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Cat Throwing Up Food After Eating

How Do I Know If I Should Take My Cat To The Vet

Why Do Cats Throw Up?

If your cat is vomiting periodically or infrequently, avoid giving your cat any food for about 12 hours. Provide kitty with a couple of tablespoons of water every 30 minutes or provide them with ice cubes during this brief fasting period. After 12 hours begin providing your cat with small amounts of bland food and gradually return to normal feeding if vomiting has stopped.

If your cat is experiencing repeated bouts of vomiting, you should contact your vet immediately. Continuous or severe vomiting could be a sign that your cat is seriously ill and requires immediate treatment. Contact your vet if your cat displays any of the symptoms below:

  • Repeated vomiting

Arrange A Visit To Your Vet

As with any concern for your cats health and well-being, you should prioritize a trip to the vets as soon as youre able.

Theyll be able to run some test and tell you if its a specific ingredient that you need to avoid, and even be able to suggest or prescribe some specialist foods for you.

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Vomiting In Cats And When To Worry

1. Vomiting is concerning when your cat throws up more than 3 times in a single day. if the cat is unable to keep the food down, this might result in diarrhea so you must get medical help for your cat and get it tested to avoid further complications in its health.

2. You must worry if theres blood in the cats puke. this blood can be the result of inflammation in the stomach, internal bleeding due to some infection, the presence of roundworms in the intestine, etc and this is concerning. So, visiting a vet becomes a must.

3. If the cats puke was brown, smelly, and had undigested food in it. This is a sign that the cat was not able to digest food for the past few days. And now it cannot even keep the food down which results in constant puking. The constant puking can increase the level of weakness, nausea, and fatigue in your cat so take her to the vet and get her the required medication.

4.If you are sure this isnt just a random or regular tantrum of your cat and they might have developed appetite issues then you must seek the help of your vet.

5.If your cat looks healthy but doesnt feel itself lately, this is a sign of a stressed or depressed cat. In this case, you must visit a vet and get your cat tested.

6.In any other case when you are sure the food was good enough to eat but theres something with your cat thats wrong but you cannot figure it out. In this case, too, you must visit the vet to know your cats health status.

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How To Know If Your Cat Is Throwing Up

Your cat can get nauseous before they throw up. They can be restless, salivating, or repeatedly swallowing. Vomiting starts with intense contractions in your cats abdominal muscles. They then expel whats in their stomach or throat.

Coughing in cats can look similar to throwing up. When a cat coughs, theyll crouch down on all four legs and stretch their neck out. They then cough up froth or foam, which they might swallow again immediately.

Theres also a difference between regurgitation and vomiting. Regurgitation takes your cat less effort and usually doesnt involve abdominal contractions. Regurgitation often happens right after eating or drinking and may be a sign of a problem in the cats esophagus.

Showing your vet a video of your cat vomiting can help them differentiate between vomiting, coughing, and regurgitating.

Why Does My Cat Throw Up After Eating

Cat Vomiting Right After Eating

Many concerned cat owners ask themselves, Why does my cat throw up after eating? A few reasons your cat could be doing this include eating too fast, a change in diet, or hairballs. While all pets vomit from time to time, its still a worrisome event for a cat parent.

Every cat throws up once in a while, but its not normal when your pet gets sick after every meal. Keeping things like rubber bands, string, houseplants, medications and small objects safely out of reach can help narrow down the reasons for your cats vomiting. Regular veterinary appointments will also keep your cat healthy and you updated on your companions health.

What Causes Throwing Up After Eating?Cat parents often blame their pets food when they throw up, but this isnt always the case. If you already feed your pet a healthy cat food, there may be other reasons for their discomfort. Regurgitation is sometimes caused if your cat eats too quickly. If your cat really loves their new wet cat food or you have more than one companion and they compete for food, they may be taking in too much air or not chewing their food properly.

Your cat could also be reacting to a new food. If youve recently changed your felines eating patterns or regular diet, it may upset their stomach. Its always a good idea to monitor how much of and what your furry friend is eating so you remain aware of anything that might be a problem.

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Reasons Why Your Cat Is Throwing Up Food

There are various reasons why a cat might be vomiting up food but acting utterly normal after that. There is no need to panic in most cases, especially if there arent any other notable symptoms. But, if throwing up is followed by loss of appetite, lethargy, weight loss, then you should be alarmed.

Lets find out more about what causes vomiting and how you should deal with it.

Differentiate Between Vomiting And Regurgitation

Is it strange to know that vomiting isnt always vomiting? In fact, I didnt know about this until my cat threw up undigested food that the vet told me.

It is important that you differentiate these two phenomena, vomiting and regurgitation, since it will give the vet more information in diagnosing the cause. So, what are the differences between vomiting and regurgitation?

