One of the challenges you’ll face as a cat owner is vomiting and upset stomachs. It’s not just the care and clear up you need to worry about, there’s also the worry. If you’re panicking “I don’t know why my cat throws up so much!” and wondering what to do, then it’s to time to learn a bit more about why your cat gets sick and whether it’s serious.
Is It Serious?
First of all, it’s a relief to know that most of the time when your cat throws up it’s not a sign of a serious illness. There are additional symptoms we’ll be talking about that can indicate when something is more deeply wrong, but in most cases, a cat being sick is indicative of nothing more serious than it having eaten something that disagrees with it and purging it’s digestive system of the irritant. You should be more wary of kitten vomiting and diarrhea. They are smaller, more vulnerable creatures and even less serious problems can escalate quickly.
The Circumstances
It’s not always easy to tell why a cat throws up, but it’s worth trying to find out because that might clue you in on ways to stop it happening in future.
For example, if your cat often vomits after meals, and it’s mostly undigested food, this is probably not a symptom of serious illness, but it could indicate they’re eating too much or too quickly! Keep an eye on your cat while it’s eating – if it’s eating notably fast there are ways you can slow it down by spreading out and compacting the food. It’s also worth checking if you’ve recently changed the brand of food you use. A quick change can lead to an upset stomach.
On the other hand, if your cat throws up after coming in from outside, there’s a chance it might have eaten some kind of toxin, from a flower that’s poisonous to cats to spilled chemicals. Keep a close eye on your cat as the situation develops: if it retains its appetite and seems otherwise happy and energetic then your cat isn’t likely to be seriously unwell.
Serious Symptoms
If your cat starts vomiting, look out for these symptoms: these can indicate that something much more serious is happening than a mere upset stomach.
A cat that’s lost its appetite is one you need to worry about – this can happen in the short term due to a shock or pain but if your cat misses more than one meal then it’s time to call the vet. Missing meals can be a serious matter for a cat even without an underlying condition: it’s bad for cats to go without food even in the short term as it can cause liver damage.
Other signs to look for include loss of energy, and signs of pain, both of which can indicate serious health problems or injury. Cats are adept at concealing pain, so look for behaviour changes like hiding away and lashing out to protect themselves.
Blood in the vomit or stool is another indicator for potentially very serious health issues. If you see any of these symptoms develop in tandem with vomiting
