What causes cats to vomit and what to do when your cat
is Vomiting?
When my cat vomits, I worry that something is wrong. What diseases can cause vomiting in cats? In addition, a veterinarian
supervised the timing of taking him to the hospital, preventive measures, and
so on.
It's not uncommon for your cat to vomit up hairballs, but if you
see other things, vomiting that doesn't go away, or other symptoms, it could be
a sign that something is wrong. If you notice any change or abnormality in
your cat's behavior, contact your veterinarian immediately.
What
is cat vomiting?
What are the possible
causes of cat vomiting and vomiting?
Cats are carnivores, so in the natural world, they vomit to excrete
indigestible things such as hairs and small bones of prey they have eaten.
That is why cats are one of the most common pet animals to
vomit. It is normal for a pet cat to vomit up swallowed hairballs while
grooming or vomit after overeating. If you eat too much, the food you ate
will come out undigested.
Is it okay if my cat
vomits hairballs?
There is nothing wrong with cats throwing up hairballs. In
addition, long-haired breeds swallow more hair than short-haired breeds, so the
frequency of throwing up pills is higher, and the same tendency is observed
during the molting period at the turn of the season. Become.
Some cats don't vomit hairballs, but that's an individual
difference, so you shouldn't worry too much about it. Cats that groom but
don't vomit hairballs are excreting hair in their stool. However, if you
have a hairball in your stomach but you can't expel it properly, you will
develop a disease called folliculitis (a disease in which the hairball becomes
too large to vomit), which can lead to gastritis and obstruction of passage.
You need to be careful.
What
are the possible diseases and dangers that cause vomiting in cats?
What diseases can cause vomiting in cats?
Digestive ailments
Vomiting can be caused by gastroenteritis, gastrointestinal
obstruction, megaesophagus, or tumors such as lymphoma in the
gastrointestinal tract.
For more information on
constipation in cats, please also read "There is blood in your cat's poop.
Bloody stools are a sign of illness and a high possibility of gastroenteritis” supervised
by a veterinarian.
Gastrointestinal obstruction poses a risk of intestinal
perforation (a hole in the stomach wall or intestinal wall) and may require
emergency surgery.
Cats with megaesophagus are fed in a standing position (standing
position), which makes it easier to push food into the stomach, which helps
prevent vomiting.
Other visceral diseases
Vomiting may be seen in cats with pancreatitis, hepatitis,
cholangitis, or kidney disease. Severe vomiting is seen in acute
pancreatitis; caution is required as it can be life-threatening if not
treated immediately. In addition, if kidney disease progresses to uremia,
it is necessary to take immediate measures.
Infection
Vomiting can be caused by viral, bacterial, or parasitic
infections. As viral infections, feline parvovirus and feline coronavirus may cause gastrointestinal symptoms. Feline parvovirus panleukopenia
(feline distemper, also known as feline infectious enteritis) and feline
infectious peritonitis (FIP: Feline Infectious Peritonitis) caused by
mutation of feline coronavirus are highly lethal infections.
Feline coronavirus is highly contagious but can be prevented with
a vaccine. Unfortunately, there is no effective vaccine against feline
infectious peritonitis caused by mutations in feline parvovirus.
Accidental ingestion of a foreign object
If a cat swallows a foreign object that irritates or obstructs the
gastrointestinal tract, the cat may vomit.
In particular, if a string-shaped foreign object gets caught in
the intestinal tract, the intestines may be pulled in an accordion-like manner
along the string-shaped foreign object in accordance with the intestinal
peristaltic movement. As a result, the bowel becomes necrotic and can lead
to intestinal perforation, which is life-threatening. Therefore, put away
any items that your cat might swallow.
Addiction
Cats may vomit if they eat poisonous substances such as
detergents, pesticides, plants, spoiled food, or garbage. In particular,
poisonous substances require prompt gastric ravage and detoxification, so do
not leave anything dangerous to your cat unattended.
Food allergy
Cats with food allergies may vomit when they eat foods containing
allergens.
Stress
Just like people, cats can also vomit due to stress. It can
be seen when the cat is under stress due to changes in the living environment
such as moving or changes in the family structure.
If your cat wants to
vomit but can't, what could be the reason?
When a cat looks like it's going to vomit but doesn't vomit, most
of them are trying to vomit a hairball. However, in some cases, the cat's
cough may be misinterpreted as "vomiting" by the owner, or it may be
a sign of other serious illness, so if you are concerned, please consult your
veterinarian.
If
your cat is vomiting and you see these symptoms, go to the hospital immediately
What
is emergency cat vomiting?
If any of the following symptoms apply to your pet, it may be an
urgent illness, so please take your pet to a veterinary hospital.
Checkpoints for dangerous vomiting in cats
·
lack of energy or
appetite
·
Other symptoms such as
diarrhea may also be seen
·
There is a foreign
object in the vomit
·
blood in vomit
·
Abnormal color such as
green vomit
·
Vomit smells like feces
or medicine
·
vomiting repeatedly
In the case of gastrointestinal obstruction, acute pancreatitis,
and acute renal failure, immediate treatment may be required. Also,
infectious diseases caused by viruses and parasites can be transmitted to other
cats, so be careful if you have multiple cats. In particular, feline
parvovirus requires more attention because the symptoms are likely to become
serious in kittens.
What to do when your cat is Vomiting?
What should I do if vomiting is not pathological and can be observed?
If what you're throwing up is hairballs, it's normal behavior,
even in healthy cats.
If your dog has a lot of hairballs, brushing them to reduce the
amount of hair they ingest during grooming may help.
For cats that don't like to vomit hairballs, change to a
hairball-fighting pet food that makes it easier for swallowed hair to be
excreted along with the feces.
If your cat vomits because it eats too quickly, feed it in a
shallow dish. The food spreads out on the plate, so your cat won't be able
to eat all at once, and you can prevent overeating. There is also
tableware that has uneven bottoms to prevent eating quickly.
If stress is the cause, you can expect to reduce stress by
providing a space for your cat to relax on its own and exercising with a toy or
cat tower.
If you need treatment
What kind of preparation
should I do if I am suspected of having an illness and want to see a doctor?
Record the number and frequency of vomiting and inform your
veterinarian at the time of your visit. Also, putting the cat's vomit in a
sealable container and taking it to the hospital, or taking a picture of it may
help with the diagnosis.
How do you treat vomiting?
If a cat repeatedly vomits, it is often dehydrated or
malnourished, so the first thing to do is to supplement fluids and nutrients
with a drip or subcutaneous infusion. In addition, we treat the disease
that causes vomiting, but if you develop intestinal obstruction such as
accidental ingestion of a foreign object, you may need a surgical operation
immediately.
In addition, when visceral diseases such as acute
pancreatitis, acute hepatitis, acute renal failure, or symptoms of
poisoning due to poisoning occur, suppression of inflammation and prompt
detoxification is required.