In general, vomiting is when the contents in your cats stomach, which can be water, food, or bile, are ejected out of its body. In other words, these contents have been digested and processed by the acid in its stomach.

On the other hand, regurgitation happens when your cats eject what they consumed earlier and have not been digested. These are often contents that come from their esophagus, which is a tube that delivers liquids and food from their mouth to stomach, or mouth.

Additionally, while the cats vomiting is an active functional process of its body, regurgitation is a passive process since the cat only lowers its head and lets what is inside its mouth fall out. The cat regurgitating undigested food usually occurs 2 hours after a meal.

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Check Their Food Isnt Spoiled

This one may sound obvious, but you need to remember to check the expiry date of the cat food you are using. If it is out of date, throw it away and purchase more. Eating out-of-date food could be what is making your cat sick!

Storage is also essential food that is in date can spoil early if not stored correctly. When storing dry cat food, make sure its kept in an airtight container to keep it fresh. On the other hand, sealed wet cat food is fine in the cupboard. However, once open, put the can in the refrigerator and discard any that hasnt been used within five to seven days.

Also, ensure the food in your cats bowl isnt left out for longer than it should be. This is especially likely if your cat throws up after eating dry food. Too often, owners will simply top up their cats bowl each day without discarding the old pieces of kibble at the bottom. These bottom bits of food will quickly become stale and could make your cat vomit.

Any uneaten wet food should also be thrown away after an hour. After this time it becomes a breeding ground for bad bacteria. If your cat gulps their dinner down, this shouldnt be an issue. However, if your cat throws up after eating wet food slowly, check youre not feeding them spoiled food.

Cat Vomiting Food: When To Worry

Jack vomiting a huge amount of food

If your cat vomits often, consult with a veterinarian at your earliest convenience. Vomiting is never normal, but there are some specific symptoms associated with vomiting that indicate a potential emergency that requires veterinary intervention as soon as possible:

  • Acute vomiting .
  • An uptick in chronic vomiting .
  • Yellowed skin or whites of eyes
  • Fresh red blood in vomit or material that looks like coffee grounds
  • Vomiting in conjunction with medication administration
  • Worms in your cats stool in addition to vomiting
  • Your cat has already been diagnosed with a disease like diabetes or kidney disease.
  • You see evidence that your cat consumed something dangerous, such as chewed up hair ties, ribbon, tinsel, poisonous plants or other poisonous substances.
  • Your cat is very young or very old.

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Why Does My Cat Throw Up After Eating 4 Likely Reasons

Your cat runs to their food bowl like theyre starvingonly to throw up their meal minutes after they eat. It can be a frustrating and perplexing situation since it usually has no apparent cause, and without a cause, it is hard to figure out how to fix the problem!

There are several reasons why your cat may throw up after they eat. Luckily, many of these causes are completely fixable. You just have to know what fixes to apply.

We understand just how frustrating it can be to deal with a cat that continuously throws up. Its a mess to clean up, and obviously not very fun for your cat. Therefore, weve put together this complete guide to help you sort out exactly whats going on.

Worms & Other Parasites

Gastrointestinal parasites can be found in as many as 45 percent of kitties and can affect cats of all ages. These include worm parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms, as well as single-celled organisms like Giardia.

Vomiting is a common symptom, and you may also want to watch for weight loss and anemia. In most cases, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to get rid of the parasite with just a few doses.

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Cat Throwing Up Worms

If your cat is throwing up worms, stop reading this and take them to the vet now!

Roundworms are a very common type of parasite that exists in dogs and cats alike. Most cats will become infected with roundworms in their lifetime, although most cases go undetected.

Kittens and outdoor cats are more likely to become infected and carry roundworms. Preventatives are available from the veterinarian for these pets.

Why Is My Cat Throwing Up Its Food

Iâll try this but it sure doesnât look like cat food...

Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, is a veterinary technician and writer with over a decade of experience working in veterinary medicine for small animal veterinary hospitals, farm sanctuaries, and various cat and dog rescues. She is also Fear Free Certified and a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant.

Nandini Balial is a writer and fact checker specializing in a variety of lifestyle topics, including film/TV, literature, and feminism, with work appearing in Slate, Wired, Pacific Standard, and more prestigious outlets.

The Spruce / Madelyn Goodnight

Vomiting is considered to be a nonspecific symptom. It could be associated with an array of health concerns. If your cat vomits undigested food, it can be a sign of a serious illness. Some of these can include things like hairballs, internal obstructions, pancreatitis, eating too quickly, constipation, indigestion, parasitic infections, poisoning, stress, depression, or even anxiety. It’s essential to know the specific reason why your feline is throwing up its food and ways you can treat it before seeking veterinary help, if serious.

