9 Common Reasons Why Cats Vomit After Eating

Last Updated: May 21, 2023

It is common for cats to throw up once in a while to get rid of unwanted material in the stomach. You should however monitor closely the frequency at which the pet vomits as it could be a sign of a serious illness.

When a cat is vomiting you will notice its legs firmly grounded, tighten its abdomen and stretch its neck. Somehow similar to when the cat is coughing.

There are many reasons why cats vomit after eating. Fortunately, it is not always a fatal sign and the situation is manageable.

In this article, we will outline some of the causes of vomiting in cats. We will also share a few tips on what you can do when your cat is throwing up.

Why do cats vomit after eating?

Common reasons why cats vomit after eating include gorging, eating too fast, a new diet, hairballs, foreign objects, icky taste, exposure to toxins, and constipation.

a). Gorging

Overeating is a common reason why cats vomit after they eat. When cats gorge, they overextend their stomach which eventually makes a cat throw up.

In most cases, cats will keep eating as long as there is food in their bowl. You should therefore reduce the amount of food in the bowl and increase the number of times you feed your cat.

b). Eating too fast

Eating or drinking too fast can cause vomiting in cats. Often, when a cat is eating too fast, the food will not be properly digested. When the food is passing through the digestive system too fast, the intestines will not keep up with the expansion. The food will end up mixing with the air causing bloating in the stomach and eventually, the cat will throw up.

c). A new diet

Vomiting in cats can also happen when you are introducing a new diet. The digestive system may be used to digest soft foods before you introduce harder foods which may lead to cats throwing up.

Your favorite cat food manufacturer may also change the diet without your knowledge. The new ingredients may cause allergic reactions. In an attempt to get rid of the components, you will find the cat vomiting after eating.

d). Hairballs

Cats like to keep themselves clean. You will often find them using their tongue to clean their coating. In the process, these pets may end up swallowing a large amount of fur. When the fur gets into the digestive system it forms hairballs.

Hairballs are a threat to the cat’s wellness as they block the intestines interfering with the digestive process. This may result in the cats vomiting to get rid of the hairballs.

e). Eating foreign objects

Cats are curious animals and like to try everything at their disposal. In the process, the pet will swallow objects that are not digestible. These include plastics and medicines.

When these foreign objects get into the stomach, you will find the cat throwing up to get rid of them.

f). Icky taste

Have you ever noticed your cat throwing up after sniffing or tasting something with an odor? Well, it’s because cats are very sensitive to smell and bad taste. However, the icky taste can be from objects that the cat is exploiting. However, sometimes the taste can be from things they love such as milk which may have gone bad.

g). Exposure to toxins

Toxins are organic poisons found in plants that when ingested may affect the animal. Common plants in your garden such as tulips, foxglove, and Japanese yew are dangerous if eaten by your curious cat. If your cats accidentally ingest organic poison, you will find them throwing up after eating.

h). Constipation

In most cases, signs of constipation are displayed with struggle when a cat is pooping. This is because constipation is caused by a lack of water in the digestive system. When a cat is constipated, the entire process of digestion is slowed down. This means that the frequency of cats pooping is slower. This leaves throwing up as an alternative if the cat has to get rid of ingested foods.

i). Existing health conditions

Cats may also vomit after eating if they have existing infections related to digestion. These include GI stasis, pancreatitis, and bowel infections.

In such cases, the vomiting will be persistent and you are required to visit a veterinary for further diagnosis.

What to do if your cat is throwing up

These are some tips you should consider to reduce cases of vomiting in cats;

Grooming

Cats love keeping themselves clean and they will appreciate it if you made an effort in the same course. Grooming includes brushing the fur and washing the cat to remove dead skin, loose fur, and matting.

When grooming is done regularly at least once per week, there are lower chances of cats swallowing the fur. This will in turn lower the rate at which hairballs will be formed equally reducing vomiting in cats caused by hairballs.

Monitor the amount of food they are eating

If you notice your cats are eating too much or too fast, you should regulate the amount of food the cats can access. You can manually reduce the intervals at which you feed the cat or use a machine for the same.

If your cat is eating too fast, you can set the feeding bowl in such a way that the cat will struggle to get the food.

Keep foreign objects out of reach of cats

Cats will always be curious animals who want to try everything at their disposal. To avoid cases of vomiting in cats caused by either an icky taste or eating undigestible materials, you should keep them where cats will not find out.

Visit a vet

Vomiting in cats is not always a serious issue that should make you run to the veterinarian. However, if your cat is throwing up frequently accompanied by other signs of illnesses, you should visit a vet. Vomiting may disguise itself with other signs of infections such as liver disease or cancer.

FAQs

What does abnormal cat vomit look like?

Cat vomit is in most cases pale yellow or clear with particles of undigested foods. When you notice pale green, red, or pink cat vomit whose stains are persistent on the floor, you should call a vet. This could be bile or blood which are signs of an underlying illness.

When should I be concerned about my cat vomiting?

Cats may throw up after eating if maybe due to overeating or other non-serious reasons. However, you should be concerned about your cat vomiting if it happens too frequently, if the vomit contains blood or foreign materials, and if the cat is showing signs of sickness and lack of appetite.