall I book an appointment to the vets
Definitely to the vets – vomiting for that long isn’t normal and needs looking into.
My five month old cat ingested a lily leaf 2 weeks ago. We rushed him to the vet and they had him on an IV and fluids for 3 days. His bloodwork was normal on his recheck 6 days after the lily ingestion and the vet said he was completely fine. This weekend, we took care of my sisters cat. My kitten loves her and was trying to play with her all weekend, but she doesn’t like him as much. I noticed yesterday and today that he is not interested in his food (which is really rare for him) and this morning I found that he threw up which looked like liquid and yellow stomach bile. Should I take him to the vet?
Definitely I would, given that history! It’s probably nothing but better to get it checked out…
Hi, my cat threw up his food today, and last week he threw up some yellow liquid
What can i do? Is he ok?
A one-off vomit is rarely a problem, but if he’s vomiting regularly, it might be worth a check up with your vet to make sure there isn’t something medical going on.
My 8 month old kitten can’t keep food down. Did the last 24 hours, she’s vomited up everything I’ve tried to feed her (even the smallest amounts of liquid food). She’s been drinking water and acting normally, playing and purring and running around, but then will bowl and vomit up liquid. She pooped tonight and it was a dark red color — it didn’t seem like blood, as her stool was solid and not soft. I have a vet appt in the morning but I’m really worried and not sure what could be causing this. Any ideas?
That’s not good news – repeated severe vomiting and dark red diarrhoea may suggest serious intestinal damage or even panleukopenia – definitely get her seen by the vets, good luck!
my cat ate a ribbon on friday, saterday he was completely fine, however this morning (sunday we woke up to some vomit, we didnt think much of if, however we came home from being gone all day and there were multiple areas of vomit (one containing food and alittle ribbon) and the rest just liquid) he seem tired and like he doesn’t have much energy… should we be calling an emergency vet, or should he be okay to go to the vet tomorrow morning?
Repeated vomit following known ingestion of a ribbon or other “linear foreign body” – personally, I’d be recommending a call to the emergency vet. It might be fine but if it isn’t, you’ll wish you had.
My cat has never vomited before, but we found a pile about an hour ago. I am extremely worried since he never throws up. The vomit was orange and had some fur but no foreign bodies or hard pieces. He has been playing with a silvervine stick toy. He also tried a new flavor of his medicated canned food last night. He is very prone to urinary infections so he eats a specialized food. He is acting normal otherwise, purring and head-butting when held. It’s Sunday so his vet has already closed and I am terrified he’s really sick. Can anyone help me ease my anxiety?
A one-off vomit isn’t too much of a worry – if he’s fine otherwise and seems to be keeping water down, I’d keep an eye on him and get him seen in normal hours, unless something else happens in the meantime. Good luck!
My five week postpartum cat has vomited eight times in a 24 hour period. She seems to vomit shortly after eating. What could be wrong with her?
There are lots of possibilities, but eating too fast would have to be near the top of the list, especially if she’s really hungry after breastfeeding the kittens!
I would suggest a vet health check though, to rule out other issues like hiatus hernia or other bowel problems.
Hello, I have been concerned about my 16 year old cat for some time. I know she is getting older so I attribute it to her age, but she vomits roughly everyday or twice a day. She has wet and dry food, she stays indoors most of the time because if winter but now I have been making her go outside because it is nicer weather. She always loses weight in spring so that I am not worried about, just worried about her vomiting and if this is a sign of her dying. Thank you very much!
It could be, but there will be an underlying reason of some kind – it’s best to get a full vet check over her, as it’s quite likely whatever the problem is is treatable if dealt with early!
What should I do if my cat has been vomiting Twice a day for the past three days? I’m worried about him!
I think that much vomiting definitely warrants being checked over by your vet – if it was a simple upset stomach, we’d have expected to see some improvement by now. It might be nothing serious (e.g. eating too fast) but it’s always worth ruling out major issues earlier rather than later.
My cat has been vomiting liquid for the past few days. She is otherwise acting totally normal–eating all her food, drinking water, playing, purring, making biscuits. However, each time she throws up she cries for about 10 seconds directly before, throws up and then walks away as if everything is fine. I am getting her to a vet tonight, but I am so confused. All these articles say that I shouldn’t be worried until something like throwing up blood or differences in her stool. She is acting SO normal it is beginning to weird me out (why I am taking her to the vet). Her poop is normal, like I said she’s eating normally and drinking and behaving normally. I am getting her to the vet but I don’t know if there is anything I can do beforehand to help her.
I think just making sure she has access to water and then get her checked by the vet: a lot of cats with gut disease do appear pretty normal initially, despite the vomiting!
My 17 year old female cat vomits every day multiple times a day at this point. It used to be just every so often but over the years it has gotten progressively worse and the last few months it’s been multiple times a day. She eats really fast sometimes and still drinks a lot and no signs of diarrhea. She is strictly indoors. She was spayed at 10 years old and they found a mass on her uterus that they said was cancerous and was removed. Other that that she seems fine, she sleeps a lot but isn’t lethargic. She will be 18 in 3 months.
If it’s changing, probably worth a chat with your vet about it. If she eats fast, though, that could be at least part of the issue – have you tried scattering her food or giving a puzzle feeder a go?
I just adopted a 3 month old little baby, his foster mom had him on adult cat food which had his poop reaaly soft. We decided to slowly intergrate better quality food specifically for kittens but since digesting the first mixed portion of food hes vomited 5 times, he wont take any food or water and he is very tired, I’m extremely worried
OK, I’d go back to the original food and see if it settles down. It might be that particular one doesn’t agree with him for some obscure reason! And definitely I’d suggest getting him checked over by your vet just in case there’s something else going on.
Hello, my cat has pica and i witnessed him try to spaghetti slurp up a balloon string that had literally JUST fallen. I got it from him but he did eat some of it. He pooped out a piece probably about an inch., there was no blood. he is acting like a hyper little monkey man again but he isnt pooping as much or eating as much. he also threw up but i noticed he has this over eating issue at times and im not sure if the vomit is too different for him as he does upset himself getting zoomies after eating. im really not sure when he ate to produce the vomit but it looked like a normal vomit.. just like he is getting little pooping. pretty normal but smelly not runny not hard poo. is it possible he is still hurt from a piece of the ribbon? or could it have upset his tum? the other night he seemed a bit aggressive but like just momentarily and again sometimes he is just like that.. he may be scared to as my ex was yelling in the house and fighting with me when he shouldnt have been… so he may also have been messed up from that. there is too much going on and i know that can bug them too.
thought i should add that this happened 2 nights ago and he has produced one small poo and one like not even half a poo but he hadnt eaten as much as normal. he is still eating and does drink…. but he wants it out of my water bottles. which he is getting away with now of course. but im worried i will have to take him to an emergency vet as today is friday. he isnt really acting sick. im so confused by this particular cat.
After eating a string, a cat who eats less or poos less than usual is always considered a concern – yes, some of that string could still be tangled up inside. Definitely time for a vet check to make sure it isn’t – sooner is much better than too late.
My two year old boy vomited about 4 times last Friday, and once Saturday afternoon and in the middle of the night. He’s going to the bathroom as usual and hasn’t lost his appetite. He is a little more lethargic than usual- today (Sunday) he chose to sleep alone in my room for the evening than spending time with the rest of the family like he normally would. I’m worried that something might be seriously wrong, or maybe he just ate something bad. He’s still playful and jumps around, but I’m not sure if he’s sick.
4 vomits in a cat and I’d usually be thinking about a vet check – he could have eaten something bad (although it’s not that common in cats), but it could also be something more serious.
Hi, we got a 5 month old Persian cat. And yesterday he threw up about 4 times, he also has diarrhea. He was laying down and just not being himself all day. And today I woke up from him meowing near our bed room door. I check his litter box and saw that he went and poop (still diarrhea) and and I pick him up and put him down next to his bed, he tried to walk and it just seem like he’s having a hard time walking. He also hasn’t been eating or drinking all day, Anyone know what the cause is?
Thanks in advance,
A worried cat dad
There are lots of possibilities, but in a kitten of that age, I’d strongly be suggesting a vet check after 4 vomits in one day. It’s unlikely if he’s fully vaccinated, but panleukopenia is always a possibility, as are other infectious causes of gastroenteritis. In most cases, while the infection isn’t too dangerous, the dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea is and can be fatal if not addressed.
I recently adopted a 2 year old Tabby from a shelter. She is about 14lbs (so a little chunky). This past Saturday she threw up once in the morning but was fine for the rest of the day; however, she threw up once again Sunday morning and Monday morning. She appears to be drinking quite a bit of water but has also been finishing her wet food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each time she vomits it is only once, and in the morning. I had her blood sugar checked last week and it was fine, so I’m not sure what is going on with her.
It could be something as simple as a change in diet, or that she needs worming, but if it’s ongoing, it would be worth having a chat with your vet – there could be some underlying issue grumbling along that needs addressing.
Hi my 8 month old kitten vomited 5 times today. He is still playful and running around like normal, his vomit first consisted of pieces of meat from eating wet food (he eats very fast and takes large bites always) and the last times it was clear vomit. He isn’t acting lethargic in anyway and seems to be behaving normal. I’m not sure if this requires immediate vet attention?
Also, would like to add I took the wet food away and just leaving his dry food and water dish for him to access (no more treats for now either)
Vomiting 5 times in quick succession I would advise a vet check, although it doesn’t sound like it’s serious if he’s still bouncy and playful, personally I usually say that more than 3 vomits means I’d rather get him checked over! That said, if there are no other signs and he’s able to keep water down, then it doesn’t sound like a desperate emergency.
My 2 year old male cat was vomiting up his food 10 to 15 mins after he ate for 24 hours. I took him to his regular vet and they did blood work and his creatinine was a little high but they think it was due to dehydration. They also took X-rays and found a white blurry spot on his intestines area. He did not swallow any objects.theu also said based on the x-ray his stomach lining was a little swelled possibly due to vomiting so much. They sent him to an emergency vet and gave him an IV overnight and did another x-ray and the spot was gone on his intestines. They thought it was trapped gas or air from maybe eating too much food at one time or he ate too fast and swallowed air. They got him to eat at the vet 3 times and he kept it down. I brought him home the next day in the afternoon and I been giving him a bland diet of boiled chicken, plain high quality white tuna, and puree meat (chicken and turkey) baby food in small portions and of course water. He has been keeping it down. He has been peeing and pooping normally. The next morning 7 hours after he ate he threw up a little yellow stomach bile and saliva. I gave him some water by syringe and he kept it down and then I gave him a little of his bland diet a few hours later and kept it down and he kept down his other small meals the rest of the day. Then the next morning about almost 6 hours after he ate he vomited the same yellow stuff and saliva (a little). I gave him some water again by syringe and he kept it down. He won’t take the probiotics at all the vet sent us home with. I am not sure what else is going. Please help. Any recommendations. My husband and I can’t afford another 1200 dollar vet bill.
Also, my husband just mention he gave the cat 2 or 3 Greenie treats about 2 and half hours before he vomited. I don’t know if that had something to do with his recent vomit. Any advice will be appreciated.
If his stomach was unsettled then a rich treat could easily have upset him again. The best thing to do would be to ring your usual vet and ask for specific advice; if he is keeping water down then he probably isn’t in immediate danger so another emergency vet visit probably isn’t needed. I’d definitely keep him on the bland diet without treats for a while though, until you know he’s over the worst of it.
This is one of the reasons her in the UK we usually recommend pet insurance – it means that you have cover against these sorts of issues; but I’m aware it’s much less widely available in other parts of the world.
Please help, I’m worried about him. 🙁
I think he definitely needs a vet check SOON – there are a number of causes, but I would be concerned about a partial blockage of the bowel.
My 20 month old cat has vomited up a grey solid sausage type mass about 10-15 cm long. There was no hair in it and he ate 7 hours ago. He vomited up a similar solid mass about 2 weeks and 4 weeks ago but they were yellow, solid and he howled before vomiting. He has lost weight over the past 2 months but still eats and drinks and plays. I can easily feel his hips and shoulder bones.
My 4-month old kitten suddenly sleeps a lot, and earlier, I saw that she vomited an undigested food. When I check her litter box I saw a loose stool. She also didn’t eat much after that. Should I be worried? We were going to visit the vet tomorrow since all the nearest clinics in our place are closed already. To be honest, I’m kind of freaking out rn since this is my second kitten, the first one died so yeah I’m kinda scared.
The most likely explanation is a bit of a stomach upset – this is really common in kittens of this age as they start trying new things! Assuming she is fully vaccinated, then as long as she’s able to keep down water, one vomit and a little diarrhoea are unlikely to be an issue. Offer her bland food (boiled white meat and rice, or a gastrointestinal diet), and she should be fine in a day or two. If she vomits repeatedly and uncontrollably, or develops any other symptoms, then it’s time to get her seen by the vet.
Hello my 1 year old cat just has a spay surgery last January 12, and it’s been a week now, but I’ve been noticing she rarely poops and when she does, it’s black and has a foul metalic smell. She also started exhibiting a weird behavior a while ago, she was biting and nibbling on pillows, paper towels and anything she can bite. Then afterwards she started vomiting brown fluid, not very smelly though. Should I be concerned and bring my cat back to the vet again? Also, I have a dog that started to lose his apettite and for almost a week now his eyes had become red and watery, he also refused to go and play on the grass, could this be the reason? Does my dog having an allergy on grass? Please advise, this would mean a lot. Thank you!!
Thanks so much in advance for answering so many questions on here inc my own! It’s so nice of you.
I have a 4-year old FELV+ cat (she turned 4 today!). She threw up twice yesterday morning (looked brown like her food) and then once last night (clear). Today I’ve been feeding her a bland diet (blended chicken) and she’s keeping it all down including her water. She seems to be acting quite normal, maybe a little lethargic. I’m nervous she may have eaten something toxic/sharp off the floor that could have caused this. I have an appointment tomorrow with a vet but I was wondering if it’s safe to wait until tomorrow or should I go urgently?
If she’s only thrown up twice, and is now keeping food and water down, it sounds like she’s improving, so an emergency visit wouldn’t normally be required. Hope she’s doing OK!
Hi – thank you so much for this article. We adopted a 2 year old cat a month ago ,and yesterday he threw up his food at 4am (twice) and afterwards he hid under a dresser in my son’s room where he started breathing funny and peed himself. When we woke up later in the morning he also had diarrhea all over his fur and was drinking water, but had thrown up twice next to the water bowl. I immediately took him to emergency vet care and 4 hours and $1,135 later, after a quick sonogram and bloodwork and medicine to calm him down and fluids and probiotics and anti-nausea medicine, we still have no answers. He has stayed in the same spot since coming home, hasn’t eaten or had anything to drink, and peed and pooped himself again. I am at a complete loss. He was in better shape before this vet visit than he was after. The good news is that his breathing is no longer labored and he was a little feisty (as he usually is) when I went to pick him up to hold him. Any ideas what could be causing this? Thank you so much!
Oh no, so sorry to hear that! There are loads of possible options, ranging from a seizure to spinal damage, to a severe gut infection. Unfortunately, it sounds like whatever it is didn’t show up on the routine bloods or scan; if he’s improving then it might be worth monitoring, but I think a follow-up examination and possibly more tests are likely to be needed to get to the bottom of the situation. Good luck
My son has covid so his wife and baby have been sleeping in an upstairs bedroom while he gets past it. They’re yellow tabby cat has twice yesterday and today urinated on their bed which she never does and he has also been vomiting can you think of what would make him be going to the bathroom on their bed and he is usually very good at using the litter box could this be a health problem?
It could be, but it’s more likely to be stress from the anxiety and change in routine in the family!
I changed my cat dry food from the cheap store to a little more better brand (Purina). She ate it twice without a problem but right after the third time she threw it all up. We give small amounts of serving each time. She is about 14 months old. Could new food cause indigestion or her to be sick?
Most likely to be new food indigestion – always change foods over slowly over a week or so, by gradually increasing the amount of new food and reducing the amount of old. If that doesn’t sort it, or she develops any other symptoms, time to talk to your vet.
I just adopted a 2-year-old cat 5 days ago. He has been doing great. He has a feather toy that he LOVES to play with. He does play very hard and attack the feathers so I only let him play with this supervised. Yesterday at 4:30 pm. It was mostly food with some small feather particles. (thin pieces maybe the size of 1/3 of my pinky length) He seemed fine after, ate drank used the bathroom. This morning at 1 am he threw up again. This time it was a very small white foamy texture. He now is just resting but does not want pets or cuddles. Any advice??
A one off vomit wouldn’t normally be a concern. However, if he has been eating feathers – which it sounds like he has! – then there is the possibility that there’s more going on. If he hasn’t bounced back by the morning, I think a vet check might be in order to make sure he hasn’t got a blockage. Good luck!
Hi! My cat initially came in for emergency appointment because he was sick twice after vaccine (they were both eary in morning 3/4am and random days after- 1 day after abs 3 days after) he had a slightly high temp 39.2 so was given ibuprofen for cats and he seems much better now! He was sick again late last night and I only just realised he has a toy with lots of feathers on and they’re all gone. Hence I think he might be eating them in the night. What would you suggest for This? I cancelled my next emergency appointment to double check he was recovering because he seemed fine. Then he was sick. But I’m pretty sure it’s the toy feathers? What do you think?
