Cat vomiting, causes, treatment, first aid

2014-10-20

Vomiting in a cat is an alarming signal of health problems. Bloody or yellow, with particles of food and liquid consistency, it is often a sign of gastrointestinal disease.

If a cat has been poisoned by food, swallowed pesticides or medication, its body will certainly react with vomiting. Other causes of abnormal health include:

  • worm infestations;
  • stress caused by malaise;
  • Viral infections.

In these cases, vomiting is accompanied by additional symptoms:

  1. diarrhea;
  2. poor appetite;
  3. cramps;
  4. lethargy;
  5. cough;
  6. spikes in temperature.

The presence of these signs requires urgent examination of the animal by a veterinarian.

What does colored vomiting indicate?

Yellow vomit confirms the ingestion of bile in the stomach. The release of yellow vomit may be a sign of chronic disease of the gallbladder, intestines, or liver. In turn, they can be caused by digestive problems caused by abusing eggs, eating fatty or stale food, or swallowing large chunks.

Green vomiting, which occasionally appears in the cat, may indicate a severe infection of the cat. However, if it has been observed that the pet has been eating grass, there is no cause for concern - green masses are considered the norm here.

Vomiting with scarlet blood or brownish paste of thick consistency may be a sign of stomach bleeding caused by an ulcer, foreign object, gastritis, liver disease, etc. Brownish clots are the product of blood interacting with gastric juice. Vomiting with scarlet flecks signals bleeding that has opened in the cat’s esophagus or mouth.

Ways to treat vomiting in cats

The treatment approach is always determined by the cause of the vomiting. If it was caused by foreign bodies, they are surgically removed. Obstruction of the pylorus of the stomach is also treated in the same way, although it is rare in cats. If the cause of vomiting was caused by tumors in the gastrointestinal tract, treatment is prescribed according to their type.

Intestinal lymphoma, which provokes vomiting, is treated with chemotherapy. The accumulation of hairballs in the stomach cavity is caused by a motility disorder of this organ and an inflammatory process occurring in the large intestine. Removal of hairballs is performed endoscopically or surgically. The cat is then given a course of intestinal treatment.

First Aid Tips

To help the cat, you should first stop feeding it for 24 hours. Water should only be given if it does not provoke new urges. If the cat is food poisoning, you can induce vomiting by yourself. However, if the pet has ingested liquid chemicals, you should not provoke the vomiting masses. In this case, it is useful to give your pet 1 tablespoon of enterosgel and take her to the veterinary clinic. If the cat has swallowed a sharp object and is therefore vomiting, then a tablespoon of vaseline oil should be given and sent to the doctor.