Cat Throwing Up

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
my cat is 5 yrs. she has always thrown up. sometimes after meals or at a random time. could happen none at week and sometimes 3x a week. she never has any other problems, eats, drinks, poops normally. she was on purina one indoor then switched her to the sensitive one. it didnt work. i then switched her to science diet sensitive but so far no changes. in the 3 and half weeks of being on this food so has thrown up 5x. which is about what it was before. i stop treats, started purified water(used to give her tap) but nothing. the fact she doesnt get any other symptoms, is why i havent gotten her to get any test. ive been told its normal and its not normal.
any one have gone through this?
also, the vet recommended famotidine. but i've read horror stories about cats taking that.
 
Last edited:

neely

May the purr be with you
Veteran
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
19,635
Purraise
47,800
I can't tell from your avatar pic but is your cat long or medium long-haired? If so, it could possibly be hairballs. When she throws up is it clear or is she throwing up food? Also, did you transition her from each of the food changes gradually?
This Article discusses how to properly transition from one type of food to another:
Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food (canned, Raw, Or Homemade)
 

LTS3

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
19,209
Purraise
19,695
Location
USA
Famotidine (Pepcid) is fine to use under vet supervision. The famotidine the vet will prescribe is safe to use. If the vet says to get it from a pharmacy, you want to get Original Pepcid AC 10 mg or equivalent that contains nothing else but famotidine. The vet will tell you how much of the pill to give, usually no more than half of a 10 mg pill. Compounding the famotidine in a liquid or other form is possible.

Pepcid Complete, and similar equivalents sold under many brand names, is toxic to cats so never use that particular type :nono: These products contain other ingredients that are toxic to cats.

Vomiting can indicate anything: hairballs, gastrointestinal issue, food intolerance, etc. What does the vomit look like? Food? Hair? Clear liquid?

Sensitive diets may or may not work. Many are chicken based which is the culprit for tummy issues in some cats. You may want to try a limited ingredient diet in a novel protein and canned instead of dry. Stick with the food for at least 13 weeks to see if it is helping or not.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
I can't tell from your avatar pic but is your cat long or medium long-haired? If so, it could possibly be hairballs. When she throws up is it clear or is she throwing up food? Also, did you transition her from each of the food changes gradually?
This Article discusses how to properly transition from one type of food to another:
Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food (canned, Raw, Or Homemade)
shes considered SH. to be shes more of a MH. sometimes her throw up is food, sometimes is hairballs and sometimes its clear. and i did changed it gradually.

Famotidine (Pepcid) is fine to use under vet supervision. The famotidine the vet will prescribe is safe to use. If the vet says to get it from a pharmacy, you want to get Original Pepcid AC 10 mg or equivalent that contains nothing else but famotidine. The vet will tell you how much of the pill to give, usually no more than half of a 10 mg pill. Compounding the famotidine in a liquid or other form is possible.

Pepcid Complete, and similar equivalents sold under many brand names, is toxic to cats so never use that particular type :nono: These products contain other ingredients that are toxic to cats.

Vomiting can indicate anything: hairballs, gastrointestinal issue, food intolerance, etc. What does the vomit look like? Food? Hair? Clear liquid?

Sensitive diets may or may not work. Many are chicken based which is the culprit for tummy issues in some cats. You may want to try a limited ingredient diet in a novel protein and canned instead of dry. Stick with the food for at least 13 weeks to see if it is helping or not.
i dont fed her canned food to often because then she wont leave me alone for the rest of the day, she also eats it too fast so i dont want her throw up even more
 

sidneykitty

Foster mama
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 25, 2015
Messages
694
Purraise
711
Sorry to hear you are dealing with a vomiting cat... it is something of a mixed bag when it comes to advice. Many say it is not normal to vomit so frequently, and though I just took my cat in for a similar problem, the vet told me it was normal. Its perplexing, to say the least.

The way I look at it is... If I were throwing up that frequently, I would see a doctor, therefore my cat will, too.

When did you switch her food to the Science Diet? If its diet-related, it can take time for her body to adjust. I understand for a food sensitivity, they need 12 weeks on a new diet before you can really know for sure if it was the food making them sick or not. A novel protein she hasn't eaten before (duck, rabbit, venison) could be helpful if she has a problem digesting chicken or other common ingredients in pet food.

What tests did you get at the vet?

As far as wet food, it would be very beneficial for her to eat at least some wet food. It helps with hydration (especially when throwing up) and can help with hairballs if that is an issue. Have you tried giving her a little bit of wet food at a time to prevent her eating it too fast? Is she also eating her dry food too fast?

Your cat in your avatar is very pretty, what is her name?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
Sorry to hear you are dealing with a vomiting cat... it is something of a mixed bag when it comes to advice. Many say it is not normal to vomit so frequently, and though I just took my cat in for a similar problem, the vet told me it was normal. Its perplexing, to say the least.

