My cat is vomiting. Is this a veterinary emergency?

My cat is vomiting, is it serious?

Q: Can my cat vomit because of hairballs?

Yes, the main cause of mild vomiting in cats is hairballs that form in the stomach as a result of hair licking. These bezoars are regurgitated in a rasping cough.

Q: Is it necessary to give a special diet to prevent vomiting?

In cats, a stable diet is important for digestive health. There is no specific anti-vomiting diet. Avoid changing food too frequently or too abruptly.

Is this a veterinary emergency?

Key points to remember

In cats, vomiting is part of the clinical picture of many diseases, some of which can be serious. Vomiting is rarely an isolated sign and is often associated with other symptoms, digestive or otherwise. If your cat is over 8 years old, the prognosis is guarded. A veterinary consultation is necessary.

Frequency of vomiting in cats

High frequency in cats

Severity of vomiting in cats

Variable severity, the age of the animal can be an aggravating factor.

Main causes of vomiting in cats
vomiting in cats, what care is provided at home?

Vomiting in cats, first aid measures

If your cat vomits, the priority is to allow the stomach to rest to avoid mechanical regurgitation. Here are the first steps you can take:

Remove food and drink from your cat for an initial period of two hours.
After this period, if your cat has not vomited, you can start offering it water again in small quantities. You can also use the digestive plaster in your first aid kit to protect your cat's gastric mucosa.
If your cat continues to vomit despite the above measures, you should consult a vet urgently.

In addition to this initial advice, here are the alarming symptoms that require urgent consultation:

If your cat is 8 years old or over. After the age of 8, kidney and liver function can deteriorate, causing vomiting and severe dehydration.
If the vomit contains blood, either red or black. The presence of stomach bleeding is an aggravating factor.
If the vomit looks and smells like faeces. Fecaloid vomiting is a sign that your cat may have intestinal blockage.
If the vomiting is acute, has appeared suddenly and is occurring frequently.
If your cat has a fever or any other change in its general condition.

Causes of vomiting in cats

The cause of vomiting in cats is often difficult to identify. Our vets distinguish between digestive and extra-digestive causes.

Digestive cause of vomiting in cats

A digestive cause is when the illness causing the vomiting affects one of the organs of the digestive system:

Indiscriminate eating, the stomach reacting to too much or unsuitable food.
Gastritis or viral gastroenteritis
Gastric or intestinal foreign body
Intestinal worms: massive infestation with ascaris can cause vomiting.
Gastric ulcer of bacterial or toxic origin
Viral diseases, such as typhus of the cat for example

Extra-digestive cause of vomiting in cats

An extra-digestive cause is when the disease causing the vomiting affects organs that do not belong to the digestive system. Most often these diseases are metabolic or endocrine disorders.

Renal or hepatic insufficiency
Hyperthyroidism in cats
Diabetes
Cancer or paraneoplastic syndrome
Various types of poisoning, Permethrin poisoning for example

In order to be able to diagnose the precise cause of the throwing up, the vet will need to carry out additional tests such as blood tests and medical imaging (abdominal x-rays and ultrasound).

Vomiting in cats, what care is provided at home?

In the vast majority of situations, if your cat vomits, you will need to seek urgent medical attention. For the comfort of your pet, and yourself, we offer the services of a veterinarian at your home. With the appropriate equipment, we can provide first aid, examinations and treatments.

Once at your home, our veterinarian can provide the following care:

A full clinical examination of your cat,
Initial blood tests: urea and creatinine (kidney function), blood glucose and lactate,
Abdominal ultrasound to check for the presence of effusion, for example.

Once the diagnostic hypotheses have been made, we are able to treat your cat on-site:

Subcutaneous or intramuscular anti-vomiting treatment
Gastric acid treatment, combined with a digestive plaster
Home infusion for the most severe cases, when your cat shows the first signs of dehydration.

At the end of the consultation, if our vet considers that urgent additional treatment is necessary, we will organise the transfer of your cat to the nearest veterinary clinic or veterinary hospital.

Frequently asked questions about vomiting in cats

Can my cat vomit because of hairballs?

Yes, the main cause of mild vomiting in cats is hairballs that form in the stomach as a result of hair licking. These bezoars are regurgitated in a rasping cough.

Is it necessary to give a special diet to prevent vomiting?

In cats, a stable diet is important for digestive health. There is no specific anti-vomiting diet. Avoid changing food too frequently or too abruptly.

My cat vomits regularly. Is it serious?

Chronic vomiting can be part of your cat's physiology, typically hairballs. Vomiting once in a while can be normal. However, regular vomiting that increases in frequency should be taken seriously.