As a cat owner, you’ve probably had to clean up your pet’s vomit from time to time. Perhaps they ate their food a little too quickly or enjoyed a few too many bites of your favourite houseplant, leading to occasional messes on the floor that need to be cleaned up.
While occasional vomiting isn’t necessarily cause for concern, chronic vomiting can be a sign of many different health issues.
Chronic vomiting is generally defined as:
- Vomiting that occurs three or more times per month for a duration of three months or longer.
- Vomiting that is persistent or recurrent and does not resolve with simple, symptomatic treatments.
In this medical guide, we’re explaining common causes of chronic vomiting in cats and steps you can take to help.
When is Chronic Vomiting in Cats Cause for Concern?
As we mentioned, occasional or acute vomiting isn’t necessarily a reason for concern. Cats vomit as a response to excess hair buildup in their stomach or as a protective mechanism when they eat something that doesn’t agree with them. If your cat throws up a single time and otherwise seems normal, you’re probably safe to clean up and carry on.
However, the real concern comes if the vomiting continues for three weeks or more. This is known as chronic vomiting, which can be a symptom of a variety of illness, infections, allergies, and certain gastrointestinal conditions. Typically, chronic vomiting is accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- Drooling
- Excessive swallowing
- Retching and heaving
- Nausea
- Low or no appetite
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Foul breath
- Diarrhea
- Increased thirst and urination
If this continues for days or weeks at a time, it’s potentially a sign of a major health issue that requires attention from your veterinarian. Contact your vet right away to have your cat examined, ensuring they get the treatment they need as soon as possible.
Causes of Chronic Vomiting in Cats
There’s a very long list of potential causes for chronic vomiting in cats. The only way to definitively diagnose the issue is through a comprehensive veterinary exam. However, there’s a good chance the underlying issue may be one of the following:
- Ingesting harmful foreign bodies
- Parasite infections, common in outdoor cats
- Excessive grooming, causing repeated hairball regurgitation
- Viral infections
- Issues with the endocrine system e.g. diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, liver disease, Pancreatitis
- Gastrointestinal disorders including Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), food intolerances or sensitivities
- Significant diet changes or feeding schedule changes
- Gastrointestinal obstruction; either a foreign body or an illness, such as cancer
- Chronic fear or stress
- Side effects of certain medications
With so many potential causes of this unpleasant symptom in cats, you need to have your cat examined by a vet as soon as you suspect chronic vomiting. While the issue may stem from a simple food intolerance, it could also be a sign of a more serious issue, and the prognosis will likely improve the sooner you can begin treatment.
How a Vet Diagnoses the Cause of Chronic Vomiting in Cats
We know how stressful it is to realize something is wrong with your cat, which is why we strongly recommend having them seen by a veterinarian as soon as you notice a problem. When you bring your cat in with complaints of chronic vomiting, they’ll perform a full examination, which includes a physical exam. Depending on the other symptoms and the results of this examination, they may perform other tests and analyses, including:
- Stool testing
- Urinalysis (urine testing)
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- Ultrasound imaging
The examination can help your vet definitively diagnose a number of conditions with chronic vomiting as a symptom. These include anemia white blood cell count, dehydration, low protein levels, liver and kidney enzyme imbalances. This diagnosis will ensure your vet knows what medications, procedures, or lifestyle changes your cat needs in order to feel better again.
Treatment for Chronic Vomiting in Cats
In order to treat your cat’s chronic vomiting, your vet needs a positive diagnosis. Sometimes, addressing the issue is as simple as changing the food you give your pet. In some cases, switching to a more novel protein may be all that’s needed to help your cat stop vomiting.
We all want our cats to be their healthy, happy selves, which is why it’s so troubling and concerning when it seems like they can’t stop vomiting. While you can help prevent chronic vomiting by feeding your cat healthy food on a consistent schedule and keeping them away from plants and harmful substances, this symptom can also be caused by illness or genetic issues, meaning you’ll need help from a vet to resolve it for good.
If you’re noticing chronic vomiting in your cat, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible to ensure they get the examination, diagnosis, and treatments they need to feel better again.
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