It’s that retching sound in the middle of the night or stepping through your front door at the end of the day into a fresh pile of vomit that really initiates you into cat parenthood. Yes, as a cat parent you will find yourself cleaning up vomit from time to time, but at what point do you ask yourself why is my cat vomiting and what can I do to fix it?
Though an occasional vomiting episode in cats may be fairly normal, there are many reasons that a cat may vomit more than occasionally that require medical attention. From common causes to red flags and real solutions, here’s how to make sense of your cat’s vomiting and what to do next.
Is Cat Vomiting Normal or a Problem?
Yes, the occasional vomiting episode is cats is a fairly common issue. Minor things like eating too fast or nibbling on something a little irritating can be a one-off reason a cat may vomit. What’s not normal is continued vomiting, intermittent vomiting that lasts longer than a couple of days or vomiting with other signs of illness.
Vomiting vs. Regurgitation
It may seem that something coming back up in any form isn’t normal and it doesn’t matter why but differentiating between vomiting and regurgitation can help determine the cause.
Vomiting is when contents from the stomach come back up. It involves nausea before and forceful abdominal heaving. True vomiting occurs because of an issue further down in the digestive system, including stomach, intestinal, liver, kidney, or metabolic issues.
Regurgitation is a passive action where contents are expelled from the esophagus before reaching the stomach. There’s no nausea, typically no warning, and it occurs typically within a short time of eating. Regurgitation stems from an issue with the esophagus.
Acute vs. Chronic
Acute vomiting comes on suddenly and lasts a short duration. It’s often caused by dietary indiscretion, infections, or medications.
Chronic vomiting sticks around. Cats may vomit regularly or intermittently for weeks or even months often due to motility or gastrointestinal issues or chronic illnesses.
Common Reasons Why Cats Throw Up
Vomiting is the body’s way of getting rid of something that’s irritating and in most cases is a protective mechanism. With that in mind, here are some common reasons why cats throw up:
Cause | What’s Going On | What It Looks Like |
Hairballs | Hair builds up in the stomach and can’t pass through easily, so your cat vomits it up to avoid a blockage | Tubular clumps of hair, often with some liquid |
Eating too fast | The stomach doesn’t have time to stretch and process food properly | Vomiting shortly after eating, often undigested food |
Dietary issues | Sensitivities to certain ingredients can irritate the digestive system | Intermittent vomiting, sometimes with diarrhea |
Parasites irritate the GI tract and interfere with nutrient absorption | Vomiting along with weight loss or diarrhea | |
Systemic illness (like chronic kidney failure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or IBD) | Underlying disease affects digestion and overall body function | Ongoing or frequent vomiting, often with other symptoms |
Obstructions | Foreign objects get stuck and block the digestive tract | Repeated vomiting, pain, decreased appetite |
Ingested substances irritate or damage the digestive system | Sudden vomiting, possibly drooling or lethargy | |
Stress and anxiety | Stress hormones disrupt normal digestion and gut movement | Occasional vomiting tied to changes in environment or routine |
Cat Vomit Color
Inspecting your cat’s vomit isn’t likely tops on your list of fun things, but it’s an important step in getting to the bottom of your cat’s vomiting. The color can indicate cause:
🟡 Yellow Usually means bile due to an empty stomach. It could be you’re not feeding frequently enough or that your cat isn’t eating.
🤍 White foam Irritation to the stomach lining.
💧 Clear liquid Drinking too much too quickly.
🟤 Brown Digested blood coming from the stomach or intestines, digested food from the stomach or intestines.
🔴 Red or pink Undigested blood from the stomach or esophagus.
🍽️ Undigested food Typically, regurgitation from the esophagus or vomit from eating too fast.
Why is My Cat Throwing Up Undigested Food?
