Let’s face it, there a lot of cats out there that vomit pretty often. How do you know if it’s a problem? In the medical world puking is not considered normal.
That being said, there are many cats that seem to do this on a regular basis for most of their lives without having troubles besides the mess it makes for their owner.
When To Take Your Cat to the Vet for Puking
There are MANY causes of vomiting but what should be the primary driver in the decision to get the pet taxi out and go to the vet is whether there is a CHANGE in the frequency or style of vomiting for your pet. ?Letting your vet know about what is the baseline for your cat and the changes you have seen, will help them to think about the problem.
Vomiting can be particularly challenging to get at because there are so many things from both inside the tube that is the GI tract as well as organs not directly connected to the tube that can influence how your pet feels. This is why taking a picture of your cat’s abdomen with an X-ray machine may be helpful in conjunction with measuring the blood levels of molecules produced by other organs.
Hairballs
Hairballs are one of the most common causes of vomiting in cats. There is sometimes a clue if this is your problem, which is a mass of fur in the vomitus. Unfortunately, there are many cats that never actually vomit the hairball up but it makes their GI upset enough to cause troubles. ?Using a product called Laxatone may help with hairballs.
Call your vet for advice on how much to give and tips on administering it to your cat. If your cat is a very rigorous groomer, this may also be suspected. Usually this is something you will want to try only after your vet has advised it after initially examining your cat or if you discuss it at your annual physical.
Other Causes of Vomiting
The other causes of vomiting will be pretty challenging to get at without the bloodwork and x-rays discussed above. ?Most vets will start there because cats are very good at hiding illness with their owners and on physical exam. If your cat is vomiting very frequently, is lethargic or not eating you should seek attention sooner rather than later.
Has your cat been playing with hair rubber bands or string?? Have they been drinking more water than usual lately??? Are they sampling your houseplants?? Do they gorge on their food then vomit immediately afterward?? How have the litter box habits been recent? Thinking through these types of questions prior to an appointment will likely be helpful to your vet and, more importantly, your cat.