He is acting completely fine, he’s playful, he’s eating, his poo’s are normal. The sick is always clear no food or anything in it
The most likely thing does seem to be that it’s a reaction to the vaccine (mild fevers and nausea aren’t that uncommon). If it was the feathers, I wouldn’t expect a fever really. If he seems fine after 24 hours I wouldn’t worry too much, but if he seems lethargic, can’t keep water down, or develops any other symptoms, then definitely a vet check I think.
My cat has been vomiting every day multiple times a day for the past 2 months. He is acting fine still eating drinking as normal. The vomit is always liquid a yellowish green color sometimes brown. He is FIV positive. From the months of September to mid December he rips his fur out by his tail it then grows back and he stops late December. We don’t want to take him to a vet because he doesn’t travel well, not good with cages or being picked up. We just want to help him but don’t know how.
I think if he’s FIV positive and he’s developed new chronic symptoms (the vomiting), then I’m afraid I think a vet trip really would be a good idea at this point. Are there any mobile vets near you who would visit? There are a lot more opening up at the moment so it might be worth looking into?
My 10 year old male cat is throwing up most morning around 6. I feed him 4 small meals a day and he keeps the first 3 down but seems to be bringing up the last bit I give him anywhere between 11 p.m and 1 a.m. He is hungry, active and still peeing and pooping. We did bring a new cat into the house a couple months ago, but the vomiting daily just started. The vomit looks like it has food/hair in it. It is not clear. He doesn’t hide during the day. He sleeps on his normal spots in the house. He may have even part of a plant, but I’m not sure.
There are lots of possibilities, and it might be hairballs, especially if he’s long haired. However, at that age, a new unexplained symptom almost always suggests its time for a vet check, as underlying health problems like kidney failure can have very similar symptoms in the early stages.
My cat is now 4 years old and last year my cat started vomiting about once a day. I went to the vet and they gave my cat medicine and some directions like wet food, different types (salmon, chicken, Turkey), and even a slow feeder bowl. I’ve tried that and nothing was helping. I took my cat to the vet again and they said my cat has GI. All the blood work came back good but my cat continues to throw up. I’ve spent over 1000$ at the vet. They started giving my cat Gastrointestinal Biome cat food and it helps but my cat will still puke a few times a month. I don’t know what to do and I’m starting to not trust my vet.
It might be worth a second opinion from another vet – or even a referral to a gastroenterologist?
I have a 7 month old kitten she has been sick twice today and it’s a yellow colour, she’s been eating fine and as far we know hasn’t eaten anything she shouldn’t have. She also sounds very chesty and every now and then wines. Any advice would be great thanks
OK, there are lots of possible causes of vomiting, but sounding chesty and whining is more of a worry – it might be she has inhaled some vomit, or that she has a respiratory infection that’s making her sick. Either way, I would advise a vet check.
Hi! My 3.5 year old kitty went to the vet last Thursday to get an X-ray of her paw (tiny limp) and was given a Metacam injection for pain. 24 hours later she has thrown up 1 -2 times daily. She keeps food down, then each morning she will do it. This morning I found her first hair ball. Could this be the medicine or her trying to work up a hair ball? She has an apt tomorrow just incase it happens again. She’s playing fine, eating, and drinking. Maybe not as hungry. What are your thoughts?
I’d be inclined to stop the medication – one of the more common side effects is vomiting, which isn’t usually that serious, but if you keep her on the meds it can progress to ulcers. It might indeed be a hairball, but I’d be inclined to stop the meloxicam painkiller and talk to your vet about alternatives.
My 9 month old kitty threw up for the first time and has been having diarrhea today. I noticed that he had a smelly loose poop this morning but didn’t think much of it. He needed a little encouragement to eat his (normal) breakfast but several hours later, he threw it up. After vomiting, he’s had very liquid diarrhea three times. I did give him a different type of wet food as a snack yesterday, so that might be it, but he’s eaten it once or twice before and hasn’t had issues like this. I know he’s only been sick for a day and it could have been the food, but he’s *never* thrown up before and his multiple (very liquid, very dark) diarrhea sessions have me worried. Should I wait it out or call his vet? Thanks so much in advance for any advice.
If his diarrhoea is very dark, then I would advise an urgent vet check – this could indicate a bleed in the bowel: good luck with him.
Hi my 1 year old house cat started been sick 12 hours ago, it looks like after been sick 4 or 5 times it is now just bringing a clear liquid up
Should I be worried or monitor 1st time she has ever been sick
More than 4 vomits usually means vet time – as it suggest either a more serious gastroenteritis or a condition such as a blocked bowel.
Hi,
I have an indoor-only, neutered 1.3 years old Siberian cat. He switched from kitten to adult food in August.
He had a vomiting/diarrhea episode on Oct 10, got an anti-nausea shot, bland food, and probiotics. Exam was okay, blockage was suspected but not likely. Reintroduced his old food successfully for about a week after, but then he vomited again once and had diarrhea once on Oct 29. Switched him to bland food immediately, started back on probiotics, X-ray and exam were normal. Successfully reintroduced old food again. Two weeks later he vomited a piece of toy he chewed and a few days later a hairball. (These are normal for him, he’s a long haired cat, so I’m not too worried.)
However, today he vomited his undigested food again about an hour ago. He hasn’t had diarrhea (yet).
What’s the likelihood of these being isolated incidents of vomiting vs. a chronic problem? He’s otherwise playful and energetic, never had any issues as a kitten. I’m very worried about this being a chronic issue and something that we may not be able to help him resolve.
I definitely wouldn’t rule our a chronic problem; however, it’s quite likely that the issues in October were due to a foreign body (the piece of toy), so could be counted as one extended episode. Unfortunately, cats (and dogs) who have had one foreign body are prone to more – probably because they are the animals who swallow things they shouldn’t! So I think that it might be time to explore that route again – good luck!
Hi! I wrote a post and it seems to have gotten deleted.
My 1.5 year old cat threw up her first hairball and has since thrown up some bile once or twice. Is this normal? It was another 24 hours before she threw up the second time. Thank you!
It’s not uncommon, sadly! Have a chat to your vet about the options for a cat laxative to help reduce the issue.
My cat is 1 and 1/2 years old and threw up Thursday mainly her food and then some trash she should not have gotten into but had appetite Friday and even used the litter box Saturday but threw up around 2 am today(Sunday) but it was clear with partially indigestes food and I am slightly worried now. She will occasionally get sick like this I just am unsure of when to take her to a vet check or wait it out because this has happened before and she usually resolves it herself.
It sounds like a fairly commonplace issue for her, but if in doubt, try the Symptom Checker to see if it’s an emergency or not.
Hi. My 7 month old cat escaped from home for 3 days and came back. He seemed fine when he got home. He ate and slept just fine. About 12 hours later though, he started throwing up and now ot seems like he can’t keep anything down. He doesn’t seemed distressed. He just wants to cuddle in bed and sleep. My biggest concern is that he hasn’t been vaccinated yet. What should I do?
I would strongly advise a vet check – as you are aware, Panleukopenia is a possibility, but I would also be worried about accidental poisoning. In most poisoning cases, the earlier the pet is seen by a vet the better the outcome.
My mom put out a tacky fall decoration that has long, then bits of fake grass in it. My cat seems to have been eating at it because everytime he eats now he throws up and there are small chunks of it. It doesn’t seem like he ate a big, long piece. Rather numerous small pieces. They are sturdy but flexible pieces.
He doesn’t seem to be in pain, is going to the bathroom normally, and isn’t any lazier than normal (no lethargy). Is the vomiting his way of passing the fake plant? Or does this mean he has a blockage since he only vomits when he eats?
All vets are closed through the weekend. Even the emergency vet clinic. I will get him examined Monday, though, if this isn’t normal.
Vomiting may be caused by the larger pieces settling out in his stomach; however, as you say, a blockage is possible – definitely get him checked out if it doesn’t resolve itself!
My 1 year old cat had chicken breast pieces last night, and he threw up after 2 hours, and it was chucks of chicken that he probably couldn’t digest, and after an hour later he threw up again and it was water (colorless). (Mind you, he always eats chicken, it’s his fav)
And since last night he has not eaten anything, I’ve given him 2 treat biscuits considering he would probably want to eat his food which he hasn’t touched. After like 15 mins he threw that up.
And then after a while he went and had very little portion of his dry food, and he again threw that up which was brown in color, cuz his food is brown, I think that’s the reason?
please advice me, what do I do? I gave him water and he drank water.
But other than that he’s not eating anything.
I’m going to take him to the vet tomorrow, but as of now please tell me what can I do?
It could easily be an upset stomach from a gut infection, for example; or alternatively a foreign body blocking the bowel. Repeated vomiting like this isn’t that common in cats, so you’re definitely right to get him seen by the vet. In the meantime, make sure he has access to water and is keeping that down – good luck!
My cat is 16 years old and she has kidney disease which she has medication for and special food. Tonight she has started throwing up and has a dribble bum. She has been sick 5 times in the past few hours and her bottom is constantly dribbling. She is trying to go to the toilet but just drips. I will try her with some fresh white fish and see if that helps and she has plenty of fresh water. I’m wondering if I should see how she goes over night or call the vet now.
Watery faeces and 5 vomiting episodes in a few hours indicate veterinary attention sooner rather than later – and as she has an underlying health problem, I’d be inclined with tonight rather than tomorrow. Good luck!
Hi, My cat gave birth to her first ever babies (4 kittens) . They are 1 month old now and all healthy .
My concern is, mommy cat is throwing up once a day and it is look like feces of the kittens. It’s not smelly and mommy cat is still eating and breastfeeding normally . What should I do? I hope you help me, Thank you in advance!
She might still be eating the kittens’ faeces then vomiting it up – I’d check that that isn’t happening first! If not, then I think a chat with your vet is in order, as it might suggest a significant gut issue that needs addressing.
My 6 yr old cat last week had what looked like acne on his chin and then all of a sudden started scratching it really hard to where it would bleed and now has no hair there and a bunch of scabs. Over the last week he has gradually decreased his oral intake to practically nothing for the last 2 days. When he even eats or drinks a very small amount he vomits nearly immediately like 3-4 times in a row. The vomit is green most of the time but sometimes tanish and very foamy. What should I do.
Definitely time for a vet. If he’s not eating and repeatedly vomiting, this is much more worrying than a skin reaction, although it could all be connected.
Im a little concerned with my 3 yr old indoor cat, he’s been throwing up since around 5am. It was pretty frequent in the morning so i assumed it was an upset tummy. He seemed to be doing better, still drinking water, eating, and moving around. He’s not lethargic like he was previously when he was sick, he’s still alert and moving around and still has an appetite, so i’m trying to give him time to see if he can get over it himself. But, I gave him dinner and he seemed to keep it down for a few hours but he threw it up again. I’ll most likely take him to the vet in the morning but am just worried. We do have another cat that is outdoor/indoor but he is not.
Most vomiting does indeed resolve on its own, but if it’s continuous, then there’s a serious risk of dehydration, which can be really dangerous. Hope he’s OK!
Hello,
My 4 months cat never throwed up until yesterday night when he did throwed up 5 times in a 5 hrs period. First 2 time food partially digested / digested and after that just a while liquid.
Other than that he is active but i’m a bit concerned, Would you recommend it is time for a seeing a vet?
Kind Regards,
Daniel
5 times in 5 hours is a worry – so yes, I’d definitely recommend a vet check for that amount of profuse vomiting.
My 17 year old cat has been vomiting at 2 or 3am every night. Her blood tests came back fine, she’s hungry and will eat, and is going to the bathroom. Her vomit is yellowish and mucus like and has some grass in it. A few months ago she was vomiting up very large hairballs and we haven’t seen any since then. The vet said he felt no blockages, but could it be something related to hairballs? Her feces do look smaller than normal but no diaharrea or anything like that.
My 8 month old kitten started vomiting yesterday on and off. It has resumed again today right after eating. She is still very loving and playful and acting like herself but each time she eats she throws up what seems like now immediately after. Its only brown water.
OK, I think definitely vet time: brown watery vomit if it isn’t very intermittent can indicate a bowel blockage or severe gastroenteritis.
Hi my kitty came home today she goes in and out. I noticed that she is drooling. Which I guess can be a sign of nausea. She ate and threw up once. She’s been lethargic and drooling all evening. She has been keeping her food down and drinking water. Her gums and teeth look fine and I saw no wounds. I’m wondering if I should take her to the emergency vet if she isn’t feeling better tomorrow. It’s the weekend unfortunately.
Yes if she’s lethargic and drooling and vomiting, I’d say that’s an indication for urgent veterinary attention. Good luck with her!
Hi! I just recently adopted an 8 year old cat and I am going on my third week with him – he was fine the first two weeks but this week he has started vomiting about once a day (maybe every other day) – it is usually right after or soon after he eats & it looks to be purely undigested food. He is going to bathroom fine, playing per usual, definitely still adjusting after a bad home life before, but he is not lethargic or anything like that. I’m worried and have been trying to get him into a vet but the soonest appointment I could find in my area is 6 days from now and I don’t know if this would warrant an ER visit or if he would be okay until Friday. The adoption center tested him for parasites and did wellness checks that all came back clear. I’m not sure if he’s still adjusting or eating too fast since he was definitely neglected in his old home – but just looking for a little clarity as I’m really worried about him. Thanks!
Once a day is definitely something worth checking out, but I wouldn’t say it’s an emergency – I’d make a routine appointment instead, but if it gets worse or he shows any other signs, then maybe consider a more urgent assessment.
Hello I have a male cat who is almost 2 yrs old and he was throwing up last night about 4 times and twice today, but he still has lots of energy and is eating and drinking like usual, and his poo is still normal. The vomit is almost a clear color sometimes has yellowish stuff in it and sometimes some food. Should i be worried and take him to the vet?
I think so – 6 times in 24 hours is an awful lot of vomiting, and suggests a significant cause, as well as being a fairly high risk of dehydration.
My cat has started throwing up either hair balls or yellow liquid two to three times a day in the last week and a half. Her normal fur balls only come up usually once every month or two so this is not usual for her she has a really good appetite and eat and is going to the bathroom normally so everything seems regular for her she has energy and also sleeps well so the only thing that’s unusual is that she’s throwing up to one to two times a day should I be concerned?
I think I’d be inclined to get her checked out by your vet – chronic vomiting can have a number of different causes, and some can be quite subtle – e.g. overgrooming due to stress or skin disease leading to impactions and vomiting.
HELP! My nursing cat has been throwing up constantly. She hasn’t been eating much anymore. I don’t know whether we should take her to the Emergency Room or not. She’s breastfeeding her 6 kittens okay and they are all healthy.
Just the past 24 hours she has threw up countless times
Yes, OK, I think that’s vet time! Vomiting that much is a severe risk for dehydration, especially if she’s got kittens at suck.
My 4 year old male cat started throwing up around 3am. It started off looking like food wasn’t getting digested. Then the last 4 have almost looked like brown poo patties. Very soft. And look like little grains in it…
He isn’t sleeping a lot. Wants to follow me around and cries.
It’s Sunday night now…. And I’m starting to get more concerned.
Does anyone know what that kind of puking could mean.
His sister is doing great. Not throwing up at all. They both eat the same things.
That suggests a fairly serious stomach upset, but could be more severe e.g. a blockage. I think it’s definitely vet time – good luck
My 12 year old cat, Nora, has thrown up 6 times in the past 2 hours. And once last night. There are little spots of blood in some of the throw up. It is very clear and liquify/foamy. We will take her to a vet when they open on Monday (today is Saturday) but do you think we should go to emergency vet sooner?
6 times in 2 hours is very worrying, especially with blood – I hope she’s OK, but I’d say that’s an indication for an emergency vet visit.
My 1 year old male cat started throwing up 3 days ago. He had never done that before. He had a few episodes followed by a pretty large hairball (his first). I didnt notice him vomiting yesterday but I saw him have a vomiting episode today which was mostly clear liquid. Hes not eating as much but is eating. I’m not sure about bowels or peeing because we have another cat. He seems lathargic today. Should I be rushing him to the emergency clinic?
A cat who’s been throwing up for 3 days needs a vet check; if he is eating and drinking, it’s probably not an emergency but it does need seeing. Good luck!
My cat threw up on Sep 2nd and 3rd, it looked like an undigested food and a murky brown-green. It happened twice a day.
Since then, she’s barely eat, drink or groom. I notice she sleeps a lot and doesn’t really move that much. Her stool looks like formed but mushy and creamy too.
She usually so vocal, especially when it’s her meal time. She likes play with her kitten too sometimes. She still likes to be touched or cuddled even now. What’s happening with my cat? And what should I do? Thank you.
Sounds like she’s really pretty poorly – I’d strongly advise a vet check as soon as you can; she may have an obstruction or a very severe gastrointestinal infection.
I have a 14 week old male kitten that’s indoors. He’s thrown up 4/5 times in the last hour, crying a few times first, but otherwise seems normal. He’s running and playing, annoying our dog.
4-5 times in an hour is very unusual, and I would advise a vet check: that amount of vomiting can easily cause significant dehydration, especially in a younger kitten. The other issue is that kittens of that age are quite “brittle” – they cope and cope and seem fine and seem fine, until suddenly they’re very ill.
Hello! I have cat Tosik 5 years old. Since Saturday, the cat vomits undigested food in the morning. On Monday he did not vomit, but yesterday it all happened again, but in the afternoon and evening. Since Saturday evening we have been giving some medications, but they did not help. We do not understand what happened to him. So, the cat is playful, goes to the toilet normally, as soon as it vomits, he wants to eat more and, in general, there is an appetite. What could it be?