When the vomit is undigested food, the list of causes gets narrower. A cat’s stomach is fairly efficient, taking one to four hours to turn food from kibble shapes to an indistinguishable chyme mixture that passes through to the small intestine. If your cat is throwing up undigested food, the cause is likely to deal with the esophagus or the stomach early on in digestion. Most common causes include:
Regurgitation. If you’re seeing undigested food very soon after eating, it’s in tube shape, or your cat easily throws it back up, it’s likely due to regurgitation. This often indicates an issue with the esophagus. Esophageal issues should be seen by a vet.
Eating too fast. Inhaling their food rather than chewing can cause a cat to regurgitate or vomit undigested food. You can try to slow down your cat’s eating by feeding smaller amounts more frequently or using a slow feeder bowl or mat.
Food sensitivities. Some food ingredients can cause stomach irritation that elicits vomiting. Food trials can determine the offending ingredient and then look for food that doesn’t contain it.
Obstructions. If food isn’t getting out of the digestive tract normally, the backup can cause vomiting of undigested food due to irritation and lack of space. Most obstructions require surgery.
Illnesses. Infections, parasites, or inflammation of the digestive system can cause vomiting soon after a cat eats. Illnesses can be treated with medications, supportive care, diet changes, and monitoring.
A one-time return of your cat’s food after eating isn’t likely a huge concern, but if your cat starts to vomit or regurgitate undigested food frequently or on a regular basis, it’s time to see your vet. This is especially true if they are showing other signs of illness.
When to Call a Vet & What to Expect
Taking your cat to the vet can be stressful, but it’s something that needs to be done if your cat is vomiting more than once in 24 hours, if it’s happening intermittently over the course of a few days or weeks, or if they are showing other signs of illness.
You may choose to monitor your cat at home if they are otherwise feeling fine or if they have only vomited once or twice within a couple of days. Otherwise, getting to the bottom of their vomiting is an important step that involves your veterinarian.
Veterinary Diagnosis of Cat Vomiting
The more information you can tell your vet, the easier it will be to get your cat’s vomiting under control. Give them details on the color, consistency, and timing of the vomit as well as if there are other signs or if anything has changed in their environment lately. From there, they may use bloodwork, imaging, and an exam to determine the cause.
When you’re trying to figure out why your cat is vomiting, the process can involve lab work and imaging, and costs can add up quickly. Bloodwork can range from $100 to $300, while X-rays or other imaging may run $200 to $500 or more depending on what’s needed. More advanced diagnostics or treatment can quickly push costs into the thousands. Having a cat pet health insurance policy in place can help cover those unexpected expenses and make it easier to move forward with the care your cat needs.
A cat pet wellness plan can help with routine care costs like exams, vaccinations, and deworming, which all play a role in keeping your cat healthy and help prevent vomiting in cats.
Treatment Options and Prevention of Cat Vomiting
Treating vomiting in cats most of the time revolves around reducing irritation/inflammation and treating the cause. That can vary based on the reason behind it.
Cause | Treatment | Prevention |
Eating too fast | Slow down eating | Slow feeder bowls or mats |
Hairballs | Regular grooming and hairball control | |
Dietary issues | Dietary changes, gradual diet transitions | Avoid triggering ingredients |
Parasites | Fecal test and deworming | Routine fecal tests and deworming as needed |
Illnesses | Bland diet, anti-nausea medications, antibiotics for bacterial infections, supportive care, long-term medications or diets | Routine veterinary care, at-home monitoring |
Toxins | Supportive care, anti-nausea medications, bland diet | Remove toxic plants, chemicals and other irritating products, monitor cats closely |
Obstructions | Often requires surgery | Store strings, small objects, and garbage out of reach |
Stress and anxiety | Environmental adjustments, medications in some cases | Keep to a schedule, offer a safe space |
Why Is My Cat Vomiting?
If you’re a cat parent, some vomiting is a part of life. While the occasional episode without any other signs likely only warrants some at-home monitoring, more frequent or severe issues is best handled by a professional. Vomiting in cats stems from a number of causes, most of which you’ll need your vet to track down and treat.
Cleaning up after your cat is part of the job. Knowing what it means is what makes you a better one. When you can recognize patterns, spot warning signs, and trust your instincts, you’re in a much better position to help your cat when it actually matters.