The way I look at it is... If I were throwing up that frequently, I would see a doctor, therefore my cat will, too.

When did you switch her food to the Science Diet? If its diet-related, it can take time for her body to adjust. I understand for a food sensitivity, they need 12 weeks on a new diet before you can really know for sure if it was the food making them sick or not. A novel protein she hasn't eaten before (duck, rabbit, venison) could be helpful if she has a problem digesting chicken or other common ingredients in pet food.

What tests did you get at the vet?

As far as wet food, it would be very beneficial for her to eat at least some wet food. It helps with hydration (especially when throwing up) and can help with hairballs if that is an issue. Have you tried giving her a little bit of wet food at a time to prevent her eating it too fast? Is she also eating her dry food too fast?

Your cat in your avatar is very pretty, what is her name?
shes been on her new food for almost 4 weeks. its not the prescription one. she has a prescription for that but shes so picky i dont want to waste all that money and not being able to return it. she hasnt gotten any test. when i do give her wet food i give her a very small amount to prevent more throwing up. with dry food, she eats that just fine. not too fast. i will wait till she finishes her bag of food to decided what to do next. and thanks! her name is sheba :) shes the one who throws up
 

Wile

Opener of cans
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Messages
555
Purraise
648
Location
Canada
Hello there. What a pretty cat! I have similar problems as you do - a cat who vomits infrequently. Sometimes it is several times a week, sometimes we go several weeks without vomiting. Everything else about him seems healthy. My vet suggested that the vomiting may be due to a food intolerance and suggested that I do a novel protein limited ingredient diet food trial to see if that helps.

I don't think that vomiting as frequently as your cat is doing is normal. Once every few months might be a hairball or something else innocent, but 5x in 3 weeks is definitely too much. Long term I have been warned by my vet that frequent vomiting can lead to throat cancer same as acid reflux does in humans, so you definitely want to figure out what is going on with her.

A novel protein food trial might be one place to start your search. It can be inexpensive and easy to do. You could look at hydrolized protein diets like Science Diet Z/D, or a few companies like Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance, or Nature's Variety Instinct make limited ingredient diets. I also personally know a few people who switched their cat from a kibble to a wet food diet and their cat stopped vomiting, so a canned food diet might help. If you want suggestions for foods to try there are lots of knowledgeable people on this forum who can help you find a food that fits your budget.

:goodluck:

Edit: One other thing I recall being told by my vet that you might find relevant is that cats who throw up a lot don't typically do well with a lot of variety in their diets. Frequent food switches can upset things. Simpler foods are better. Hope that helps!
 

sidneykitty

Foster mama
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 25, 2015
Messages
694
Purraise
711
Wow Sheba is a gorgeous girl!! She looks very fuzzy and soft.

Sorry I must have misinterpreted, I thought you said you got tests done. My mistake! I would second what Wile Wile said about trying for an easily digestible simple diet or a novel protein diet. I am in the process of doing the same for my vomiting cat who had nothing wrong on her tests leading us to suspect a possible food intolerance.

Do you brush her regularly?

Edit: One random thing I just thought about... I notice she is wearing a beautiful collar. I don't think this would be related, but do you make sure you can fit two fingers underneath the collar so that it is not too snug?
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
Hello there. What a pretty cat! I have similar problems as you do - a cat who vomits infrequently. Sometimes it is several times a week, sometimes we go several weeks without vomiting. Everything else about him seems healthy. My vet suggested that the vomiting may be due to a food intolerance and suggested that I do a novel protein limited ingredient diet food trial to see if that helps.

I don't think that vomiting as frequently as your cat is doing is normal. Once every few months might be a hairball or something else innocent, but 5x in 3 weeks is definitely too much. Long term I have been warned by my vet that frequent vomiting can lead to throat cancer same as acid reflux does in humans, so you definitely want to figure out what is going on with her.

A novel protein food trial might be one place to start your search. It can be inexpensive and easy to do. You could look at hydrolized protein diets like Science Diet Z/D, or a few companies like Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance, or Nature's Variety Instinct make limited ingredient diets. I also personally know a few people who switched their cat from a kibble to a wet food diet and their cat stopped vomiting, so a canned food diet might help. If you want suggestions for foods to try there are lots of knowledgeable people on this forum who can help you find a food that fits your budget.

:goodluck:

Edit: One other thing I recall being told by my vet that you might find relevant is that cats who throw up a lot don't typically do well with a lot of variety in their diets. Frequent food switches can upset things. Simpler foods are better. Hope that helps!
what about a grain free kind?

Wow Sheba is a gorgeous girl!! She looks very fuzzy and soft.

Sorry I must have misinterpreted, I thought you said you got tests done. My mistake! I would second what Wile Wile said about trying for an easily digestible simple diet or a novel protein diet. I am in the process of doing the same for my vomiting cat who had nothing wrong on her tests leading us to suspect a possible food intolerance.

Do you brush her regularly?