There are lots of possibilities, including intestinal parasites, gastroenteritis, ulceration, or IBD. I think you need to go back to your vet and get some more tests done to try to get to the bottom of it. Good luck!
Hi
My male cat keeps making signs like he going to throw up and sometimes, what that means?
The most likely cause is hairballs – have a chat with your vet about a suitable cat-safe hairball preventative! There are other options, but if he’s eating, drinking, urinating, defecating and doesn’t seem distressed, that’s the most probable reason.
Hello, please help. My kitten is 9 weeks and he had puked 3 times in the last 12 hours and also had some diarrhea. He was given a deworming medicine last Monday (6 days ago) but I’m not sure if that is related. Should I be concerned?? His vomit seems normal but it’s frequent.
Normally, I’d say that 3 vomit is in 12 hours is on the borderline for seeing a vet – but as he’s only 9 weeks old, I woul;d advise a vet check. it’s probably nothing to worry about but in such a young kitten, best to be safe!
I’ve got a 5 week and 5 days old kitten and he threws up milk solids that looks like a curdled cheese or something once for two days. After throwing up, he seems fine and playing again. I’ve been feeding him only Cosi Pet Milk before feeding him wet food when his on his 6 weeks. Should i be concerned?
It’s not a brand I’m familiar with, but according to the manufacturer it’s a supplemental feed not a full replacement for cat milk. I’d double check with your veterinarian, but I’d be a bit concerned that it isn’t a suitably balanced diet, and that might be part of the problem.
Hi MY 10 WEEK KITTEN VOMITED UNDIGESTED FOOD ABOUT AN HOUR AGO AND NOW HAS JUST VOMITED WHITISH EMESIS.HE IS QUIET AND NOT AS ACTIVE..HE HAD ONE DIAHREA STOOL THIS MORNING BUT PLAYED AND RAN AND ATE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY..hE ALSO SEEMED TO SHIVER FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SOUNDS DEHYDRATED.ATTEMPTED WITH SYRINGE WITH A LITTLE WATER BUT HE DID NOT LIKE THIS SO I STOPPED AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT HE VOMITED UP
Gastroenteritis is not uncommon in younger cats, but if there’s any suspicion of dehydration, I’d be seeking veterinary advice – these little ones can go downhill really fast!
Hi, I’m having some worries with my one year old female cat. Just recently she had her first heat and lasted for four days and when it ended she had no energy to play and only touched her food one time. I also noticed that she threw up one time and the day after twice. Her vomit looks a little darker than the normal green and it’s gooey. Her energy level is a little lower than the day before and im not sure what to do since she was given to us at 6 weeks and we had no problems with her and we make sure she has her wild privileges but does not eat anything since she likes to play with the dirt and look around at bird’s and gets back in after an hour(I know because I walk her until she is ready to go inside) and one more thing she hasn’t thrown up her first Hair ball. I’m worried and I need advice if I should take her to the vet.
That doesn’t sounds like a normal response to a season – yes, I’d definitely get her checked out. Good luck.
Hi! My precious Angel is three years old and has been throwing up atleast twice the past four days I made a vet app that fourth day but now on the fifth day it’s been a whole 24 hours since her last throw up. She always acted fine right after throwing up, wanting to eat, drink, play. Never was lethargic sometimes she would hide because she did throw up but most of the time i’d be right there with her while she would throw up and she would be purring immediately because i’d be petting her through it. I’m just wondering if I should be worried? She’s thrown up before but never for four days and or twice for four days.
I would advise keeping the appointment and getting her checked over in case there is some underlying problem, but hopefully it was just a bad tummy upset and she’s on the mend now!
Hello I just got a 9 week old kitten and he is eating pretty normal and drinking water is active and vocal but I have found he has puked twice within the last 24 hours and I’m not sure if it’s from over eating or if I should be concerned
Twice in 24 hours is a little bit of a grey area. However, if he seems 100% fine otherwise, and is drinking and eating OK, then I’d maybe keep a close eye and see how he goes. Consider getting him onto a bland diet – a gastrointestinal food, or boiled chicken and white rise – and feed very little and often. If he starts throwing up again, or develops any other symptoms (even vague ones like lethargy or sleepiness), then definitely call your vet, but there’s a good chance he’ll bounce back pretty fast.
My 3 year old female cat hasn’t been herself since yesterday. She’s vomited (dark green and slimy), has diarrhea (very watery) won’t eat or drink all she has done is sleep. She is an indoor/outdoor cat that never eats human food or anything else (hunts mice/rats but just play’s with them) for that matter except her own food and treats. We do have a vet appointment booked for her today I’m just at a complete loss of what could possibly be wrong. I’m hoping it’s nothing to serious.
Oh dear, poor her! There are lots of options, probably the most likely is that she picked up a gut infection from something outdoors; good luck with her!
My cat ate some cat food with Fish in it and she is allergy it Fish. Since then she has threw up white liquid due to her having no food left in her system and is drooling. She has thrown up 10 times, something similar has happened before and she bounced back to her normal self in 3 days with the help of anti-nausea medicine. Do we need to take her to the vet again this time or can we just give her bland food and anti-nausea medicine from home. We took her last time and it was so expensive.
If the vet has prescribed her some anti-nausea medication, then yes, you could give it, but I’d still suggest calling the vets with an update for her records. The worry is that she becomes severely dehydrated without it.
hello I have a cat she is about 7 months old and for the past week she’s been throwing up brown liquid about twice a day and at first I thought it was nothing but she just won’t stop I can’t seem to find what’s wrong she seems lighter than usual as well what could this be
Sounds like she’s got a major digestive disturbance, or maybe a blockage – and if she’s losing weight, that’s really serious. Definitely time for the vet now.
My kitten is 12 weeks and she eats a good amount. She’s acting herself but she’s puked like 4/5 times all liquid and the last time she was licking her lips and came up to me and let out a weird meow. Our 9 year old male has been meowing all morning as well. I’m scared something is going around the 2 of them
If two cats seem to be affected I would recommend a vet check – it’s possible they’ve had access to something poisonous, or even to spoiled food.
Can u help me. My 15yr old cat has to get drop shots every month to month and a half. She got it Tuesday was doing great bit today Thursday she doesn’t want to eat threw up what little bit she ate now she’s drinking large amounts of water and she’s threw up 3 times. She’s always active bit doesn’t want to do anything but lay around flick the end of her tail. Drink water stay near water dish throw water twice but drink it 3 times I meant depo shot
Definitely time to ring the prescribing vet, as that doesn’t sound like a normal reaction to the medication.
hello! My cat is around 8 months old now and today he threw up a yellowish liquid with chunks of his food, after that he became so sleepy and has been sleeping all day. He doesn’t want to eat, play, or do any normal cat things. He’s normally super active and crazy during the night, but tonight he’s very quiet. I’m very worried, what should I do?
One vomit isn’t too worrying, but that degree of lethargy isn’t great; personally, I’d suggest a vet check to make sure there’s nothing serious going on and that it’s just a stomach upset. At the very least, make sure he has access to water and is drinking, and if he’s not back to his bouncing self tomorrow, or gets any worse, definitely vet time.
We have sibling 1 year old indoor/outdoor cats. They likely ate something that did not agree with them. They like to “hunt”. I use that term lightly. We live in the country & they typically chase mice, lizards, birds ,etc and play with them. 2 days ago they both threw up clear liquids. One is eating a little & drinking water and they other one is only drinking water. They are both staying inside and sleeping a lot. They will let us pick them up & they are purring. But they aren’t their normal playful selves. How long should they act this way before it’s a concern?
If they’re off colour for more than a couple of days I’d be inclined to get them checked out. But if they start vomiting again, or can’t keep water down, or show any other symptoms, then I’d get them seen sooner. Good luck!
My 17 year old cat has been vomiting almost everyday for the last two months. I took him to the vet and his tests came back saying that he’s healthy. He’s gone from 17.5 lbs to 12 lbs. at first he was eating constantly and yelling at me to feed him every 3 hours with wet food. Now he’s not eating. He doesn’t have diarrhea, he isn’t yellow, he doesn’t have an elevated white blood cell count.
My vet told me to give him a 1/3 of Pepcid AC each day which I have been doing but unless I offer him people food he is uninterested.
I’m really starting to worry now that he’s lost his appetite… does anyone know what this could be?
My cat is doing the same thing but hasn’t become not himself yet. Did you ever come to find out what it was and the solution?
Hmmm, that’s a real worry – I’d be concerned too. I think it’s time for some follow up tests: it might be that there will be something more obvious now than the first time he was seen. 17 is pretty old for a cat, so sadly I’d be thinking about the more unpleasant possibilities: diabetes, cancer, thyroid or kidney disease. You could always ask for a referral to a specialist or a second opinion vet, but I think at that age with those signs, it really does ned looking into – either so you can treat it, or at least so you can line up palliative care.
Good luck with him.
My cat is 9 month old.He just vomit grey solid(it’s big) and after that shows tiredness and not sleep at all.its been 35hours .He didn’t sleep or eating anything and he didn’t groom himself and he vomit yello colour fluid in between.I am worried.What will I do?Seems like he lost some weight too.🥺
I think that’s definitely time to get him checked by the vet: if he’s not sleeping or eating and is vomiting abnormal matter, it’s the best thing to do.
My cat had threw up 6 times she didn’t have any diarrhea yet but I’m not sure what I should do?
After vomiting 6 times, I’d be strongly advising a vet check: it may suggest a more serious underlying cause; in addition, that much vomiting will risk serious dehydration.
Hi, my cat has been losing balance when vomiting, what does this mean? will it go away?
I have to hold her so she doesn’t fall over when she is vomiting.
There are lots of possibilities, but I’d wonder if actually she’s vomiting because she’s losing her balance. When there are 2 systems involved (gastrointestinal and nervous) I think it’s definitely time for a vet check.
Hello there! i am really worried right now. My baby Momma Cat had a litter of 3 kittens.. they are 6 weeks old now, i have started weaning them from their mom about a week ago and yesterday, one of the kitten threw up almost 7-8x, first it was just foamy then the second was shaped like a log seemed to be an undigested food. the rest were all white foam and liquid to yellow foam and liquid, i gave him milk for kittens and forced fed him with dextrose water and he seemed to be fine now but he doesn’t eat. He would take the kitten milk and go to his mom for another feeding session. i tried to give him the kitten food that i gave him the last time i weaned him, but he seemed to be afraid of it, and he keeps on licking his mouth. He tried to eat a kibble of dry kitten food but he wasn’t able to swallow it. when in touched the floor he did not bother to try and eat it again. He has not vomited for the last 8-10hours and He is starting to be playful again and he sleeps every now and then. Is he on his way to recovery or should i still be afraid of a silent worsening condition. Is it okay that he doesn’t eat wet kitten food and go back to just depending on water, kitten milk and his mothers milk. or should i try ti introduce the wet kitten food again?
Please help. its my first time taking care of kittens as young as 6 weeks old. Thank you!
You could go back onto kitten milk for a couple of days and then try again; however, it weaning has triggered what sounds like regurgitation then there might be an underlying condition – see how it goes but be ready to get him checked by your vet if anything like this happens again.
Hi, my 10 week old kitten has vomited once today and once yesterday. He has been otherwise healthy flead, wormed and had his vaccinations. He seems to be off his food since last night and had runnier poos but not diarrhoea. Should i take him in for a vet check or wait it out? He seem ok otherwise not lethargic and he is playing with out other kitten fine. Thank you.
Occasional vomiting with softer faeces is usually due to a change in diet, or possibly a “stomach bug”. If it continues more than 48 hours, especially at that age, I’d get it checked out, but as long as he’s bright in himself and is drinking well, I’d just keep an eye up to that point.
My 5 year old ragdoll boy is sick most days, either with a furball in it or whole biscuits which he eats, this is usually after he eats or in the mornings. He does eat quickly sometimes. His feaces is normal. I’ve tried sensitive stomach foods etc but he is still sick most days. I’ve had him at the vet and they said he is fine and healthy. How do I stop him being sick?
If he’s throwing up all the time, there’s clearly something not right, even if it hasn’t shown up on the vet’s tests. Might it be worth talking to your vets about hairball medication (in case it’s that), or further investigations?
Hello, my kitten is a few months old. She has been sneezing a lot and she recently just threw up yellow liquid. Should I be concerned and get her to the vet, or do you think I should leave her alone and this will pass?
Sneezing wouldn’t usually lead to vomiting. There are lots of possibilities, from cat flu to nasal foreign bodies, but if it doesn’t clear up in 48 hours – or if it gets worse and she develops any other symptoms – I think it’s time for a vet check.
I noticed my cat throwing up clear liquid with hairballs 2 times in the past month. I didnt think much of it but now he threw up food, and threw it up again a few hours later. When should i be concerned? And how do i know if its serious.
He is also around 7 years old. He eats pretty normal amounts usually and always seems thirsty(dont know if thats concerning). Besides the vomiting i dont notice anything off.
If he seems thirsty and he’s vomiting, I’d strongly advise a vet check – that combination could suggest a more serious underlying condition such as kidney disease.
My almost 9 year old indoor kitty has thrown up a total of 7 times today – at first it was all of his dry food and is now more like fluid. He wanted a treat and within 5 minutes threw that back up (he had a freeze dried minnow). I also noticed some diarrhea in the litter box. I have been out of town for the weekend, and oftentimes when I get back, he likes to leave me a puke present, but this has persisted. He doesn’t seem out of sorts in any other way, has still wanted his food and water — but, it is concerned that he’s vomited so many times in one day. He has a normal vet check-up next Tuesday, but when should this vomiting been an emergency concern?
Personally, I’d say a cat who has vomited 7 times in 24 hours definitely needs veterinary attention; it’s one of the red flags for more serious illness (>3 vomits per day).
Hello, my 2 year old Bombay cat has been vomiting and having diarrhea the last 2 days. The first time or two he threw up I didn’t think anything of it because he does that occasionally (every couple months he randomly throws up) but I began to get concerned when I noticed he’s been having very watery stools. He was using his litter box, but when I woke up this morning I noticed he had been digging in our fig plant pot and using it as a litter box. That was when I really noticed the watery stool. He also threw up in the middle of the night. We took the plant outside so he couldn’t use it as a litter box and would go back to using his normal box. About 5 minutes ago he used the litter box and again had watery stool and then about 30 seconds after using the litter box he threw up twice. He has been sleeping all day and not eating which is not like his normal self at all. I have an appointment with the vet at 8AM tomorrow but I’m worried he can’t wait that long. He’s an inside cat so I’m not sure what could be causing this. He did get fleas from my dads girlfriends dog when she brought him over last time. I gave him a flea bath using advantage last week and noticed he still had them so I gave him another one yesterday (before I became concerned and before he started acting weird) and then put some advantage flea medicine on his shoulder blades afterwards. I’m thinking maybe it’s the flea medicine causing it? But I’m not sure. Any insight would be greatly appreciated because I’m so worried.
If he’s had 3 doses of flea treatment within a week, I would VERY STRONGLY advise an urgent call to the vets, as that’s well over the recommended dose, and toxicity (while unlikely) is a possibility. Good luck!
Hello,
My cat has 4 of one month old kittens. They have been through some infections recently, and all seemed okay about a week ago (recovery was obvious)
But now, one of the kittens is not drinking her mother’s milk. I caught her vomiting earlier and has been having diarrhea since yesterday (first I thought it was normal – because it didn’t have a weird color or smelt bad)
But now she seems very weary and I am really scared to leave her as is.
I am not sure how the doctor can help since she is too little, and now it’s very late at night. The vet is not open and tomorrow the vet is closed because its his day off.
I can really use some advice here! And if i should be really really worried.
Yes, that is pretty worrying. Sudden onset diarrhoea and vomiting with lethargy can easily kill a kitten that small – it may also be a marker of panleukopenia, feline coronavirus, or some other infectious agent in the group. I’m afraid I would be strongly advising getting her seen by an emergency or out of hours vet.
Hi, I’m just looking for some advice, my cat vomited today just once like 2 log shapes and is now just lying down not wanting to do anything and when I tried to picked him up he made a strange meow like he didn’t want me to pick him up and went and hid under my sons bed, he has come out now and I managed to get him to drink some water but he just looks like he is not feeling well, he had a UTI about 2 months ago and had some treatment for that but has been his usual happy self since then, he is an indoor cat but I have children who leave things lying around so there is a possibility he may have eaten something he shouldn’t have, I’m just not sure if I need to take him to the emergency vet or what should I do, he seemed fine last night so this has just happened in the last 2 to 3 hours. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, my vet is closed today because of the bank holiday so I would have to take him to the emergency vets if needed.
He does sound pretty poorly – a cat who’s vomited and is lethargic and seems uncomfortable around his tummy might just have a tummy ache, but it might be something more serious. Personally, I’d be considering phoning the emergency service; good luck!
Hi. My cat vomited this morning and there were two tiny black bugs of some sort in it. His coat has been dull for a few days but he’s otherwise healthy. Eating and drinking normally. He is wormed. Thirteen and a half years old. Wet food morning and dry food at night. Vomiting has been a one off. It’s not that that I am specifically worried about, it’s the two bugs. Maybe they were just something he ate. I hope so because, before I could start the clean up, the dog had eaten half of it. Thank you.
