Is It Time To Seek Professional Help
Although you might be able to help your cat overcome periodic vomiting due to minor stomach issues, if your cat is experiencing any of the above symptoms, then you might want seek the help of your veterinarian. An experienced veterinarian will be able to determine the best course of action in order to diagnose and then treat whatever ails your fluffy friend. By reviewing your cats medical history and performing a thorough examination, a veterinarian can choose the most appropriate tests to perform to get to the root of the problem.
Reasons Why Your Cat Vomits White Foam
As a first-time or long-time cat owner, there are so many things you need to learn about cat parentingfrom deciphering your cats behaviour to keeping her properly groomed to providing her with the proper sustenance. Food plays a very important part in helping a cat stay in tip-top shape, and if you come across Kitty vomiting white foam, you need to find out what caused it because it is not a normal occurrence.
But before we dive into why your cat may throw up white foaman important note for all pet parents reading this post: All and any articles discussing your pets health are for the singular purpose of arming you with information before your pet displays any signs of discomfort. If and once you see your cat or any other pet actually throw up or avoid eating or appear in pain, the first and foremost thing to do is immediately seek professional advice from your vet in person. Only a qualified and trained vet can truly help once your baby is in trouble.
With that in mind, this Waldos Friends article tackles:
When Should You Go To Your Veterinarian
Its hard to know what constitutes as an emergency, but there are some general guidelines to follow for cat vomiting and diarrhea. If your cats vomiting or diarrhea continues over a prolonged period of time, or gets worse, its time to go see your veterinarian. Likewise, if there is blood in either the vomit or feces, see your vet immediately. Several other signs may indicate a medical emergency.
See your veterinarian if:
- There is blood in your cats vomit or diarrhea
- Your cat vomits and has diarrhea simultaneously
- The vomit that looks and smells like stool
- Your cat projectile vomits
- Your cat has sporadic vomit or diarrhea with no relationship to meals
- There are multiple bouts of vomiting or diarrhea over a short period of time
- Ingestion of poison is suspected
- Your cat bloats and tries to vomit, but cannot
- Your cat appears listless, loses weight or shows other signs of illness, such as labored breathing or pain
- Fever and other signs of toxicity
At some point in time, you most likely will encounter a vomiting cat or cat with diarrhea. Knowing how to help treat your cat can be as simple as giving it time, but when things seem more severe, always bring them in to see your veterinarian and get them the professional care they need. As they saying goes: better safe than sorry!
Reasons For Your Cat Vomiting
tags
No pet parent likes to hear that sound: the hacking noise from the other room that tells you are going to have a mess to clean up. When your cat starts gagging, the first thought that might go through your head is, “Oh no, what did she get into now?” There are many reasons why your cat might throw up, some of them more serious than others. As a new pet parent, it is important to know the types of cat vomit and when an upchuck warrants a visit to the veterinarian.
What Should I Do If My Cat Is Vomiting Undigested Food
Some cat owners may describe their cat as ‘puke-y’, but it should be noted that frequent vomiting is never normal for a cat. Vomiting more than once a week is definitely a sign of problem. If your cat is vomiting up undigested food, begin to feed with puzzle toys and/or feed them smaller amounts more frequently. If you continue to notice your cat is vomiting undigested several times and/or in conjunction with other symptoms such as lack of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, or diarrhea, you should make an appointment with your vet right away.
Your vet will want to start with a physical exam, checking your cat’s vital signs and palpating your cat’s abdomen. After a thorough examination, your vet may also want to run some tests, including blood work and X-rays. Blood work will check your cat’s organ function, making sure that there are no signs of liver disease or kidney disease, as well as your cat’s red blood cell and platelet levels. An X-ray study will check for any fluid in the abdomen that could potentially be blood and it may also show intestinal gas patterns that could be indicative of a blockage.
Depending on what your doctor finds, your cat may require hospitalization for fluid therapy and supportive care, or they may just need outpatient treatments and oral medications to go home on. If your vet suspects your cat has an intestinal blockage your cat may require surgery to remove whatever the blockage is.
Get Rid Of Toxic Foods And Plants
If you ever see your cat munching on toxic foods and plants, you have to remove them right away. If your feline drank just a little milk or took a bite of a toxic plant, you shouldnt panic. But if they vomit several times during the day, have a fever, are lethargic, or refuses food, then there is more cause for concern. Give your vet a call to ask whether you should schedule a visit.
