This entry was posted on 2014-07-03 by Schalk.

Vomiting in cats is common from time to time, often because they eat something that upsets their stomach or simply because they have sensitive digestive systems.  It becomes concerning when your cat continues to vomit and is unable to keep any food or water down as they become dehydrated which may be life threatening.

Symptoms and Types

In addition to the vomiting, your cat may have weakness, pain and distress, bright or dark blood in the stool or vomit.

Causes

There are numerous causes of vomiting in cats, often making it difficult to find the correct one.  Some of the common and non-serious causes of vomiting in cats include hairballs, overeating or eating too fast or exercising straight after eating.  Other causes include:
•    Intestinal parasites
•    Infections and ulcers
•    Intestinal obstruction
•    Inflammatory bowel disease
•    Kidney or liver disease
•    Food intolerance
•    Feline panleukopenia

Treatment

As there are numerous causes of vomiting, it will be very helpful to your veterinarian if you are able to give a good history of the vomiting in terms of how many times your cat has vomited, the colour and the relationship to eating.  Also important to mention is any associated diarrhoea, whether there was blood in the vomit, weight loss, a change in appetite and lethargy.  From this your veterinarian may do several investigations to aid in the diagnosis if necessary.
From there, your veterinarian will be able to guide the treatment of your cat depending on what is causing the vomiting.  Some possible treatment options may include:

•    Dietary changes
•    Medication to control the vomiting
•    Antibiotics for bacterial infections or ulcers
•    Corticosteroids to treat inflammatory bowel disease
•    Surgery if it is tumour related vomiting

Living and Management

You should always follow the recommended treatment plan of your veterinarian and ask about dietary advice and reintroducing food slowly as it is not recommended to experiment with medications or food.  Pay close attention to your pet and their recovery and return for follow up if they do not improve.