If you believe your cat has come into contact with a toxic substance, get them to your local vet as quickly as possible.

Ingesting poisonous or harmful substances can cause your cat to be sick. Your vet will test your cat to rule out these conditions if necessary, and to establish the best course of treatment to get your cat back in tip-top health. Colitis is often eased by feeding your cat a bland diet (see above).Ī number of serious conditions can cause cats to be sick, including congestive heart failure, disease of the central nervous system, cancer, liver and kidney diseases. Sickness accompanied by diarrhoea may be a sign of colitis in your cat. Your cat vomiting may be a symptom of a number of viruses that are common in cats, including feline parvovirus (FPV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), feline infectious leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). A bland diet (see above) and plenty of water can help clear up the problem in a few days, but always consult your vet if your cat doesn’t recover quickly. Stomach infections (gastritis) are a common cause of vomiting in cats – and are often marked by both sickness and diarrhoea. It’s also best not to give your cat cow’s milk, which can trigger a reaction in the form of lactose intolerance. Your vet can advise you on a suitably bland diet – such as chicken with rice, or fish with pasta – for cats with a delicate stomach. If your cat has a particularly sensitive stomach they may be unable to tolerate certain foods or sudden changes in their diet, both of which can trigger vomiting. (It is worth noting that young cats and kittens are more likely to experience vomiting as a result of worms). As always, prevention is better than cure, and it’s important to get into a regular worming routine to keep your cat worm free. (This list is no substitute for the advice and expertise of your local vet, so always get in contact if you have any concerns about your cat’s health.)Īn infestation of worms, such as roundworm or tapeworm, can cause your cat to vomit. While it’s impossible to cover all of these, here are a few of the most common reasons. There’s a vast range of possible causes for sickness in cats. Prolonged vomiting can quickly lead to dehydration, so always be vigilant. If your cat is lethargic, persistently vomiting, has diarrhoea, loses his or her appetite, or displays any other symptoms, don’t delay – get them to your local vet, fast. If your cat is sick once and is otherwise alert, active, and showing no other symptoms, there’s likely to be nothing to worry about. Your cat may also vomit food, frothy mucus or bile. It’s natural for the cat’s hairs to become tangled and irritate the lining of the stomach, and this is perfectly normal. Most cats occasionally bring up furballs after grooming. Always seek help from your vet if your cat or kitten keeps being sick, if you suspect they’ve been in contact with a toxic or harmful substance, or if you spot blood in their vomit. Your local vet will help you establish the cause and recommend treatment, if necessary. While one-off vomiting may be no cause for alarm – your cat may vomit simply because they’ve eaten too much or too fast, for example – there are numerous reasons for a cat being sick.

Cat threw up digested food