It’s very very unusual for bugs (as in beetles etc) to live inside a cat; almost certainly they’re something he ate that didn’t agree with him! If any other symptoms appear though, probably worth getting it checked out as a few beetles are mildly to moderately toxic.
Hi, My kitten is around 3 months and usually eats and drinks an adequate amount she has recently the past two days been throwing up ( 3 times yesterday and twice today). I have been following common advice to give frequent water and have only been giving her small amount of dry food. The vomit is a brownish colour and seems to me like food, the amount she has been throwing up is only a little but I am a little worried. I have recently changed her kitten food due to her old type not being in stock but the brand of food and type (jelly mixed) has remained the same. She has been eating the new food perfectly fine for a week and only just reacted like this? Should I be concerned and book a vet appt?
I think I’d advise getting her looked at – if she’s been vomiting for 2 days then it might be more than a simple stomach upset
Hi. I am wondering if my cat needs a trip to the vet. She is coming up 3yrs old. About a wk ago we gave her the advantage flea drops as indicated. Roughly 24 to 48 hrs later she started with her vomiting. Not really paying much attention until these few days later. She is her normal self (although on heat right now) eating and drinking and peeing and pooing.
So is this urgent or not. I’m really unsure.
She is a domestic cat and has never been outside. Any help would be very welcome.
That’s pretty rare – Advantage doesn’t often cause those sorts of issues. Is she still vomiting? if so, definitely get her checked out.
Hi, so Im wondering if a visit to the vet is necessary, my cat (6 years old) has vomited 3 times in the past week, but here’s the thing, in 6 years, she never vomited, she’s an inside cat, and her last food change was more than a year ago. Anything else is normal, her personality and energy is the same, although I feel like she’s pooping less but Im not certain of it.
I’d suggest a check up yes – not an emergency appointment, but nevertheless, a change like this does really need to be checked out, in case there’s something serious that needs addressing.
My almost 5 year old short haired tuxedo threw up twice this morning. (Digested food in a log shape) and a few hours later he vomited a bit of bile with what probably was the last of kibble in his stomach. He is a bit lethargic. Should I be worried?
One off vomiting like this is probably just a slight stomach upset. If he’s lethargic, you could have a chat to your vet, as there might be more going on; however, if he’s able to drink and keep fluid down, you could try seeing how he goes over the next 6-12 hours. Any downward change though, definitely call the vet.
Thank you for an informative post – and thank you for helping and responding to so many people in the comments here! Truly kind and generous of you.
I have a question…
We’ve had a family of cats for about 12 years now – mum and two of her kids.
For their entire lives, all of them have thrown up at least once a week, though it’s every few days we find a small pile of sick and bile on the carpet (they ALWAYS find a carpet before allowing themselves to throw up, even if they have to run across the room to get to it).
We’ve taken them to the vets about it, and there’s nothing wrong with them. They regularly get parasite and worms treatments.
Yet, they throw up all the time – no blood, just normal cat sick, they get pretty normal portions of food, and they’re fussy and refuse to eat cheap food, so we don’t feed them tripe, either. We don’t give them anything that cats aren’t supposed to eat, in fact, they don’t get anything except good quality cat food – we do give them ham and other meat occasionally.
Do some cats just have unusual digestive disorders that are heritable?
Another question while I’m here:
Our cats have several very weird, idiosyncratic behaviours that I’ve not seen in any other cats. They are the most fussy cats we’ve ever seen by a country mile. You’ll leave other food out, and they’ll go on hunger strike no matter how long you hold out. One of the kiddycats, Sam, refused to eat solid food until he was almost a year old. We had to crush it up with cat milk in order to get him to eat it.
Sam frequently just sits there by himself outside, nowhere near humans, meowing to himself. Before he was neutered, when sitting on people’s laps, he was also prone to becoming erect and leaving a small pile of liquid behind. You’ve move him out the way, and there’s his little thingymagig sticking out! He also used to spend entire nights howling indoors. He never seems distressed, though. He’s always getting attention and interaction.
All of them will call at you to play, but frequently whenever you do, they just sit there and watch you.
Venus, the mum, sits there and stares into her own reflection in a pane of glass for ages. Eyes not closed, she seems intently looking at her reflection. She will also randomly look up into the corner of the room when there’s nothing there at all, as if there was something there flying around. It’s the same spot, and there’s never anything there when she looks up.
Are our cats just a bit weird? Does cat schizophrenia exist or something? Or do cats sometimes just exhibit and inherit unusual behaviours?
Or are the above things just fairly normal in some cats?
Thank you!
OK, regarding the vomiting – yes, some cats have very sensitive stomachs. If it’s really bad, we do a workup and usually find that they have something like inflammatory bowel disease (and there’s some evidence that this might be heritable). However, it’s quite likely that there are milder forms of the condition that cause the signs you’ve described, especially along with being fussy feeders. If they’re otherwise healthy… it might just be them!
Regarding the behaviour, nothing you’ve said there is all that unusual (except Sam’s overexcitement which is uncommon in cats!). But there may be some inherited behavioural oddities. If it’s a big problem, probably worth chatting to a qualified feline behaviourist. However… if they’ve always been like it, they’re happy and healthy, and the vet’s satisfied that they’re well… it’s probably just them!
Hi I am trying to get an appointment with my vet but it is going to be a few days before they have any openings. I’m not sure if this warrants a trip to the kitty ER, so any help would be appreciated. I have a three year old male orange tabby cat who has been throwing up once or twice a day for the past four days. He is on a special UTI dry and wet food combo because he had a UTI issue about a year ago.
My roommate has an old female cat and they recently changed her dry food. We usually give them each a small sample of each others dry foods to help with their food jealousy problem. Yesterday we realized that the new dry food might be causing the vomiting so we stopped giving it to him, but he still vomited last night and today.
The vomit is undigested food normally. His behavior is normal other than the vomiting, he is happy, purring and very active just like always.
Thank you very much
Not an emergency, unless he shows any other signs, but if you change the food and it’s no better, definitely book a routine appointment to get him checked out. Good luck!
Hi, I’m hoping someone can help.
First, some background. In late January, we took in a stray cat (around 5 mo.). The vet took care of some intestinal parasites, ear mites and a minor skin infection. Before all this cleared, she went into heat, probably for the first time, so the vet advised to wait a week or two with desexing her, which was then done, in late February. She’s generally in good health, keeps gaining weight, is never lethargic, has normal litter box habits, and is always up to some mischief.
However, somewhere around the time of desexing, she started having these episodes of vomiting. Irregularly, never more than once a day, and never on consecutive days, she retches 1-3 times and vomits either a tubular shape of food or (also) some partly digested food. This happens after she had eaten, but not immediately – typically within 1-3 hours. The third retch, if it occurs, sounds like a scream and usually results in a small puddle of almost clear liquid (bile?). Immediately after doing this, she returns to whatever she was doing, is playful, doesn’t seem distressed or sickly at all. She usually eats normally within the next 30 mins – 1 hr (at first, we were taking away her food, but we later noticed she can just eat immediately without issues). There is sometimes a little bit of hair in the vomit but it doesn’t seem to be the cause. We haven’t seen any objects (like strings etc.) in the vomit. She has normal stool (once or twice a day, normal shape) and urinates regularly (up to 4 times a day), so we don’t think it could be a blockage.
The whole thing repeats in a few days – the shortest break was one day without vomiting, but it’s usually 4-6 days. Since we started recording this (late March), the longest break was 6 days. In the last 29 days there were 6 episodes, including one today (and one other case of regurgitation which seemed unrelated).
At first, the vet thought we may be dealing with an allergy, so we switched to hypoallergenic kibble with hydrolyzed protein. This didn’t help at all (almost seemed like it made it worse). Now she’s on wet food for cats with gastrointestinal issues (which she loves – duck and quinoa), but it hasn’t completely gone away. We then thought it may be due to gorging (she is a fast eater), so we started feeding her small portions 5 times a day. This didn’t make these episodes go away either (and we can no longer maintain this schedule due to work).
Bloodwork showed nothing except slightly lower levels of white cells, which the vet said wasn’t a concern. She’s an indoor cat, the only cat in our household, appears to be parasite-free (based on a stool sample) and tested negative for FIV and FeLV. All this time, she has shown no signs of lethargy, usually spends time with other people in the room, keeps growing and seems happy overall. We have gotten used to the frequent cleanups but are worried there may be an underlying issue that we’re missing. Are there further specific tests that could be done?
The next step would normally be imaging – in this case, X-rays and a barium swallow would be the normal place to start, possibly endoscopy as well. I think that would be worth talking to your vet about, as this could be something fairly straightforward like a hiatus hernia, or more serious like an oesophageal or gastric function obstruction of some sort.
Hello! my friends cat recently had kittens. We adopted one kitten. She is 5/6 weeks old. yesterday she came and was fine. Today she threw up 6/7 times. Liquid clear foamy throw up. The owner of the cat said to feed the kitten milk so we fed the kitten 2% walmart milk. They said they feed the cat 2% milk and she loves it. We also fed her a little bit of kitten canned food. threw up 5 mins after the kitten food. What should we do to stop the foamy spit puke she has?
It could be due to stress, or a sudden change in diet – is it exactly the same brand as she was on before? And is the kitten milk being mixed up at the same temperature and concentration as she was on before? Because if not, this can certainly cause these problems! If you match her diet and it continues, then vet check I think to rule out other issues.
Good luck!
Hi, my cat has vomited twice yesterday (apr 17), once at ~2:30 am (just a little, after one mouth of food) and again at ~11:30 pm (quite a bit, brownish yellow liquid). Her regular clinic isnt opened on sundays. Is it safe to wait till monday to bring her to the vet, or should i try another clinic? one problem is that the new clinic will not have access to her records at the regular clinic since they’ll be closed.
Some details:
We brought our cat (age unknown, est. 10-12 yrs) to the vet for vomiting on march 5 and ultrasound scans the following day. She was diagnosed with (suspected) pancreatitis and (suspected) early stage kidney disease. Vet placed her on Hill’s presription i/d for a week (she hated the food) and we returned for a review on march 13. Pancreatitis was resolved, and she was then placed on long term hills k/d (which she also hates).
From march 13 till now, we’ve been force-feeding (syringe-feeding) her as she refuses to touch the food. She’s also become lethargic and doesnt play or run at all, like she always used to. We brought this up to the vet a few times over the phone (regarding her lethargy and dislike of the food) and he says to just moinitor her condition, because as long as she has food in her system that is not too bad. She is due for review in early may and her vet wants to see if the renal diet works for her. However she’s been very stressed out with all the force-feeding, and i worry that this diet may be doing more harm than good. We also gradulally reduced the feeding frequency from 3x to 2x a day, beacuse (1) soon we will not be able to feed her in the afternoon, and (2) we didnt want to put her through the stress of force-feeding 3x a day. I’m currently checking out other brands of renal diets to discuss with her vet during the review in May (maybe earlier if necessary).
So far she has vomited 5x between march 13 and now. I suspect her vomiting could be due to stress, which may or may not have triggered a relapse of pancreatitis (just a guess as the vet did mention that pancreatitis can be caused/triggered by stress). Could there be other reasons she’s vomiting, such as a reduced number of meals? We feed her every 11-12 hourly, which im aware is quite long a gap between meals. (She has no teeth and doesnt eat kibbles, so leaving food out is not an option. Dry and rough foods aggravate and cause ulceration on the roof of her mouth. We also prefer to avoid dry food for her unless absolutely necessary.) There’s usually a negligible amount of hair in her vomit and sometimes not at all, so i dont think hairballs are the cause. I keep her area clean (beds, toys, litter box) and there’s nothing possibly toxic lying around that she can have access to. She has no diarrhea and doesnt heave/pant after vomiting, just goes off to chill somewhere away from her puke.
Would appreciate if you could advise, thank you.
That’s a struggle – so sorry to hear it! A drop in food intake could cause problems with her liver, which would be a worry; as you say, stress is another issue. In general, cats don’t do well on force feeding, and if for more than a short time, it can cause more problems than you expect. I think an earlier follow up with the vet, and being absolutely honest about the problems in getting food into her, is the best way forward here. There are other brands of renal diet which she might prefer; alternative options may include a senior diet (not quite as good but better than normal food) or a phosphate binder, but it’s best to try and find a diet that she will eat. Good luck!
Hi, my 9 year old cat had surgery 2 weeks ago to sterilize her and remove a mammary gland with a benign tumor in it. She is recovering well and I took her in on Wednesday to have her stitches removed and the vet said she was doing fine. Yesterday she had softer stool than usual but I wasn’t too worried because she sometimes does when she’s been stressed. Then she threw up in the middle of the night. There was nothing alarming or worrying about the look of her vomit but I took away her food just to be on the safe side and went back to bed. When I got up today I found out she left 3 small puddles of diarrhea in the litter box (she never buries her stuff). It smells like something died but there’s no blood or mucus in it. She’s never had full on diarrhea before. She hasn’t been eating anything other than her usual food. She’s not drinking excessively and is acting normally. She’s active and affectionate and lets me touch her belly. I don’t want to prod too much since she’s only 2 weeks post-op but she’s the type who bites at the first sign of discomfort so I’m not too worried. She hasn’t pooped or thrown up since this morning but I’m worried she might if I feed her. I’m torn between wait and see and call the vet.
Gastroenteritis like this isn’t uncommon; in most cases, it’ll pass within 24 hours. Try to get her onto a bland diet (a commercial gastrointestinal diet, or boiled chicken and rice), and see how she goes. If it worsens or continues, call the vet, but I think wait and see is reasonable at the moment. Good luck!
Hi, so two weeks ago i bring home a stray kitten. I dont know her age exactly but i suppose around 3-4 weeks. So i read on internet that kittens that age still need to nurse their mom, but because there are no nursing cat mom around me, i start bottlefeeding her. The first week is fine, but 2 days ago she starts throwing up even though i haven’t feed her yet. Before that i try to introduce her into soft food because she always biting my fingers. So i give her “royal canin wet food for kitten” and a bit of marie biscuit for her to snack. She throws up all the wet food after few hours, and when i get to bottlefeed her she looks uninterested (even though few days ago she’s really excited for it). This morning she throws up again after i feed her a bit of boiled chicken and drink her formula. She also has diarrhea maybe for 4 or 5 days now, her stools are really lose with mustard color and sometimes there is blood in there.
So to sums it up, my kitten is throwing up for 3 days and has loose stool with blood for at least 5 days now. What should i do? I’m so scared here.
OK, bloody diarrhoea in a kitten of that age needs a vet, end of story. Vomiting for 3 days is also a key signal that a vet check is needed – so that’s the best thing to do.
Hello! Very scared owner here. My 4 month old orange kitten was perfectly healthy when we went to sleep and when I woke up there were puddles of clear, slightly yellow liquid, some with foam on top. Kitty didn’t want to eat (super not normal for him) or play (also super not normal) and then threw up the same liquid a bunch more times. I did take him to the vet, where they gave him an anti-nausea shot and fluids and watched him for an hour but nothing happened. I took him home and he threw up just once more, and is now fast asleep and still insanely lethargic.
I keep a spotless home and don’t think he could have gotten into anything poisonous…. but that’s the only thing not yet ruled out.
Any help is appreciated, as I already tried the vet!
Stomach upsets like this in kittens are very common! Is he fully up to date on his vaccines, especially his Panleukopenia? That would be my biggest worry, given his age. If he is up to date, is there any possibility he ate anything like string or a toy, that could be blocking his bowel? In any case, if his vomiting continues despite the anti-nausea injection, definitely time to go back to the vet. If he feels better, get him onto a bland diet (boiled chicken and rice, or a commercial intestinal diet) for a couple of days, before weaning him back onto his normal diet. And is his lethargy continues, again – back to the vet. Good luck!
Hello. My 4 year old male has had some stomach issues over the past year or so. He was having diarrhea every now and then for about a year, and then all of a sudden it was daily. We finally looked up foods for cats that may have sensitive stomachs and changed his diet, which seemed to work. That was about 7 or 8 months ago and he’s been fine. But now I’ve noticed 3 different times in the last 2 months where he has vomited whole chunks of food, but instantly. He retches maybe two or three times very rapidly, and vomits on the spot. However, normally he would run to find a comfortable space and retch 5 or 6 times, with a “Mississippi” count inbetween each retch, before vomiting. I’m worried this might mean something alongside his other issues he’s been having within the past year. It’s not frequent, there has not been any diarrhea alongside the vomiting, and he is still very active and seems quite happy.
Should I be concerned?
This sounds like regurgitation, rather than vomiting; and at his age, there are a number of possibilities, including behavioural issues (eating too fast, for example!) and medical ones (such as a hiatus hernia). I think it’s worth having a chat to your vet about it, as these are all manageable or even fixable problems, but a firm diagnosis would be beneficial.
I have a 15 year old cat who has recently been regurgitating undigested wet food usually around an hour or 2 after eating. We haven’t changed his food at all for well over a year. I’ve tried doing 4 smaller meals every day instead of 2 full ones and this helped for 3 days but has started up again. He’s a completely indoor cat and since this started he hasn’t seemed himself and has been hiding under my bed very often.
This exact same is happening to my 14-year old male cat. Took him to vet, they did bloodwork, xrays, exam, the works – $755 later they say they still don’t know what it is, and the only thing now would be an Ultrasound costing $500 🙁
I think definitely time for a vet check – there are lots of possible causes, but at that age, you really want to be getting to the bottom of this as soon as possible.