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Your Cat Is Eating Too Fast

Some cats may eat too quickly and this can cause them to regurgitate undigested food. Feeding your cat out of a food puzzle toy can help to slow them down. Food puzzles are a great source of both play and enrichment for your cat. There are more and more manufactured food puzzles available on the market that stimulate both your cat’s predatory and foraging instincts. The added benefit of food puzzles for a cat that chronically vomits its food, though, is that it slows down the chow time so that a cat can’t eat too quickly and then get sick from it. If your cat routinely eats out of puzzle feeders and is still vomiting up its food, talk to your veterinarian.

What Other Treatment Or Diagnostic Testing May Be Required

If the vomiting is severe or if your veterinarian suspects a serious underlying problem, such as kidney or liver disease, more aggressive treatment may be required. It may be necessary to hospitalize your cat for intravenous fluid therapy to combat dehydration and correct any imbalances in the levels of electrolytes. In some cases, it may be necessary to administer injections to control the vomiting. In less severe cases, you may be able to treat your cat at home. You may be asked to administer fluids and special solutions at home, and if this is the case, you will be shown how to do this. You must be patient, giving only small quantities at frequent intervals. If your cat becomes distressed by home treatment, contact your veterinarian for further instructions.

“If the vomiting is severe, more aggressive treatment may be required.”

Additional diagnostic tests may be required in cases of chronic vomiting, or when the cat has been vomiting for more than two to three weeks, even though the vomiting may be intermittent and the cat may appear otherwise well. In these cases, the underlying cause must be determined in order to treat the problem appropriately. Some of the more commonly used tests are:

Blood tests may show evidence of infections, kidney and liver problems, thyroid disease, or diabetes, and may provide other clues leading to the diagnosis.

See handout “Testing for Vomitingâ for a more in-depth discussion of what other tests your veterinarian might perform.

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Cat Throwing Up: Causes & Signs Of Serious Issues

Cats may throw up for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they simply ate too much of their cat food or ate it too quickly.

In other cases, they may have eaten something they shouldnt or could be sick. Unfortunately, vomiting is something cats may do occasionally and hopefully not while in the presence of dinner guests. However, that doesnt mean you should reach for the carpet shampoo and forget it ever happened. Its important to know why cats throw up and when you might need to consult your veterinarian.

The Fantastic Impact A Quality Diet Can Have On Your Cats Health

STOP YOUR CAT FROM THROWING UP AFTER EATING! Simple DIY food hack.

A high-quality diet is your cats tummys best friend! As obligate carnivores, cats digest animal-based protein much better than plant alternatives, but the benefits of animal-based protein dont end there.

Did you know that natural oils, like fish oil, are natural remedies for hairballs? If your furry friend has trouble with pesky hairballs, our meals can help! All Untamed meals are made with sunflower oil, but you can also opt for Tuck-in Tuna and Full On Fishy if you need that extra e-fish-iency!

Our meals are a real catch!

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Cats whose diet provides enough essential nutrients show improvements not only in digestion but all other aspects, too. Some of the most noticeable changes are:

  • Softer and thicker coat, stronger clawsA hefty supply of protein will make your furry friend shine
  • Stronger bones and teethA mineral-rich diet will keep your kitty strong and sturdy
  • Increased immunity to allergensOur hypoallergenic recipes help your cats skin protect itself from airborne allergens

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What Causes Cats To Vomit Up Their Food

While some pets could have an underlying health issue causing their vomiting, in most cases they are likely just having a disagreeing with their current diet. Many people think that cat food is cat food and that cats can just eat anything, but thats not true.

Cats are individuals just like people, and they can be greatly impacted by food sensitivities. In some cases these sensitivities can manifest themselves in the form of vomiting after meals, but it can also bring on skin irritations, diarrhea, gas or constipation as well.

What Can You Tell From Your Cats Vomit

The stomach contents that your cat vomits can tell you a lot about the root of the problem and help your vet make an accurate diagnosis quicker. Its not a pleasant sight, but when your cat vomits, check the appearance of the contents. Consult the table to find out what the different colours and consistencies of the contents can mean:

Consistency

  • Small intestines

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Your Cat Ate Too Quickly

Itâs possible that the reason that your cat is regurgitating food is that they simply ate their meal too rapidly. If you find this is occurring over and over, take note of how long it takes your pet to eat. This observation could be valuable when you bring the issue up to the vet.

Instead, try to give your cat their food by using a food puzzle. This will allow them to slow down and take their time consuming their meal instead of guzzling it down. In addition to that, your cat will find the food puzzle to be enjoyable and amusing.

Sometimes, you can even find a food puzzle that will stimulate the catâs foraging and predatory instincts, too shop around to find the one that is right for your pet. This will also help you sort out if the speed that your pet is eating their food is the culprit. If you have transitioned your cat to a food puzzle and they have slowed their eating speed and are still getting sick, itâs time to chat with a vet.

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