Edit: One random thing I just thought about... I notice she is wearing a beautiful collar. I don't think this would be related, but do you make sure you can fit two fingers underneath the collar so that it is not too snug?
thanks! and yes, i keep her collar pretty lose. also notice her collar is on backwards :updown:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
she also just threw up again after diner. but right afterwards she went back to finish her dinner. ive been keeping notes and nothing is adding up. it could be after meals or in the middle of the night:(
 

Wile

Opener of cans
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 22, 2018
Messages
555
Purraise
648
Location
Canada
what about a grain free kind?
Yes, there are a number of grain free options. Nature's variety instinct makes a turkey and rabbit grain free diet that you can look at. Natural balance also makes a few options, like duck and venison. Generally you want to feed the cat something simple that they have never eaten before to see if food could be the culprit.
 

sidneykitty

Foster mama
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 25, 2015
Messages
694
Purraise
711
I did notice - that's cute. :)

Otherwise I'd second Wile Wile again about trying one of those foods. What else has the vet said aside from famotidine? Did Sheba go in for an exam?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
I did notice - that's cute. :)

Otherwise I'd second Wile Wile again about trying one of those foods. What else has the vet said aside from famotidine? Did Sheba go in for an exam?
she mentioned it and i told her i would think about it. when i got home thats when i read horror stories online about it. so now im scared to have my cat take it. im thinking when she finishes her bag of food and her throwing up hasnt improved then i will take her back in. sheba still has about half a bag left so maybe in another 4 weeks. that will also give it some more time for the new food to work, if it does work that is.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
i made an appt this week. shes throwing up more often now. she has thrown up 12x in 5 weeks! way too much :(
 

Nursemike3

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 14, 2019
Messages
16
Purraise
25
I had a cat who vomited for attention, it was a behavioral issue. When I found the source of her stress (a roomate) the problem ended.
 

solomonar

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
938
Purraise
830
Location
Romania
To exclude a medical condition is really crucial - to be done by the vet.

My cat throws up when I feed him by high protein (high quality) diet. The pet shop owner told me that her clients often have this problem because of protein excess in case of exclusively indoor cats.

+++

Other potential causes - check list -my personal opinion:
- flowers - some are very toxic for cats (check species in your area and in house)
- detergent - the floor ones especially can be extremely toxic (check cleaning agents and procedures)
- eating some insects - that are poisoned (have a look around)
- toys, small pieces of something (have a look around)
- internal parasites (check the Health Book - usually once in six months ore in three months even in certain cases- talk to the vet)
- your clothes (depending on your work place)
- usual hand soap (once I had an annoying allergy problem - showing up only in a certain weekday, when I used a certain soap brand; I just sat down and check the rhythm of my life, what I do every single day, hour by hour - and so I discovered the source of allergy)
 

sidneykitty

Foster mama
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 25, 2015
Messages
694
Purraise
711
I'm sure the famotidine is OK short-term as prescribed by your vet. I think its a good idea to bring her in again if she's not improving. When is her appointment?

Is she still drinking water, peeing and pooping normally?

Has she had treatment to prevent fleas and de-worming recently?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
I had a cat who vomited for attention, it was a behavioral issue. When I found the source of her stress (a roomate) the problem ended.
i live alone, so that cant be it. im glad your cat is feeling better

To exclude a medical condition is really crucial - to be done by the vet.

My cat throws up when I feed him by high protein (high quality) diet. The pet shop owner told me that her clients often have this problem because of protein excess in case of exclusively indoor cats.

+++

Other potential causes - check list -my personal opinion:
- flowers - some are very toxic for cats (check species in your area and in house)
- detergent - the floor ones especially can be extremely toxic (check cleaning agents and procedures)
- eating some insects - that are poisoned (have a look around)
- toys, small pieces of something (have a look around)
- internal parasites (check the Health Book - usually once in six months ore in three months even in certain cases- talk to the vet)
- your clothes (depending on your work place)
- usual hand soap (once I had an annoying allergy problem - showing up only in a certain weekday, when I used a certain soap brand; I just sat down and check the rhythm of my life, what I do every single day, hour by hour - and so I discovered the source of allergy)
none of these has changed around my house. but i'll keep a lookout thanks!

I'm sure the famotidine is OK short-term as prescribed by your vet. I think its a good idea to bring her in again if she's not improving. When is her appointment?

Is she still drinking water, peeing and pooping normally?

Has she had treatment to prevent fleas and de-worming recently?
what happens long term? her appt is on thursday, that was the soonest day they had. everything else is normal for her. she gets her deworming every 6 months or 1 year. and she never had fleas
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

shebaa

Queen of Sheba
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
488
Purraise
349
Location
Arizona
the vet prescribed hills z/d food. sheba has been on it for a full week and threw up once. the vet had said to give it 4 weeks. so i will know then if the food helps. right now i cant say. next step will be blood work if the food doesnt work.
thanks for asking!:winkcat:
 
Top