I have a 14 year old cat. He has a history of mega colon. This may or may not be related, but is worth mentioning. He takes cisipride and lactulose daily for almost 10 years. Wednesday (2 days ago) my cat vomited several times. First time was in the morning and was brown liquid. The next times were throughout the day and were more clear/pale yellowish brown mixed with hair ( but not a hair ball) He did this about 4 or 5 times that day. Then thursday he did it once in the morning and nothing till the evening where he did twice. Same colour and consistency. Then last night around 4am I woke to find him vomiting again. Twice back to back. Hes been eating normally and ot acting too different other then seeming a little cuddler and needier after vomiting. I’m worried it might have something to do with his litter box. When cleaning it Wednesday I noticed white fluffy stuff (mold) situated on top of the litter where he urinated several times. I have since cleaned and replaced the litter box. I’m concerned maybe something from that made him sick. The vet is closed and I dont know how much of an emergency this is since hes behaving normally.
Moulds growing in the litter tray could easily cause a vomiting response like that, although of course there are many other possible causes. If the vomiting has stopped and he’s able to keep food and water down, he’s probably over the worst of it . I’d advise close monitoring, and if he seems to go downhill again, call the vet immediately. Good luck!
My cat ate pieces of her food bag and has been throwing them up every few hours. She still eats all her food and drinks water and will run for treats. Should I monitor her if she continues to throw up? Or should I immediately take her to the vet?
If she definitely ate some foreign material and is throwing up regularly, DEFINTIELY vet time. She might clear them all herself, but there’s a good chance she’ll get an obstruction. Good luck with her!
My cat, Artemis is not a year old. I have noticed that his brother has more energy and a bit larger. They are from the same litter. Artemis struggled to wake up from surgery when he had surgery. He was loopy for days and it worried me. I took him to a cat specialist because his white blood cells were high. She informed me that he has a liver problem. The vet gave me a liver supplement and that was that. Now he throws up poop. It looks like poop and smells like baby poop. I am worried. Sometimes he looks weak and other times he seems to be fine. What are your thoughts.
First of all, make sure he isn’t eating poo and then throwing it up again later – lots of cats with liver and pancreas problems do, and that’s the most likely explanation.
If he isn’t – definitely back to the vets!
My 9 month old cat has had both diarreah and vomiting episodes for almost 2 days now. He’s only been sick twice, and the first time it was just yellow water. But this time it was big thick clumps of what almost looked like his normal poops in his vomit. He has pooped all over the house including his 2 litter trays. But also my front door carpet and bedroom floor. He only eats his own food and plain chicken, and some kitten milk, never anything else. So I’m unsure what it could be.
Difficult to tell but vomiting and diarrhoea for 2 days suggests that he needs veterinary attention. Good luck!
My cat midnight has had stomach issues off and on for about two years she will go months with out throwing up but she gets really stressed out by our new cat who’s bigger than her and plays really rough sometimes and bullies her if she tries to eat. But she threw up about 10 times today and I just don’t want to freak out and think she has cancer or something the internet really isn’t helping. She’s still super loving and attached at the hip to me she’s not isolating I’m still worried I don’t know she threw up what she ate today pretty quick and just nibbled a little yesterday.
Vomiting 10 times in a day is always a worry. It’s quite likely not anything that serious causing it, but the amount of dehydration that degree of vomiting will cause can itself be life threatening. I’d strongly advise a vet check!
We recently took my cat to the vet and he has an upper respiratory infection. We were given pills for appetite and antibiotics, he seemed to be getting much better in all aspects. Then today, 3 days later he randomly started throwing up brown liquid. Before the pills he threw up clear liquid but that went away with the pills. My vets closed today and tomorrow. What should I do? He’s thrown up about 4 times today and is waking really weirdly too.
4 episodes of vomiting = needs to be seen, either by your vet or an emergency or out of hours centre. It might just be a stomach upset from the antibiotics, but it could be more serious.
Hi there! I have a 7 month old ginger fella who started vomiting last week. He seemed alarmed the first time as he had never vomited before – let out a big yowl and threw up yellowish lumpy vomit with some undigested (whole) pieces of kibble. I didn’t see any clumps of fur in there either. I withdrew his food for 2 hrs and then gave him back a small amount which he tolerated and continued to drink water. He continued to play and run around as normal and I seemed to be more concerned than he was. He was ok for 4 days and the did the same thing again on Sunday evening. I bought him new kibble which I started on Monday evening and slowly decreasing the other food. Today (Wednesday) I caught him heaving and I was sure he was going to bring up something but he sorta stopped and finally didn’t vomit in the end. His stool consistency has not changed and he is still peeing normally. He is not competing with any other kitties as he is the only one we have. He has started going outside for a couple of minutes (about 20 mins or so) every day and tends to hang out in the cedar hedge or on the deck. It is winter (I’m in Canada) and so there is still lots of snow and he can’t really chew on grass or leaves. I do have a first check up with the vet in April (vets are fully booked it seems due to COVID) and he hasn’t had any vaccinations nor had he been neutered as of yet.
Is it possible that he has picked up a parasite of some sort that would be causing this despite the cold weather ? I am not sure what else could be causing this as he wouldn’t be able to get to any cleaning products or chemicals as the are locked away.
He has been with us for 4 months now and came from a barn.
Thank you so much for your insight – it’s so very reassuring!
There are a number of possibilities here, aren’t there! I would say a parasite is definitely possible (most cats pick up worms from their mother and if not aggressively treated from kittens, they tend to recur through life); another possible culprit would be hairballs (especially if he’s grown a longer coat in the cold weather). There are also a few underlying health issues that tend to crop up in younger adult cats, such as pyloric stenosis, but they aren’t that common.
I think a phonecall to the vets might be in order, to let them know and possibly see if they can recommend any suitable local parasite treatments, would be a good start. Good luck!
My cat didn’t want his food in the morning , and he loves wet food. Then he ate a few treats, but didn’t really want much.. he never usually turns it down.. and he took one bite of dinner and puked.. then he went to bed, and doesn’t really want any attention.. it looked like food mixed with maybe hair..? Idk would a hairball make him loose appetite ? He is extremely fluffy
A hairball might, but if he’s still off his food tomorrow, or vomits more often, then definitely vet check time.
My cat is 14 now, we moved recently and he seems happy enough here. A couple of times he has projectile vomited a pale pink liquid but not for a couple of weeks now. In the last few days he has been having coughing fits, it’s not quite coughing or heaving or wretching but definitely out of his control. He’s also asking for food a lot more often. He’s struggling too with jumping on to the sofa, his back legs don’t follow the front like they used to. I know he’s getting old but should I be taking him to the vet?
I definitely think so – 14 isn’t that old, but these new symptoms are worrying, and definitely need seeing to. Good luck!
My nearly 16 year old cat has had a swollen front paw since before Christmas but it didn’t seem to bother her. Over the past three weeks, the paw started to bleed so we took her to the vet. They prescribed antibiotics but after a week there was no improvement and the bleeding was worse. We took her back to the vet and was given another 2 week course of antibiotics and also anti inflammatory medicine. They also told us to keep a cone on her so she can’t lick her paw. All has been going ok for the past week although the paw still bleeds occasionally, but yesterday she refused to eat and has started bringing up bile. She is even starting to look a lot thinner. Can anyone offer any advice please cos I’m not sure what else to do. The vet just says to finish the course of antibiotics (she has 4 days left) and keep her off her paw. Thanks for reading
Take your cat to another vet, my vet kept prescribing amoxicillin for respiratory infection, turns out he had a polyp in his throat a different vet office caught. I felt like something wasn’t right, thank god I went somewhere else! Vets aren’t infallible, and can make mistakes.
That might be a side effect to the antibiotics, or a coincidence, or a complication within her paw. If she’s not eaten for 24 hours, you need to call the vets and explain that, as it suggests she needs further investigation.
My cat has been dry heaving, it was just every now and then but now it’s become very frequent. And she doesn’t tend to eat or drink a lot. Her meows have become raspy and she has always been so talkative but I’m lucky to just get a little “mew.” I still live with my parents and they don’t care enough to get her help. What should I do?
I think she needs veterinary attention – it sounds like she might be really quite sick. If necessary, try to contact a local cat charity, who will be able to get you support.
Our 9 month old kitty became sick 2 days ago and has vomited probably 9-10 times since, mostly bile. We took him to the vet yesterday after he got sick and it had a horrid stench associated with a brown color. Vet took x-ray and blood tests and both came back clean. He received a stomach soother and we took him home. He got sick again about 6 hours after and went into shock about 6 hours later. We frantically tried to get him to the vet but we lost him right when we got there. The vet doesn’t know what happened. We did our best to cat proof our house and can confirm he didn’t get outside or into the garage. We’d appreciate another opinion or thoughts on what exactly could’ve happened to our playful little boy to have him pass away 2 days from being perfectly healthy. Thank you.
This is so sad and I am so sorry :/ if you don’t mind me asking which type cat food was you feeding ? That could’ve been the problem. Lots of cats and dog foods have been recalled and killling lots of animals check fda website
It does happen, but actually in terms of the sheer volume of products on the market, it’s pretty rare – at least in the UK. But the PFMA’s standards are pretty high, and I don’t know what the quality control in the US is like by comparison.
Oh I’m so sorry to hear that.
The possibilities that immediately come to mind are poisoning (not likely, but not impossible – some household products such as laundry liquids or capsules can cause signs like this, as can medications such as painkillers), a blocked bowel from eating something that got stuck, or maybe an infection such a panleukopenia.
However, the only way to know would be to arrange for a post-mortem to determine the exact cause of death.
Feeling for you all right now, all the best.
My cat is about 3 years old and he vomits almost once daily. He’s acting fine. I’ve had him taken to the vet they’ve ran tests and they don’t know why he does this. It looks like undigested food. Should I take him back to the vet again??
Ideally, yes. However, if they’ve not found any medical cause and it’s still ongoing, I’d suggest it might be because he’s rushing his food. Common reasons include competition with other cats – are there any other cats in the house? If so, make sure there are more feeding bowls than there are cats, and that they’re out of sight of each other. If not, maybe consider a puzzle feeder to slow down his eating?
My cat is 8 months old now, it is the first kitten we ever adopt and we didn’t know it should be with their mothers for 2 months at least. The previous carer didn’t tell us he was sick. He vomits frequently ever since he was a kitten. We went to the vet and we did a stomach test and they told us he had gastrointestinal problems. We were only given stomach protection and required to buy royal canine gastro intestinal. However we have some problems here
1- my country is having hyper inflation and we cannot afford royal canin anymore for my poor cat
2- nobody wants to adopt and care for him because everyone here is in the same boat as us
3- even with royal canin when we stop the stomach protection or make its quantity less he vomits
4- before he used to vomit solid food as is, now when he vomits it looks more digested then before
5- we have only been able to get the royal canin for 3 months (last 3 months)
6- we found online that we could feed him renal care food instead and we found a cheap one called molly
7- earlier today he threw up (unlike usual) a yellow liquid with some very thin foam like
I am not sure what to do anymore tried everything I could! It is already a miracle he survived 8 months but I am so sad he has to suffer and continuously throw up every now and then. Any ideas or help? Getting desperate to ever give my little lovely cat better days with no struggle.
He is usually throwing up at night time
By the way, he is always open for food (anything that’s our food like cow milk, chicken with all the sauces, etc.) We don’t allow him to eat anything but his dry food as per the previous vet instructions, the only time he doesn’t want to eat is like 1 hour before he vomits, right after he vomits he eats
That’s really difficult. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know what else you could do. While home cooked-meals can help for a while, your vet is right – it’s very difficult tog et a balanced diet for a home-cooked meal for a cat who has intestinal problems. I’m a bit worried that he never stopped vomiting though – it might suggest there’s something else underlying his health problems, which the food was helping with but not resolving. Without knowing what that is, it’s very hard to decide what to do for the best. Are there any charities that might be able to help? That might be the next stop.
I have a 6 month old male ragdoll cat. I have had him for 3 months. Within the last month it seems he is consistently overeating and eating too quickly. Initially I took him to the vet and changed his diet to a prescription diet per the vet. He did well for a few days with no vomit in the prescription diet but then vomited food immediately after eating then would drink water and immediately vomit water as well. I returned to the vet where he was given SQ fluids, anti-emetic, vitamins, and x-rays were done. The x-rays came back normal. He has had no vomiting episodes until last Wednesday he ate breakfast and threw up completely undigested food about 20 minutes after eating. He was running, jumping, and playing right after eating and threw up his food. Saturday, he threw up breakfast then today he also threw up breakfast. Both times it was totally undigested food. After vomiting he runs back to his bowl for more food or even tried to eat his vomit. Which tells me he is still hungry which is probably a good sign. He is still drinking lots of water, peeing and pooping. Overall he is still playing, in good spirits, has a wet tongue and nose, and continues begging for food. Is this is a case of a kitten learning not to eat too quickly? He also lost a tooth this morning and I was wondering if teething could make him nauseous? I am a 1st time cat owner so any advice is helpful!
Kittens often bolt their food if they feel anxious – are there any other cats around that he feels he needs to compete with? If so, separating them out of line of sight to feed may help. However, vomiting water back up immediately isn’t common with this problem, so it might be time for some more tests, such as a barium swallow, to determine if there’s a functional obstruction somewhere, such as a hiatus hernia.
My cat has been acting sick all day. After waking up this morning I noticed her drinking more water than usual and not asking for food which is usually her favourite thing to do. She was a bit less active today. But I had assumed she had a tummy ache from over eating because she managed to get into her cat treats overnight and ate half the container. Then this evening around 9:30pm she threw up this horribly smelling brown liquid / paste. She seems to be feeling a little better now but the colour, consistency and smell of her vomit have me concerned. I was planning to take her to the vet tomorrow if she was still acting funny but now I’m thinking she might need attention more immediately. Is this a cause for immediate concern or will she be fine to go tomorrow?
A one-off vomit could well be due to overeating; if it happens again, or she seems really lethargic, then a phone call to the vet out of hours is a good idea.
My 5 month old cat woke up and drank a lot of water, then proceeded to throw up foamy liquid. She has been eating through out the day and drinking little bits of water but has been very sleepy and played very little. She also sort of dry heaved like she was going to throw up again but didn’t. She usually uses the litter box plenty of times during the day (I usually have to clean it twice) but she has only used it today like 3 times. (I saw her poop once and pee twice). I don’t know if I should wait and continue to monitor her or if I should take her to the vet. I’m a first time cat owner and would love some direction!
A one-off vomit isn’t a worry, but if she’s still acting sick and retching, I’d suggest ringing your vet and having a chat to them. Good luck!
Hi., I have a six months cat who is having a castration operation. He has skin abrations near the surgery area so my vet ask me to put on E collar. I sometimes took the color off and monitor him, then he will have excessing grooming. I also feed him cat grass. For 8 days in the cage, he at least has 3 or 4 times vomiting. About once every 2 days. Vomiting yellow brownish color liquid. His eating and drinking habit is normal. Is it because he is in cage now? Should I worried about vomiting? Thank you.
That’s not normal – definitely get him checked out by the vet!
My kitten has had four vomiting fits after eating his dinner. He first puked up the undigested food and then just clear liquid. He still has a lot of energy, playful, is acting normal, and drinking water. Does this require an ER vet check or can we wait until tomorrow to call the vet if he is still getting sick?
If he’s thrown up once or twice, and has no other signs, then it would normally wait until the next day. if it’s profuse, or he develops more symptoms, potentially an emergency call.
Try the Symptom Checker for an instant triage: https://vethelpdirect.com/interactive-pet-symptom-checker/
My cat threw up this morning about an hour after being fed wet food. The vomit was just all of his wet food from his feeding. About an hour later he threw up again which was just bile. I didn’t take his dry food away, he ate a few pieces, then threw up again about an hour later. I took away all of his food, and he drank a good bit of water on 3 occasions over the next 2.5 hours. He seemed fine for about 6 hours, then I found him hiding and he threw up again, just bile. We’re in the middle of a snow storm so I’m trying not to drive to the emergency vet if possible. Can he wait until tomorrow or does he need immediate vet attention?
Persistent vomiting always needs veterinary input. However, if it’s not safe to drive, it’s not safe! Make sure he’s warm and dry, offer small sips of water really regularly (but not too much at one time), and when the weather improves, call the vet for advice.
My two cats have been barfing up food occasionally and then act fine after. I have noticed that one cat has barfed twice within this past week. Other than that it’s probably twice a month each or less. Should I take them in? Is it normal to barf why looks like undigested food pieces? It’s also sometime yellow liquid with it.
Occasional vomiting like this is pretty common; it’s often due to racing to eat. One option might be to feed them out of sight of each other (making sure you have 3 feeding stations for 2 cats), and even consider installing a slow or puzzle feeder. If one’s vomiting more often than usual, though, it might be worth having a chat to your vet to see if there’s a physical reason.
Hi, we have a six month old kitten that we’ve had for three weeks. She’s quite a fussy eater and we’ve had to do a bit of trial and error with her wet food as she often just licks the gavy and leaves the rest, so we’ve tried a few to find one that she seems to like and that she eats well. We also give her plain cooked chicken and fish which she really likes, as well the kibble that she was already on when we got her. She is very active and happy, she plays a lot and seems really healthy but seems to suffer from intermittent vomiting. Usually in the morning and only the once, but this seems to be occurring every three or four days. She also had diarrhoea for a couple of days this last week, but this seems to have resolved itself now. Do you think it could just be the change in diet and new surroundings and will settle down, or should I take her to the vets? Thanks.