Also, if the toxic substance got in the fur and on their paws, you should try to wash it with shampoo and water. Prevent your cat from self-grooming too. If there are toxins present on the fur, things will worsen if they ingest them as they groom.
Preventing Vomiting And Diarrhea
- Avoid feeding fatty, salty, or spicy foods
- Introduce diet changes slowly, over 5-7 days, to allow the intestinal bacteria to adjust.
- During times of stress, it may be helpful to use a soothing pheromone spray or plug-in adapter
- Speak to your vet about calming supplements or anxiety medication if your pet is easily stressed.
- Consider feeding a probiotic supplement if your pet is prescribed antibiotics. Always ask the advice of a vet before giving your pet supplements or medication.
- If your cat catches birds or rodents, your vet may recommend routine fecal exams to see if deworming medication is necessary.
- Roundwormsare extremely common in kittens. Your vet will recommend deworming your new kitten with an appropriate dewormer.
- Ask your vet or make an appointment with one of the FirstVet vets to discuss deworming your kitten or cat.
- Vaccinating your cat against feline parvovirus is extremely important. Kittens should be vaccinated starting at 6-8 weeks, then every 3 weeks until 16-18 weeks of age. Adult boosters will be needed to maintain immunity. Prevention of this disease is VERY important. Feline parvovirus is extremely contagious and can cause fatalities, especially in young kittens.
Special Bowls For Fast Eaters
There is a special bowl for almost every problem. If your cats are fast eaters, you can get bowls that promote slow eating. This will be an excellent investment and solve your issue. Slow feeder bowls are designed with patterns and obstacles that prevent the cat from wiping down the food in a matter of seconds. They will also stimulate your feline to activate its brain while feeding.
If you have multiple cats, also be sure to feed them in separate parts of the house. Dont put all bowls next to each other because that way, the fastest-eating cat will have access to the other cats food. Also, try feeding them smaller portions multiple times a day. Instead of giving your furry friends three meals, increase the number to five, but make the portions smaller.
Symptoms Of Vomiting With Bile In Cats
Vomiting with bile typically occurs in the morning or early evening, when a cats stomach is empty, although it can also happen at any time. Here are the main symptoms to watch for:
- Long term occasional vomiting
- Vomiting that occurs with bile which may be yellow or green and/or foamy. There is normally not a large amount of liquid
- Weight Loss
- Excessive Drooling
Types
Vomiting can take many forms, and its important to distinguish the various types to know when a serious condition exists that warrants a trip to your local vet.
- True Vomiting.
Vomiting is accompanied with nausea and a cat may drool and refuse food. Some will lick their lips and may be depressed for a few hours. The abdomen forcefully contracts before and during a vomit. Your cat may gag and retch.
- Regurgitation:
Regurgitation is when undigested food is brought back up from the stomach. There are no abdominal contractions and a cat is not nauseous. There are several potential causes including eating too quickly. Bile should not be seen.
- Hairball:
Hairballs are regurgitated or cleared from your cats stomach in a manner that may seem similar to vomiting. They cat may heave for several moments attempting to clear the hairball and may also bring up a small amount of stomach fluid or regurgitated food with the hairball due to the aggressive coughing.
Top
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.
Cat Vomiting: Gastritis In Cats
Gastritis incats, characterized by an inflammation of the gastric mucosa, can occur in cats of all ages. A cat suffering from this disease will cause your cat to vomit after eating, although vomiting due to gastritis in cats is not always related to the time of ingestion. A cat suffering from gastritis may even vomit digested food. There are numerous causes behind gastritis in cats. A diagnosis by a veterinarian is required in order to treat the specific case correctly. We recommend reading our article where we discuss all you need to know about gastritis in cats.Gastritis in cats can occur both acutely or chronically. Once a c at begins to recover, veterinarians suggest feeding the cat smaller portions, which are easier to digest.
What Does Acute Vomiting Mean
Acute vomiting is vomiting that has been present for no more than two to three days. Most cases will respond quickly to simple symptomatic treatment. The cause of such cases is often never established and may be due to relatively trivial factors such as eating spoiled food or plants. In a small number of cases of acute vomiting, usually because the vomiting is severe and leads to complications such as dehydration, or because a more serious underlying cause is suspected, further tests, specific treatment, and aggressive supportive care will be required.
When To Make A Vet Appointment
If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, there are a few things you should consider.
