When Is cat vomiting
a Cat Illness Or Just A Hairball

Cat vomiting can be a perfectly natural thing to happen and is often nothing for cat owners to worry about.

Often it is the result of the cat eating too much, too fast or eating something that is indigestible and the cat is simply purging it from its system.

Our little Mo was a champion cat vomiter for a while until we changed her food which was obviously too rich for her.

She also has the habit, which seems common to a lot of animals, of bolting her food down without even chewing it, so we feed her regular light meals or she is likely to vomit again.

Fur balls are another common reason for cat vomiting and similarly this is usually nothing to worry about.

Neither is it when a cat eats grass and vomits afterwards, and many people believe that cats eat grass to make themselves do just that, especially when they have a fur ball they want to bring up!

Motion sickness from car travel is another common reason for vomiting.

Sometimes the cat can be acclimatised to travel by taking it for short journeys so it gets used to it.

It is also best to avoid feeding the cat shortly before a journey, and try covering its basket with a towel to help keep it calm.

If a journey is essential and all you've tried has failed, then your vet can prescribe some anti-sickness tablets or maybe a mild sedative.

I actually made our poor little Mo vomit from motion sickness one time just because I didn't realise I was swinging her in the cat basket as I carried her along one day.

As soon as I got to where we were going, which wasn't even a very long walk, I opened the basket and... puke... out it came! Poor little Mo. She does make us feel like very bad people indeed sometimes! But we do learn, and I'm much more careful how I carry her now!

As long as your cat appears to be a healthy and happy cat, and all is well otherwise, an occasional episode of cat vomiting should leave you unconcerned.

However, if the cat vomiting keeps happening, or there are other symptoms as well, then we need to take things more seriously as it may be a sign of more serious cat illnesses.

When to take cat vomiting seriously

• If vomiting occurs every few hours for 8 hours or more.
• If vomiting is continuous.
• If there is blood in the cat vomit. (Digested blood looks like dark coffee granules.)
• If there are worms or other objects in the vomit.
• If the sick cat has been near potentially poisonous substances.
• If the cat appears depressed, lethargic and otherwise unwell.
• If there are other symptoms such as weight loss, diarrhoea, constipation, or other signs of cat illnesses.

Beware of dehydration.

Signs of dehydration include:

• Lethargy (unusual tiredness and unwillingness to do usual activities).
• Dull coat.

• Panting.
• Thirst.
• Visible third eye.
• When the skin behind its neck is pinched, the fold remains longer than usual. (The skin loses its elasticity due to dryness).

These are all cases for concern and we would always recommend you get your sick cat to the vet if you are concerned in any way about their welfare. If dehydration has set in they may require subcutaneous or intravenous fluids to return them to good cat health.

Continued - Treatment for feline vomiting

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