Diarrhoea is commonly due to a change in diet, vomiting less often so. I think that a vet health check would be a good idea if she’s vomiting that regularly, just to check there isn’t any other underlying cause.
My 9 month old cat vomited a small amount of yellow foam/liquid first thing this morning and then again around noon. The second had a blade of grass in it. Last night he ate normally and was playful before bed. Today he has been sleeping all day and turns his head away from any fluids (water and low sodium chicken broth) that I have offered. He has not used the litter box today. Should I take him into the vet in the morning or wait till later in the afternoon to see how he is doing?
If he’s not used the litter tray at all – to the vet ASAP. It might be dehydration, but it could also be a blocked bladder which is usually fatal without emergency treatment.
Hi, my 5-month old cat went missing for 2 days and we found her in a nearby car workshop today. Other than lethargic and not having an appetite (she only drank water), she vomited (black vomit) and having diarrhoea several times this evening. I’ve made several phone calls to the nearby vet, they are either fully booked or closed (because of the quarantine situation). Is there anything that can I do at home (while waiting to secure an appointment) to treat her, and what signs should be watching out to see if her condition worsens? I’m very worried, if you could offer some advice that’d be so great. Thank you so much!
Hi, is there no 24/7 emergency vet in the area? This is where she needs to go. Don’t wait for a regular vet appt. You mustn’t waste any time. Wishing you all the best.
Black vomit is a really bad sign – it commonly suggests she’s eaten something toxic or has an intestinal bleed. Keep her warm and comfortable, offer water, and try to get her to a vet ASAP.
My adult male cat has always struggled with hair balls. He can vomit one up a few times a month. We already feed him a hair ball control wet food after our vet suggested it. Her diagnoses was that “some cats just have a hard time getting them up.”But the wet food doesn’t seem to be helping. When he has a hair ball, he also vomits a lot until he gets it up. I’m assuming it’s because it effects his gag reflex. He’s still eating and drinking normally, even playing. He doesn’t seem to be in any discomfort. We just took him to the vet for his annual exam but he gets a little “testy” during the visits, so the vet wasn’t able to be super thorough. Should we take him back and ask her to check him again?
I’d have a chat with your vet and see if they have any other ideas – a cat-safe laxative paste might be an option, which your vet will be able to prescribe or recommend.
I have two cats, one of them woke us up this morning by throwing up, was fine afterwards (looked like food with yellow bile) but then threw up again 2 hours later.
We took away the food and since she has thrown up once more, but just white foam.
I don’t think it’s infectious/viral otherwise cat 2 would also be ill.
Is it possible she just ate something bad? She chews everything! (Everything’s cat proof as much as possible)
Of course will take her to the vets if it reaches 24 hours… but hoping to avoid!
Do I put her food back? She seems fine otherwise! Confusing.
Cats often are! And it sounds like she’s on the edge in between “vet check” and “wait and see”. If she’s otherwise well, withholding food (but not water) for 12-24 hours won’t do her any harm, and will allow anything nasty to work its way through. If she vomits more, though, that’s definitely checkup time.
My 9 month old cat has vomited yellow liquid 6-7 tonight. His stool is still solid. My daughter fed him his wet food this morning but forgot to give him his kibble that he snacks on off and on all day. Do you think the upset is from not having dry food or should I book him in at the vet?
6-7 vomits suggests that he needs a vet, probably ASAP. Cats very very rarely vomit because they’ve missed a meal, and dietary change vomiting wouldn’t usually be that dramatic!
I have a 6 month old kitten and he started throwing up yesterday morning. It was clear at first, then he threw up 2 more times with food in it. I put his food up, but he’s still throwing up. He threw up at least 6 times yesterday and 4 times today. He’s slept or laid in the same spot all day today. He is a very hyper and active kitten, but not now. He doesn’t do anything but lay down. He also meows if you pick him up and tries to get away. I had a vet tell me it sounded like an upper respiratory virus and should go away within 3-5 days, less if he’s vaccinated, which he is. He’s an indoor cat, so I’m not sure why he’s sick. Please help! I don’t want to lose my baby cat!
If he’s that ill he needs to be seen by a vet ASAP! Get him to your vet to be examined and treated.
My cat is 11 she has been sick 3 times today which she normally is never sick. She seems ok in herself
Three vomits in one day in a senior cat – I’d suggest a vet check, as that’s enough to make her worryingly dehydrated, especially at her age.
My 6-year-old cat threw up 3 times today – He is currently hiding. Strangely, he drank a lot of water too. What should I do???
The vomit is liquid and yellow. It’s nighttime, should I bring him to the vet now?
Repeated vomiting and increased thirst generally means that yes, he needs a vet – it suggests at best significant dehydration, and at worst some kidney or liver problems. Good luck!
I have two six-month old kittens. One of them vomited twice today immediately after mealtimes. Her vomit came out in clumps and the food appeared undigested. Only notable changes I can think of are slight change/addition to food variety (different brand of food that gets mixed in), physical activity closer to mealtimes (running and jumping with her sister half an hour to an hour before eating), and recently we have noticed that she scarfs down her food at an alarming rate (only to vomit it back out soon after). I am hoping that the reason for her vomiting today is due to either one or a combination of the above factors that we can try to remediate.
With luck, it’s because she’s bolting her food. The most likely reason is that she’s competing with her sister – are they fed separately, out of sight of each other? Does one try to steal the other’s food? That seems the most likely cause, but if it continues, I’d suggest a vet check to rule out medical problems,
Hello! I have a six month old cat, he woke me up at 6am for his usual breakfast, but after I served it, he threw up a brown liquid (His last meal before breakfast was brown) and ate his food normally, he doesnt seem lethargic and even tried to play, but I was too tired. I know I should have taken the food away but before I even realized he was already eating. I dont know if I should be alarmed or go back to sleep like him, he’s my first cat:(
A one-off vomiting episode isn’t too worrying – if it happens again, give your vet a ring, but otherwise I wouldn’t worry too much!
I have a 5 year old cat that weights about 10 pounds. She vomits whole cat food or partially digested food. Took her to the Vet and that did some blood work on her and found nothing. She tried to give up and die so I brought her home. She’s not trying to die but continues to vomit and she underweight. Another than that she fine. Please help me I want to know what’s wrong with my baby.
I think she’s going to need more investigation – it sounds like there’s something serious going on there. The next step would usually be X-rays and/or ultrasound scans, and possibly even gut biopsies. Your vet may be able to do this, or alternatively it may be something that she has to be referred to a larger hospital for. Good luck with her!
Hi! I live on an island and the vet service here is very rural medicine. My cat vomited last week 9 times in 24 hours. So the vet gave her two anti-vomiting shots 12 hours apart and told me to give her 1ml of human antibiotic liquid for kids every 12 hours. She started foaming at her mouth which the doctor said was normal with the antibiotic liquid. I gave her that antibiotic 4 times. Since that day, she has only vomited once, but continues once a day to foam at the mouth. It has been 12 days since the onset of symptoms. He said he thinks she was intoxicated and that the foaming will pass. How long do you think these symptoms will last? Basically we checked her gums: pink. Her eyes dilate just fine, and does not have diarrhea. At times she still licks her lips, something she does when she feels nauseated.
It depends exactly what she managed to poison herself with! I wouldn’t usually expect foaming to last for over a week since the other symptoms have resolved, and I wonder if another checkup might be a good idea in case there’s some other organ damage?
My cat is 11 years old, and chooses to live a life upstairs away from our dog downstairs, and constantly needs attention from me. She throws up once a week and it has become a regular thing for about 3 months now, but she eats normally and uses her litter box normally. She is also drinking water, but is throwing up this frequently something to be concerned about?
Regular repeated vomiting might be a sign of stress, but it could also be due to an underlying medical issue. Personally, I’d suggest making an appointment at a convenient time to get her checked over by your vet. If all is well, then start thinking about how to reduce her stress in the house!
My cat is almost 3 years old, is not abnormal for us to see him throw up but now he has been vomiting for 4 days (once a day) his vomit has undigeated pieces of his dry and wet dood, but he’s still active, eatint, playing, drinking water, etc.
My mom tells me not to worry so much about it because he’s not lethargic and is eating, but I can’t stop worrying about him…
I would strongly advise a vet check if he’s been vomiting for 4 days; if he’s still active and eating it’s unlikely to be anything dangerous at this stage but if not addressed it could become a serious issue.
My cat is almost two years old. She vomited a total of five times. The last two times was like white foam. She’s not eating, even meowing and is not active.
Vet check – now. Vomiting, loss of appetite, and lethargy is a really bad combination.
My cat vomited 3 x this morning after eating. We literally had taken him to the vet yesterday as he had a fever the week before and was given antibiotics and pain relief. At yesterday’s checkup he had a normal temp as the vet said he was doing much better and appeared to be his nimrod self. Now I’m paranoid cos he vomited but is eating and drinking and acting normal. Should we take him back to the vet?
Perhaps ring the vet and have a chat with them? They know his history better than we do!
My cat is a usually healthy 7yo who has been vomiting more frequently recently. At baseline, he will commit once or twice a month, usually in the setting of regurgitation after eating too quickly. For the past 3-5 days, however, I have woken up to find that he has a large vomit overnight. He is otherwise eating a drinking well and no other obvious health changes, and no known diarrhea (he often goes to the bathroom outside, but no episodes in the house).
I did buy a new flavor of dry food of the same brand that he has been eating, and I had introduced that along with his old food about 2 weeks ago. He loved it, but I stopped offering it about 3 days ago when he started vomiting more. I’m trying to figure out what else to do – could his dry food have gone bad, and I need to replace with new bags? Is it time for a trip to the vet? He seems to be in his usual state of health otherwise. And I’m not sure if it’s significant that he has only been vomiting overnight. He’s not really one to eat things he shouldn’t or get into mischief when I’m asleep. Thank you so much!
I think that vomiting every night for 3-5 days isn’t normal, and I would be inclined to get him checked at the vets. It might be a change in food, but it could also be a more serious underlying health issue, and I think it would be wise to have it looked at.
My cat vomited today about 3 times writhing 1hr or 2 and is now not responding to food and lack of energy.
Vet time – now. They definitely need veterinary assessment and care.
Hi, I hope you can help. I just awoke at 4am to my 16yr old cat being sick and panting heavily. He has since peed and pooed himself and been sick a second time. By the second time he was hardly moving. 30mins later and frantically googling has led me here. His panting has subsided and he looks sorry for himself. Any idea what this could be?
Lots of possibilities, including a foreign body trapped in the intestine, a stomach ulcer, a stroke, or lots of other options. I think he needs a vet check ASAP!
Hello Good evening
My cat vomit his food twice, this day but his still active.
His vomit is the food he eat earlier ( still the same solids he eat). Like he eat a cat food then later on he vomit the food then this afternoon i gave him a fried fish he vomit the fish this evening. Is this a serious problem?
If he’s repeatedly vomiting, I’d strongly suggest a vet check, to see what’s going on.
My cat threw up earlier today. She’s about 3 years old, long hair. She rarely ever throws up and it was a tint of yellow/tan liquid and a rather large amount. Shortly after she did go to her bowl and eat on her own. She also used the litter box prior to throwing up. She seems a little more lethargic than usual, but I may also be overly paranoid because my mind automatically goes to worst case scenario such as a blockage or something bad. Should I be worried or am I probably making more out of it than it is?
A one off vomit I wouldn’t be worried about, if there aren’t any other symptoms. If it happens again, or the lethargy becomes pronounced, then get her checked out, but for now, watching closely is probably the best bet.
My cat has been vomiting unprocessed food everyday for the past 1 week but her behaviour is normal. She is active, drinks a lot of water, her stool is normal, etc. Is veterinary attention crucial at this point?
It doesn’t sound like an emergency, but it would be worth at least a telephone call to talk to your vet, if it’s been going on for a week now.
My cat started vomiting this morning. He has vomited a total of 6 times today. He’s still eager to eat food, and acting his normal curious, cuddly ways. When he first got sick it was all light brown, undigested food, some in whole pieces. Later today, after not having a meal, it was clear bubbly liquid, but not a lot. He has always eaten very fast, so I’m not sure that’s the reason for this. I just fed him some dinner, and he only ate about quarter of it. That is very unlike him.
There are lots of possible causes – take a look at the Pet Health Library on Vomiting – but he’s thrown up more than 3 times in 24 hours, it’s vet check time.
My kitten is almost 3 months old. One week ago he has dirrhea and keeps throwing up his food, he wasnt lethargic or amything. It was just dirrhea and vomit so i thought i could heal him at home. I thought maybe he was eating too fast or too much so i made him eat slower and control the amount he eats, but he still threw up his food and still has dirrhea. I started getting worried so i put him on vitamins. it worked, he never threw up his food again and doesn’t have dirrhea anymore. Its been a week or two since he recovered, his brother visited us the other day and they played allll day. The next day his brother and my aunt (his brother’s owner) went home. After that my kitten became a bit lethergic and only ate once yesterday. I thought he was just tired from playing yesterday and sad that his brother went home, so i let him rest for a day, comforted him lots of pets, i still offered him food and water even though he’s not eating any of it. He just slept all day. Then today, specifically this morning, at 3 am he was playing and i thought he was finally recovering so i offered him food, kitten wet food and fish with kitten kibbles incase he doesnt want the wet food i prepared another food. I also prepared water with his vitamins mixed in it incase he didnt want it because of the smell, i prepared another water without the vitamins. He ate the fish with kibbles and drank the water with vit and i was glad thinking he’s gonna be ok now but then minutes later he threw up the fish. It wasnt a weird vomit or anything, it was just litte pieces of fish. No worms, blood or anything. Its just like before except now he’s a little lethargic. I dont know, is he still sad about his brother or is something more serious going on? Im worried. Oh also i already dewormed him twice so i really dont think its worms, he alsdo doenst have a bloated stomach. I just wish he’ll be fine soon
It sounds like something infectious going around – I’d strongly advise a vet check because many of the infections that cause vomiting and diarrhoea in cats (such as Feline Coronavirus) don’t give long immunity, and cats keep getting infected over and over again.
My cat vomited last week and it was a brown liquid vomit I didn’t even realize she vomited, then today she also vomited but I saw her vomit and it like in brown chunks that were also a bit liquidy, so should I be worried?
That sounds like digested food, but it does depend exactly how dark – a very dark, coffee-ground type colour suggests a bleeding ulcer that needs urgent veterinary attention. Two vomits in a week probably aren’t a worry if she’s fine in her self in between, but if she shows any other symptoms, or the vomiting continues, then a vet check would be a good idea.
My cat is 11 yrs old. She started vomiting a week ago almost daily. I took her to the vet he did the usual check and said she has a cold and her breathing is worrying him. He also did a blood test and the results were fine. He suggested giving her an antibiotic injection for five continuous days if the vomiting continued. Now I don’t know what to do, she won’t eat her food but she seems fine. Also, she eats on a bamboo leaf from the bamboo plant that I have. Is this a sign of a problem in her tummy and she’s trying to solve it by chewing on the leaves? Should I give her the antibiotic course on an empty stomach? Or should I wait? The first time she vomited there was a big chunk of hairball and yesterday the vomit was a yellow liquid with a few hairs.
I think if she’s still vomiting despite treatment, it’s time to go back to the vet for more tests. However, if she is improving then give the antibiotics time to work. Many antibiotics can be given on an empty stomach but not all – that’s something you’d have to check with the prescribing vet.
We just got a 3 month old kitten yesterday. She would not eat but drank last night and this morning. Then vomited this afternoon and diarrhea. This evening she ate 5 tiny pieces of wet food and licked juice up but no water then 4 hours later vomited and diarrhea again. We just got some water down her with a syringe. She came from a shelter and was healthy yet thin. All websites say it normal with new food or stress from new home but to worry if her behavior changes. Well we don’t know her behavior to know if it changes. How long do I let this go on before panicking?
Stress can cause vomiting or diarrhoea, but rarely symptoms this obvious. I’d strongly suggest a vet check to make sure she didn’t come with some underlying disease problem
My cat is 9 month old and today was her first time vomiting a clear liquid with white foam. She ate after she threw up and she’s acting as usual. Ps she never spit any fur balls yet. Should I be taking her to the vet ? Please help
One single vomit, and normal behaviour and appetite afterwards is unlikely to be a sign of a serious problem unless she’s showing any other symptoms.
My darling tortico has started with this horrifying yowl and then puking clear liquid. This started yesterday and she’s done it twice today. She is still eating, drinking, and peeing. I can’t verify pooping though I have a box I can watch. Otherwise she’s a little bit more clingy than her normal self which we put up to the new kitten.
Cats with regular vomiting (more than 3 times in 24 hours) or ongoing vomiting (lasting more than 2 days) should be examined by a vet – I’d be inclined to get her checked over!
My cat is very old and tonight she threw up and hid under my bed and when I found her she was panting like a dog and drooling by the mouth and and she had a single poop and she could hardly move. I left her for a bit and when I checked on her she threw up foam but after that she seemed better then she did (still breathing heavy tho) and she can move a few feet. I tried asking my parents for help and they said that my cat is too old and there is nothing a vet can do. I’m very scared and I need advice and tips just so she can stay with me for a bit longer. Please help, she means the world to me.
She definitely needs a vet – whether she’s old or not. If she is suffering from something so serious that it cannot be improved then her suffering needs to end. Most diseases, however, can be managed to reduce the paina nd make her comfortable again, at least for a while. Good luck!