How old is your cat? How is your cat’s overall health? Is there any chance they may have ingested something poisonous? How long has your cat been vomiting ?
We firmly believe that it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your beloved four-legged companion. Again, no vomiting should be considered “normal.”
If you have any reason to believe that your cat’s vomiting is a sign of something more severe, make an appointment with your veterinarian.
Cat Vomiting: Possible Causes And When To Seek Help
Most cat owners can relate. You wake up in the morning or get home from work only to find that your favorite rug or pair of shoes has received a gift from your cat. How do you know if this is normal or if its a sign of some sort of medical condition?
Cats can vomit for a lot of different reasons, some of which are serious and some are not. Its a pretty common cat problem. So what exactly causes a cat to vomit?
Why Does My Cat Vomit After Eating Dry Food
We must first distinguish whether your cat is vomiting up food or hair. Due to a cats daily grooming routine, it is normal that it will ingest a lot of hair which will sometimes be expelled through vomiting. A diet rich in fiber, regular brushing and the occasional consumption of malt can prevent hairballs in cats from posing a problem. If your cat is excessively vomiting up hairballs, this could be caused by excessive grooming which is a symptom of stress in cats. For more, we recommend taking a look over our article: my cat is overgrooming- causes.
Is your cat vomiting undigested food? If this is the case, you should analyze whether this occurs immediately after eating or some time after eating:
A cat vomiting immediately after eating or within half an hour after eating may indicate both acute and chronic gastritis. A cat vomiting up its food hours after eating could be due to obstruction, slow functioning of the digestive system and/or pancreatitis.
For more, we recommend reading: intestinal blockage in cats.
Acute Kidney Failure & Acute Liver Failure
Dysfunction of the organs responsible for detoxificationthe liver and kidneyscan cause vomiting in cats. In these cases, vomiting is often considered a non-specific symptom, meaning that the vomiting is not directly linked to kidney or liver failure.
However, due to the severity of such failure, it is important for your veterinarian to test for organ function to rule out any potential problems.
What Cat Vomit Can Look Like
Okay, we know that this is gross, but taking a look at your cats vomit to see its color and consistency might help you and your veterinarian figure out the cause behind it. So, before you rush to clean up the mess, take note of its appearance so you can give your vet more details that may be able to shed some light on whether or not the vomiting is a cause for concern.
Below are just some of the things you might find when your kitty vomits. Keep in mind that these are listed here just to give you a basic idea of what might be going on, but talking to your vet is the best way to get answers.
Remember, when you talk to your vet about your cats vomit, dont be reluctant to go into detail about the color, consistency, and overall appearance of it, as well as how much your kitty is vomiting and how often its happening.
When To Call The Vet
If your kitty is vomiting a lotsuch as more than once a day or for several days in a rowits best to call your vet for a checkup. Also, if you notice any other symptoms, such as a change in your pets appetite, an inability to keep food down, weakness, lethargy, changes in behavior or grooming, or blood in the vomit, its time to take the vomiting seriously and call your veterinarian.
Vomiting And Diarrhea In Cats
Vomiting and diarrhea are two of the most common concerns that cause a cat owner to seek veterinary advice. Causes for your cats illness may be as simple as a hairball or an upset stomach from something she ate. These cases of vomiting and diarrhea may easily resolve at home with supportive treatments. However, sometimes your cat may require veterinary care.Read on to learn more about the signs, causes, and treatment of vomiting and diarrhea in cats.
How You Can Help A Vomiting Cat
While your cat is vomiting, stay out of her way but be sure shes in a safe location. Re-hydration is important after vomiting, but most vets recommend waiting around two hours after an episode of vomiting to offer your cat any water or bland food.
Dont let your cat eat her expelled vomit, even if she tries. If youre unsure what caused the vomiting, consider keeping a sample of the vomit to give to your vet for testing.
If your cats vomiting is severe or frequent, youll want to talk to your vet. She may recommend fluid therapy or anti-emetic medication until your cat feels better. She might also want to test or evaluate your cat for any underlying causes like disease or infection.
When in doubt about your cats vomiting, talk to your vet!
Your Cat Is Vomiting And Sneezing
If your cat has acute vomiting and sneezing, they could have contracted a virus . It is not uncommon for cats who become sick to also develop an upper respiratory tract infection. This is because a large portion of cats contract certain viruses, such as herpesvirus, as kittens, and can be acting normal until they are immunocompromised.