My 5 year old female cat has stopped eating her cat food, only eats human feed of any kind, such as onions, cookies etc which is rather usual for her. She has also started puking and has rank Diarrhoea poops on my rug instead of going outside like she has done for the past 4 years because she’s almost always outside. She’s definitely not acting normal!
Firstly, try not to feed her onions – she may like them but they are toxic to cats. Next, whatever the cause, this isn’t normal and needs looking at! Make an appointment for her to see your vet.
My cat is not eating or drinking (been over a week). I am giving her chicken broth through a syringe. How much should I give her daily? Vet did tests and said kidney issues & need to flush them out.
It depends on the cat, the broth and the condition – your vet will best be able to advise you! However, as a general rule, an adult cat needs 50ml of fluid per kg bodyweight per day. Hope that helps!
My cat has vomited thrice in last 2 hours but there is nothing in there because her stomach is empty. She stopped eating from last 2 days. Maximum time she has lay down to the floor or someone else. Last night was the first night when she poo on the coach. What should I do?? I need immediately so e help.
She needs veterinary attention – whatever has caused the vomiting, not eating for 2 days is a bad sign, and may indicate a bowel blockage.
My cat vomits brown liquid frequently!
Then definitely time to get him or her checked by your vet, to try and determine why.
She’s also eating her food fast
Common causes include eating too fast or an oesophageal (gullet) problem. Probably worth getting medical issues ruled out by your vet first though!
Hi, I was just wondering why my 3 year old female cat would be choking/puking up her hard food everytime she eats? But she doesn’t with soft food?
My 3-year-old cat Maurice usually vomits after eating about 1-2 times a week, he eats too fast. However, today he has vomited 3 times in the last 6 hours. the first two had lots of grass in it. this last one was like the first half was dry kibble and the second half liquidy but he had just eaten a pate. Maurice has an unusual obsession where he steals things from neighbors, toys, socks, shoes, gloves, but most concerning is his obsession with insolation. (just thought this needed to be mentioned) after he vomited he hid under the bed, and wouldn’t let me pet him. this is quite unusual for him considering he has separation anxiety and I can’t do anything without him at my feet. he has also been crying loudly just before the vomit today. does he need to see a vet now or can it wait till morning when I can call and get an appointment which will is a few weeks out?
Vomiting 3 times in 6 hours I’d say needs a vet check – it might be fine but it might suggest something serious, especially if he plays with non-food items like insulation. Hope he’s doing OK!
One of my kittens was born in june. He was recently catnapped by a neighbor and given to someone else. Lately hes been having problems keeping food down. He eats a lot and drinks a lot. After he eats he throws up. Hes losing weight. He used to be playful but now he just lays around and sometimes his breathing is hard. Idk what is wrong or what i should do to make him better
While this might be stress, I would STRONGLY advise a vet check to look for medical issues.
Hello, my cat threw up a hairball on Monday followed by throwing up a little water 4x throughout the day but all other activities seem normal. I’m keeping a close eye on him and hoping he cleared his system. Tue he was better but somehow Wed morning when I woke up, I found another hairball and 3 spots where he threw up clear liquid. I kept an eye on him again and the rest of the day he was fine. He drank, ate, played and went potty. This morning (Thursday), I woke up and found he threw up once just water. So far the rest of the day he’s ok- ate, drank, jumped up very high on top of the kitchen wall cabinet, and napped a lot like he normally does. I will continue to monitor him and will take him to the vet if it continues. Just wanted to check-in and get any feedback in the meantime. I’m hoping he cleared his system with those 2 hairballs. He’s 100% indoors and does not get into anything. Thank you.
Hopefully yes – hairballs can be a huge problem for some cats. Occasionally, they can be more serious, blocking the bowel, so if the vomiting gets worse definitely get him checked out, but hopefully it was just a couple of hairballs stuck!
It’s good to know that lethargy combined with vomiting should be cause for concern. My husband works from home and told me our tabby cat was extremely lethargic yesterday and threw up twice. I’m glad I read your article so I can start looking for a veterinarian to get her checked out ASAP.
Hi, My cat has not been able to keep 85% of his food down for almost 24 hours now. He vomits almost immediately after eating and I’ve been trying to feed him very small amounts to see if that helps but I don’t know at what point I should be concerned. Sometimes it’s undissolved food if it’s right after he ate and sometimes it’s just more of a foamy liquid. He has been still eager to eat, and drinking plenty of water and his behavior doesn’t seem off at all. At what point should I be concerned, and is there anything I can try at home before calling the vet? Thanks.
If he’s been actively vomiting after food for 24 hours, then I would be advising a vet check now. It is possible to starve an adult cat for 12-24 hours, but if there’s any underlying disease this can be a problem, and some modern research suggests it isn’t always the best approach.
I’ve noticed today my car has barely touched his food or water, he has been sick twice this evening (both times small, white foamy consistency). He has been playful as usual but more vocal. I have put some tuna down but he hasn’t touched it.
Mild vomiting (les than 3 times) often leads to loss of appetite; however, if he goes more than 12-24 hours without eating, or the vomiting gets worse, or he develops any other signs, that indicates that he needs veterinary attention.
I found my cat under a dumpster when she was a kitten. She’s probably 11 years old, now. But I always suspected that she was abandoned for being maybe the runt of a litter as she has one defective eye and was always skittish, finicky with food, and seemed to have some stomach sensitivities. Otherwise, she seems really healthy. Her coat is super soft, she’s active, and she shows virtually no signs of sickness other than some wheezing when she sleeps that the vets tell me they don’t notice. Within the last couple of years I noticed her vomiting undigested food. I brought it up to the vet and they thought nothing of it. That vomiting has increased over the last year and again I brought if up to a vet that ran more tests, specifically for her thyroid. After over $500 of blood work, again I was told she was fine. She now is vomiting undigested food several times a week just a few months since her last vet visit. I have changed her food so many times trying to figure out what it is – high quality wet canned food, FreshPet, or frozen raw duck or chicken. I have never used any sort of chemical litters. I only use natural litters and have been on top of cleaning them so there is no mold thinking that could have caused it. She has never liked seafood and I eventually realized that made her throw up if she got hungry enough to eat it. I cannot figure out for the life of me why she is vomiting. I also tried Pretty Litter and her urine’s PH balance seemed to be in the healthy range. I do feel like she drinks more water and urinates more; I brought this up to the vet last visit. And she’s usually really hungry right after she vomits. What on earth could be causing the vomiting? Is it possible she is becoming allergic to the chicken and turkey cans that I give her despite trying different brands? Is a whole can of cat food too much for her to eat in one sitting? Is it possible that leaving wet canned food out for extended periods is making her sick now though it was never an issue before? I’m at such a loss and bringing it up to the vet repeatedly has not helped.
Food allergies don’t normally cause vomiting, although it is a possibility – and if so, it doesn’t matter what the brand is, just what the protein (usually) source is. However, gut sensitivities are a possibility. Other possible medical causes might include inflammatory bowel disease (which is fairly common in cats), or alimentary lymphoma. Perhaps the best way forward would be to talk to your vet about referral to a feline internal medicine specialist, who might be able to do additional tests such as gut biopsies to determine if there is a medical cause, or a behavioural one.
Thank you so much for the insight 🙂 After I messaged you, there was one night where twice a few hours apart she began to cry and seemed in pain…wouldn’t let me touch her; I almost took her to the ER the second time it happened. I had her on Stella & Chewy’s raw duck, some grilled chicken, and Royal Canin Sensitive Stomach Wet cans that week. She had no vomiting that week so I thought everything was fine. It was very random but the pain seemed to pass within the hour. And then she acted absolutely normal afterwards? I wound up taking her to the vet a few days later, which they didn’t feel was too much cause for concern. I hadn’t read your response yet but read some terrible reviews on Royal Canin so I made one more change to her food in a last ditch effort to see if that was the issue – I changed her food to Instinct Rabbit, made smaller portions spread out through the day, and won’t let food sit in her bowl for more than an hour. It’s been less than a week but she has not thrown up, eagerly eats her food, and has shown no symptoms of distress since. If I see anymore issues arise, I will make your suggestions to my vet. Crossing my fingers that this is a long term solution. Thanks again, so much!
That’s good to hear – good luck with her!
My cat is 3…always healthy and inside only. She had a cut from our dog about 2 1/2 weeks ago, unsure if it was a bite or claw but she had to be sedated and stitched up. She was given an antibiotic injection and all was fine and she looks like it healed nicely. 3 days ago she started vomiting, now just bile. She is laying around, not playing, looks miserable. I’m trying to get her to eat and drink but have not been very successful. I’m worried, really worried. She has an appt with a new vet tomorrow (old vet couldn’t get her in). I’m struggling with waiting or taking her to emergency. I’m worried she could possibly have a blockage. Any advice would be appreciated. I should say that she doesn’t feel warm to touch, her wound has no oozzing or redness, so I don’t think it’s an infection.
Any vomiting that lasts for more than a day, or that leaves the cat lethargic and miserable is potentially an emergency. Hope it went OK with her!
My cat is 8 years old. We switched her food because we ran out and accidentally bought the wrong kind. We figured it would be okay, but she started getting diarrhea and soft bowel movements. At that point, the only change had been the food, so we switched it back to the old food. Everything seemed to go back to normal. Now, her bowel movements are normal, but a few days ago (about a week after switching back to her regular food), she has started throwing up every time she eats her food. About 5 or so minutes after. Do you think it could be an issue with the food, or something bigger?
Also, she drinks plenty of water, and is her sweet affectionate self. Nothing is different about her except the vomiting. Her behavior other than that seems completely normal.
It might be that she’s just bolting her food, but I would suggest arranging an appointment with the vet to rule out anything more serious.
Thank you!! Very helpful 👍👍👍
My cat has been vomiting for 3 days . But its not all the time it’s here and there . And its yellow and foamy . She has not eaten either, or drank.. she very responcive but sometimes she hides . Please help
If it’s been 3 days, I’m afraid she needs a vet.
My cat has been sick 8 times within the space of 15 hours. During the night he was sick almost every other hour. I didn’t give him any food this morning and he hadn’t thrown up for a few hours but is back to throwing up bright yellow bile. He doesn’t have diaorrhea or any other symptoms and we aren’t aware that he has eaten anything he shouldn’t have. Should I take him to the vet?
Yes, that amount of vomiting definitely suggests that veterinary attention is required.
Hi , my cat is lethargic he refuses to eat or drink and he vomited this morning what should i do
My cat ls 16 she vomits right after she eats but ls hungry wants more food she had been on celina for 5 days lt helped at first but l think that ls what ls causing her to keep vomiting ,can that drug do that ?? As other wise she acts normal ,no diarrhea at all and drinking water ty
I’m not aware of any medication named “Celina”, so I can’t say whether or not this is a drug side effect. However, if it’s right after she eats she might be regurgitating, not vomiting. This is a rather different issue, and can occur with blockages to the oesophagus (gullet), or conditions such as a hiatus hernia. If untreated, it can eventually lead to starvation, so I’d strongly advise getting her checked out again by the vet.
Vomiting alone is a bit of a concern, but vomiting with lethargy is more worrying. I would advise getting him checked by your vet.
Hello my kitten milo has vomited in three days now and won’t touch his food even after he eats some he vomits and he is very sleepy he drinks his water but just don’t know what to do can you help? And also he has diarrhoea
If he’s been vomiting for 3 days, he definitely needs to be seen by a vet.
Hey Guys
I need advice for 12 yr old male cat. He started showing weight loss 1 month back with upset stomach. Later on he recovered and started daily proper routines. Now from last 20 days he started vomiting, first few days he vomited only yellowish stuff. I gave him antibiotics as per doctor prescription for week, that whole week he didn’t vomit , but now after stopping antibiotics, he started vomiting again and now he vomit undigested food as well with foamy stuff. Today he vomited more than 7 times in a day. He don’t have upset stomach. He got empty stomach and still vomiting. I tried giving him water through syrenge , he vomited that too. I am worry about him . He have not eaten any object which causing him this issue. Let me know what should I do. Due to lockdown my vet also not able to visit my place. Any suggestion or help would be appreciated. If you guys have any questions let me know regarding his condition.
Vomiting 7 times in a day really isn’t normal – it sounds like there may be an infection that the antibiotics suppressed but didn’t completely clear. I’d ring your vet and talk to them, they may be able to repeat the prescription with a longer course, or suggest a more appropriate antibiotic.
My cat eats around 5 a.m. and p.m. each day. The last couple days she has thrown up almost 12 hours after eating. Liquidy stuff most time. Could she be eating something else? She is an indoor cat and never goes outside
It’s possible – are there any toxic plants like lilies in the house? She could have caught and eaten a fly or spider and picked something up from them too! If it goes into a third day, then a vet check would be a really good idea.
It worries me that my cat threw up twice in the span of a week. First time being that she could have eaten too fast, tho im not sure. But the second time she refused everything I brought out for her to eat until later in the night she did eat rather enthusiastically. She’s also been having bowel changes. As in diarrhoea. For the past two days. Otherwise she’s still active, and there aren’t any signs of illness such as fatigue and not attempting to move around.
Twice in a week followed by diarrhoea is most likely to be a stomach upset. If she’s fine in herself, try and persuade her to eat a bland diet (a gastrointestinal commercial food, or boiled white meat and rice) for a few days, then gradually wean her back onto her normal food. If the diarrhoea is persistent (more then 2-3 days), have a chat with your vet – they may well need to take a sample for analysis.
Hi, my cat has been throwing up food a couple of times a week for the last few weeks. I thought he was just eating to fast but twice in the last week he’s had a bowl movement on the floor after throwing up. Could this have to do with hair balls or should I change up his food?
There’s no way to know for sure. I’d always advise getting a vet to check him over to rule out more serious issues before deciding what the exact cause was!
A friend of mine gave me a kitten when he was only 6 weeks old she had nine other kittens to get rid of I took one he was fine the first couple of days eating wet food but wasn’t drinking water, then for a couple days he was doing both but just within the last couple of days I’ve been giving him wet food and hours later he will vomit it back up and before he vomits he starts making this really deep meowing noise so I hurry and put him in the litter box and he throws up everything he’s eaten hours before, he’s been drinking water but every time he eats it comes back up like I said hours later. He’s been sleeping normally like a cat and he wakes up and plays around and acts like a normal spaz cat. He’ll meow at me forever until I get the food out. Sometimes he’ll sniff it walk away and meow more. there has been times that I’ve actually had to open his mouth and let him taste it and then he gets the hint and will start eating but sometimes he won’t, I put him on a sensitive stomach wet food and have given him pumpkin puree for digestion help. He’s only pooped once that was yesterday afternoon. Can anyone tell me what it might be the internet keeps telling me it’s because he eats too much too fast.
That’s a possibility, but at that age we’d always advise ruling out more serious medical conditions.
My cat vomitS 1 to max of 3x a night. It just random looks like digested food or mid digested food. Acting normal but around midnight or little later she starts omitting it usually happens as a single or a triple vomiting. Sometimes it is spaced out.
If it’s been going on for more than a few days, definitely worth getting your vet to check her out.
So my cat Munky is about 10 years old. Today he suddenly began to vomit multiple times throughout the day. After the 3rd time he seemed to become lethargic. He did eat a couple of times but very small amounts. The first couple of vomits were him throwing up his food and after that it was mostly liquid with a small amount of foam. No blood in vomit or stool and no diarrhea. Anyways, we set an appointment for our vet, but by 8pm our fur baby began to moan like he was hurting and threw up again, all liquid. Again, no blood or discoloration. He then laid down again for a few hours. He just now vomited again an absolutely enormous hairball. The biggest hairball I’ve ever seen him throw up by far. Could this possibly be what caused him to feel sick? I mean this hairball was huge. My vet visit is scheduled for Wednesday, but I was going to try to get him in immediately tomorrow. I called around multiple emergency vet centers which were all booked 5-6 hours out, so sadly I have to wait until morning to contact his vet to try and get him seen sooner. Do you think this massive hairball could be the culprit?
So after Munky retreated under the bed for the remainder of the evening, there was no more vomiting. The hairball happened at around 11:30pm last night. He finally came out from under the bed at 6:45am and immediately ran to his food and water and began to eat a small amount, but he drank a lot of water. I really hope the hairball was causing a blockage and he was able to get it out. Still going to try to get him seen ASAP just in case.
Hope he’s doing OK! And yes – big hairballs can block the stomach or even the bowel, causing vomiting.
My cat threw up a tiny bit this morning before I could get him outside. I noticed a clump of hair, which I had not seen before this. He has been throwing up a lot recently throughout the months, but not all the time, more off and on. He threw up again tonight and it was a ton of food and some patches of hair. I think he might be a compulsive licker. When we changed his food before to hypoallergenic food, he did much better. I don’t know. He is also 12 years old.
My cat is 13yo. He sometimes eats like a pig then vomits so we didn’t think anything about it when h vomited 2 days ago. Yesterday he vomited again then about 10 minutes later he vomited bile. Then he went into our bedroom closet and slept all day , never came to eat, even when we fed our other cat. He got up about 2am and ate a bit of watered down wet food and drank water then went back to the closet. Today he came down twice and ate more watered down food and went back to the closet. (He never goes in the closet). I think he’s looking better and acting better but I’m still worried because he’s old. There are no vet appointments for almost 2 weeks or I’d take him in. Does it sound like whatever made him sick is out of him and he just needs to recuperate or is it wishful thinking on my part. He did have a bm so I don’t think he’s obstructed.
It sounds likely that he’s getting over it yes – but keep a really close eye on him, and if it starts again, call your vet right away for advice
Hi, my 10 year old cat was outside and ate something. He started vomiting up, It was clear with white Foam. He was vomiting every 10/20 minute, I took him to the vet that afternoon and the vet gave him a shot to stop the vomiting. That night and the next day he was very lethargic and was drooling a lot. I rang the vet and took him back in. He had a blood test and they gave him an enema, has the vet said he had a hard stool in his bowl. When we got home the vet said to take him straight to the litter box as he will need to go. He only pooped a tiny little bit. Then he seemed to pick up a little bit. He ate a tiny bit that night and I thought he was doing okay. But the next day he couldn’t go to the toilet he was trying to poo and wee but nothing was coming out for over two hours he just kept going to the litter to go. He got a few drops of urine out. I called the vet and they said he would contact me. When he did I told him what was going on he advised me to come in and pick up some laxative syrup to give to my cat. I had to give him 3ml every 3/4 hours until his stools are soft. Then twice a day for 2/3 days. This afternoon before I even gave it to him he started vomiting again. He vomited twice. But then seemed to be okay. I gave him the laxatives. He had 6 mls in a span of 6 hours. He finally went to the toilet and he seemed so much better he had two big drinks ate a little bit of food and even cleaned himself. Unfortunately it didn’t last. 5 hours later and he has started drooling again and has vomited once it was clear and had all his food in it. It was a large vomit as well. I thought maybe it was because he drank so much water and had food. His food was just his wet food. But I am going to try boiling some chicken up for him to eat over the course of a couple of days. Just seeking advice if I should take him back to the vets or wait and let this pass his system. This has opened before with him. And my previous vet just gave him another shot for the nausea and it worked for My cat then.
If he’s constipated, then another vet check might be needed; if it resolves in 24 hours or so, then not so much of a worry. If he can’t pass urine though that’s an emergency; and if he shows any other signs, also time to get him seen.
Hi I just got my new cat two days ago. We haven’t been able to gradually change his diet because (for some odd reason) his previous owners fed him their other senior cats prescription food.. I was
worried that he would be very sensitive to the change but he loved the food. This morning he threw up what I think to be a few plastic flowers And the stem. I’m not 100% but I’ve seen him around them and they were my best guess by his vomit. He is a very outgoing cat and we have been getting along but the previous night out of nowhere he bit me. The first time he vomited it- it was a combination of the previous nights dinner, hair, thin green looking “stem” and some woven close textured pink
plastic material. After that he hid under the bed for a while and I called him up to check on him and we laid on the bed together for about 20-25 mins taking a light nap . Then he jumped off the bed and hacked up a more liquidy vomit with no chunks and a lot less of it. I’m very worried and don’t know where to go from here.
If he seems, fine, then no worries; but plastic flowers etc can occasionally unravel in the intestines causing serious damage, so if in doubt, I would get him seen by your vet.
Help! I just moved about a month ago to Las Vegas with my kitty Louie. I put in plugs around the house to calm his anxiety and nerves.. the last 3 days he’s been throwing up multiple times a day (nothing but stomach acid). He’s usually very hyper and upbeat and he doesn’t seem himself. He doesn’t seem to have an appetite nor have I seen him eating or drinking much like he usually does. He also has been more vocal lately and for him that’s rare since he never meows. What should I do in this situation?
While stress might be the cause, I would be expecting it to improve after a month. I think the best thing to do is get your veterinarian to check him over thoroughly to rule out any underlying medical problems.
Hi, my 6 year old cat has been retching some for the past day and a half. Has gotten up clear foam once or twice. He continues to eat and has not thrown up his food, but the retching continues intermittently, oddly enough particularly after he wakes up. Should I be concerned? Thanksyou
A day and a half – might be anything (bad mouse, for example!), if he’s keeping food down I’m not too worried. But if it persists into a third day, then some intervention is advised, as that’s really not normal.
My kittin maybe 3-4 weeks old is vomiting white foam and very runny poop he’s been inactive for a few day and hardly touches his food , he falls asleep in any position even standing up , his gums are a light pink and within the last 3 hours he has drank half a bowl of water and he’s on milk replacer and wet food . Any ideas that I need to know /do ? Anything will help he was found in the road by his self so that’s why he’s on milk replaced .
Definitely vet check – there’s clearly something wrong.
Hi, Should I be concerned as to why my cat threw up twice in one day today, it was just today she threw up but it freaks me out a bit and I need to know if I should be a bit concerned.
One or two vomits, not too worried, if she’s not showing any other symptoms and is able to keep water down. 3 or more, I’d be advising call your vet for advice; 5 or more, get her seen. Hope that helps!
Hi my cat threw up a brown/yellowish color with undigested food. I left little water and dry food for him and he ate a bit and drank some water but then an hour later he threw up white foam. Can someone please tell me if I should be worried or go to the vet?
Hello, my cat has had no dietary changes and has been acting completely normal. Today at about 4 pm he had diarrhea and immediately threw up. The vomit was a brownish color. After “shaking it off” and relaxing for a couple minutes, he seemed to be back to normal for the rest of the day. I woke up in the middle of the night and he had vomited again, this time the vomit was more of a white, foamy color. What should I do?
2 vomits are probably a stomach upset. If there’s a third one, or he develops any other symptoms, make an appointment to get him checked by your vet.
Update: he took a nap and when he woke up he was crying for food so I gave him maybe 10 pieces of dry food all scattered so that he wouldn’t eat it fast. Maybe 10-20 minutes later he threw it up. He seems to want to eat and his behavior is the same but it’s already the third time he throws up. A friend of mine with more experience with cats told me it might be indigestion and maybe it is but I think I messed up in giving him food again.
Indigestion is possible, but not that likely. After 3 vomits, I’d be thinking about calling your vet for advice (after all, they have his medical records).
Hi – my cat is 14 years old approx. since last night he started vomiting a watery liquid. I haven’t seen him eating at all today but he seemss quite perky. he has been vomiting liquid up periodically all day. How long of this going on before I should bring him to the vet? Thank you.
At that age, I’d say after a day of vomiting DEFINITELY time to get him checked out.
hi my cat recently had her eye removed n now she is eating her breakfast n then goes out n eats grass then 1hr later she throws up it is green n there is obviously grass strands in it. she is not having any pain relief as this was making her sick. she is due to go n get an operation on her other eye to save it what is wrong n should i go ahead with the other eye operation.
I think you need to work out why she’s vomiting – talk to your vet ASAP. There are other types of pain relief that are gentler on the stomach, and if she’s in so much agony that’s she’s vomiting, something needs doing.
Hello there! My cat Luna just turned 1 at the beginning of May, and is normally a feisty kitty who loves to sprint around the house at high speeds and cuddle. This afternoon I fed my cats at about 4:30 and then went out for some errands, returning at 6:30. Luna greeted us at the door and acted like her usual self, but when we entered the apartment we saw that she had thrown up quite a bit, with a hairball sitting in the middle of it. I believe she’s only thrown up once before, and has never passed a hairball before this. Since then, she has been throwing up about every two hours, slowly becoming more worn out and disheartened over time. We’ve given her water and comforted her, but are concerned as she is only vomiting up bile at this point and it is visibly painful. She has never experienced her summer shedding before, and as she has a medium length coat we believe she may have ingested too much of her own hair. If this continues for 24 hours we plan to take her to the vet, but should we be concerned about anything else? (We’ve discussed food allergies, as we started our cats on a new broth-wet food combo a week ago, possible licking of cleaning products, or other blockages from toys or hair ties. Our older cat Lucky is behaving normally though, but has short fur.)
If she’s throwing up every 2 hours and is becoming depressed or exhausted, don’t wait 24 hours – take her to your vet as soon as you can. An obstruction is a very real possibility; I’ve treated cats who had hairballs that blocked the bowel, so it really can happen.
My cat hasn’t been able to keep much food down for 5 days, he has diarrhoea and vomiting. We have taken him to the vets 3 times, they’ve said he seems well just a slightly high temp. We bought the expensive vet food but he just sicks it straight back up. This is day 5 now and I feel so sorry for him, he is keeping down water and nibbling at small amounts of chicken throughout the day but I can tell he’s hungry as he stalks my kitchen surfaces.
The antibiotics the vet gave me, he sicks straight back up – I just can’t get him to take them. Will I have to get him euthanised if he doesn’t start keeping food down? He is only 2 years old.
Not necessarily, he may need more investigations, such as blood tests or X-rays to determine the cause. Alternatively, if the issue is an infection, then a long-acting antibiotic injection might be an option rather than the tablets. There are lots of other options – talk to the vets about further tests and/or antibiotic injections and/or anti-sickness injections and/or hospitalisation for intravenous fluids and IV meds.
Well I had a cat named aurora she was 1 almost 2 and back in January she started to act a bit strange she stop coming around us and wasn’t peeing or eating anymore the day before she died I picked her up she was very light and looked sick but I still wasn’t sure I didn’t think she would have died the next day but I woke up to feed my other 2 cats and heard her choking on her own vomit and I picked her up and tried to see if something was stuck in her throat but it was nothing and it was yellow like bile I saw where she vomited in my room and it was all yellow so I’m just wondering what could’ve been wrong with her or could she just have choked on her vomit?. Oh also the unfortunately my other cat died but I don’t know if their illnesses were related because my cat spook was old.
That’s so sad. Without an autopsy it would be very hard to tell, but possible causes would include a blocked bowel, if she wasn’t vaccinated then feline infectious enteritis (also known as panleukopenia), or possibly poisoning.
Hello, My name is priscilla I have a cat he just turned 1 in May. We adopted him from the humane Society here in Hawaii. Upon adoption there was test taken for him to indicate that he was in fact a well kitten we adopted him when he was about four months the Humane Society let us know that he was a well healthy kitten. Upon arrival to our home he began developing a sinus infection which of course after taking him to the vet we got his proper medication his proper food for the medication and within the next week to two weeks he was perfectly fine no sinus infection no irritation on his left eye. He was healthy for the next two months then he started to vomit and When he was beginning to vomit we noticed small little worms in his vomit. So immediately took him to the vet and again they gave him his proper medication for his stomach which was supposed to be for a whole week then he was back to his regular routine. This was Around November of last year since then he’s been fine up until his birthday which is in May he threw up but it was from excessive eating and I took him to the vet a couple days later they check them the doctor said he was perfectly fine well hydrated everything was normal. Now a week and half later he’s stArting to throw up His food after eating not every day but I’d say within a 2 to 3 day span he’s at least already thrown up three times right after eating I’ve already have him on a diet food he’s been on a diet food he’s been limited with his water intake due to the fact that he drinks too much water wow after or during eating which also causes him to throw up. My question is, his food after eating not every day but I’d say within a 2 to 3 day span he’s at least already thrown up three times right after eating I’ve already have him on a diet food he’s been on a diet food he’s been limited with his water intake due to the fact that he drinks too much water wow after or during eating which also causes him to throw up. My question is, Is my cat throwing up his food to tell me he doesn’t like it and he’s just being mean about it or do you believe it could be somethings severe he doesn’t have loss of appetite if anything he meows he’s very vocal he’s still very well active sleeps right hydrates well everything seems to be OK with him yet I don’t understand why he is vomiting. Another thing is he used to vomit underneath our bed I guess he was embarrassed so he would hide it but now that he’s been vomiting again he’s doing it right in the middle of the floor from our living room on top of the carpet and he’s done it on our couch as well something he’s never done before.
It’s very unlikely that he’s vomiting because he doesn’t like the food. It’s more probable that there’s an underlying health issue, such as more worms, or an internal problem such as chronic pancreatitis. I think back to the vet for more tests if it’s not resolving!
Hello, my cat went out on Monday for 12 hours (she’s an outside cat but we’ve had her for 10 years) she didn’t come back to drink or eat until she came home that night. She then went out on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Wednesday. She didn’t come back for food or drink either during that period of time. Today is Wednesday, she is puking this clearish green color, she hasn’t eaten all day, we give her water but barely drinks any of if (So we have to use a insulin thing to give it to her, no harm is being done though). She has loss weight and it’s very noticeable, she’s not acting normal, she’s barely moving and lays around all day, we haven’t let her out today and we are not letting her out tomorrow. I’m very worried about her condition, I don’t know what to do. She seems like she’s uncomfortable or in pain. Her name is Patches. I need help. What is causing this and what can I do to help?
It’s very hard to know without further tests, but whatever the cause, it sounds like you’ve hit the limit of what you can do at home – this needs veterinary treatment.
It’s not insulin. It’s a syringe that we use to put the water in her mouth
My 11 year old cat is showing some similar symptoms as the previous posts re: kidney disease. She’s been vomiting her wet food for the last week. We have two cats, so hairballs are not uncommon, but this has been full meals being vomited, which is very unlike her. She also has acted anxious at times, doing the “I see a bug” stare, eyes and head darting around, etc… also not like her. We plan to take her to the vet, but want to make sure were asking the right qts about what can be going on. Is the kidney disease something that can just pop up out of no where? Is there something safe we can be being at home (something that won’t harm her if it happens to be something else) for our cat before we take her to the vet?
Kidney disease is one of those things that builds up silently over time, without showing any signs, until the cat suddenly finds they don’t have enough kidney capacity any more and start showing signs. In terms of home care – encourage her to drink is the most important thing in the short term, while you’re waiting for your vet to see her, for example with wet food, and offering running water (e.g. a cat fountain or a slowly running tap to drink from). Keeping her hydrated will buy time. Good luck with her!
Hi my kitten I rescued since she was a day old her mom left her and she’s now 9 weeks so I’ve been trying to wean her from the bottle to cat food she didn’t want nothing to do with cat food or kitten food she loved plain chicken she would eat that so I did that then her bottle too and water I noticed about Tuesday she would have diarrhea I thought cause if changing her food then about 2 days ago she’s ate kitten food so I was happy she was happy but then she started throwing up and isn’t herself so last night I thought I would beat her to waking up to land mines I did what I’ve done before simulated her and she got mad but had the biggest hardest poop come out of her dark brown and a big of green in it I thought she would be better today she only wants to sleep please help me
If she was dehydrated and constipated, that could cause the signs, but if she’s really lethargic that’s always a worry – time for a vet check.
My cat is 18 years old she is a house cat( to scared to go out side). She has been diagnosed with an over active thyroid which is been treated for. Recently she start eating litter peeing outside of the litter tray, struggles to walk up the stairs. So we had her checked out got told she has elevated white blood cells which could me kidney disease we have sent off a pee sample which we are still waiting for results. Now this morning she woke us up like normal for her breakfast but she is not eating much so we are giving her half of wet food she brought it all back up, every time she went back to eat a little more again brought it back up so we moved it out the way as it really upsets her. She then started drinking her water and then started to gip and brought this up. So she is currently not eating or drinking without being sick. She is of colour and she is making some funny noises. I am so worried she is my little girl.
I think this definitely needs a vet check – the range of symptoms suggest that there might be more going on than just an overactive thyroid. Infection of some sort seems likely, but I’d strongly advise getting her seen by your vet again.
For three days 1 year cat been puking like she has a hairball and then today she puke up White foam doesn’t want to do anything but sleep and been whinnying. What can I do for him
If it’s been going on for 3 days – then get her checked by your vet.
Hello! My 5-year-old male cat has started throwing up at least once per week for the last 3-4 weeks. It is never after eating and usually contains clumps of fur. Sometimes the throw up is bright green, but it has also been yellowish brown. It is very uncommon for him to throw up, and he has never had a hair ball in the 2.5 years I’ve had him. We did adopt a second cat almost 4 months ago, whom my older cat does groom. I’m hoping it’s simply excess fur that’s causing the problem, but today he let out a horrible wail before throwing up twice that made me worried sick. He still acts completely normal otherwise; energetic when he’s not napping, great appetite, normal stool, affectionate, etc.
I think I’m mainly asking to help ease my nerves, but could simply grooming himself and the new cat during shedding season be causing this? Thanks so much for the help!
Yes, it certainly could cause it! Although do keep a close eye on him, as very occasionally, hairballs can block the bowel. If he’s not passing any faeces and doesn’t seem able to keep food or water down, that needs veterinary attention. I would be inclined to get a vet check done when you can though, as there are possible medical causes of chronic intermittent vomiting too, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
We have a new kitten in our house. Could this cause enough stress to cause vomiting in an older cat? He has an appetite but if he sees the kitten shortly after eating, he empties his stomach. Not fun.
It can do, but I’d always advise a vet check in case of medical issues – such as a bug that the new kitten brought in.
My cat is acting weird she was outside for awhile today it was kinda hot today and when she was brought back in she was ok…she nurse her kittens took a nap with her babies then awoke to vomiting and pooped on herself within a few hrs she started to cry out um not sure if its because of pain.I begun to pet her she seem to stop for awhile then she started walking funny it didn’t look right then I realized she hide under the desk and peed on herself.I sat in front of her for ten mins and she didn’t seem to notice me sitting there so I think she cant see but what could be the cause of this? She was acting normal just an hr ago.Iam far away from a vet and the closest ones dont want to see your pet unless they know your gonna pay and because of the covid 19 i am out of work so I dont have any way to pay right now😔 i am so worried about my cat idk what u can tell me that might have caused this because my cat was perfectly fine before she went to bed.
Lots of possibilities, including seizure disorders. Are there any charities that could arrange a vet check?