The cat, in general, is a furry creature that takes its time to eat: it is not in too much of a hurry to finish, but sometimes it can happen that, right after finishing, or a few minutes after doing so, it feels nauseous and vomits. Seeing your cat vomit up freshly eaten food is always alarming.And it's normal to wonder if their health is at risk and what you should do.
Seeing your friend expel the food that he did nothing to eat immediately worries you, because of course, his health could be at risk, and the last thing we want is for something to happen to him. But, Why does my cat vomit after eating? What's happening to him/her? Below you will find the most frequent causes, how to differentiate them, When is it urgent to go to the vet? and what steps you can take at home to help him. To better understand the reasons, you can read why do cats vomit.
Is he vomiting or regurgitating?
Before getting into specific causes, it's important to know if your cat Vomits or if actually regurgitatessince they are different processes with different origins.
La regurgitation It is the expulsion of undigested food from the pharynx or esophagus. It usually occurs minutes or hours after eatingIt is not usually accompanied by nausea or severe retching, and the food appears almost whole, often in the form of intact kibble. It is typical in cats that They eat too fast or who have some esophageal problem.
El threw upOn the other hand, it is the expulsion of contents that have already reached the stomach. It is accompanied by nausea, abdominal contractions, and gagging soundsThe contents may be partially digested food. yellow bilefoam or even blood in the most severe cases. It is often associated with digestive problems, systemic diseases, or poisoning.
You can also watch your cat do gagging or dry coughs with hardly any contents, or expelling only foam or saliva; sometimes this is related to hairballs or mild gastric irritation.
To help the veterinarian properly diagnose the problem, it is very useful record the episode on video and indicate how long it has been since the last meal, what you were eating, and how often it happens.
Has ingested hairs
No matter how clean we keep the feeder and the house, sometimes, especially during the molting season, the occasional hair falls on the food. It may be very small, barely visible, but The mere presence of any food is enough to make the cat vomit right after eating.especially if you are sensitive or already have an irritated stomach.
In addition to the hairs that end up in the food bowl, it should be noted that during grooming the cat swallows a large amount of hairNormally this hair is eliminated through feces, but when it accumulates in excess it can irritate the gastric mucosa and trigger nausea or vomiting after eating.
In long-haired cats or those that They groom themselves compulsively Due to stress, this problem is even more frequent. If the vomit contains hair mixed with food If it happens sporadically, it is usually a benign process; if it happens very frequently, it may indicate something more serious.
What to do? Brush the cat daily to keep your dead hair from falling where it shouldn't, keep cleaning the feeder regularly (the ideal would be to do it every day too), and go also taking a look Check the bowl occasionally to make sure it only contains what it should: food. If the cat is licking itself excessively, it's worth considering... stress, boredom, or skin problems with the help of the veterinarian.
Is trying to expel hairballs
If you have ingested a lot of hair, so many that balls have formed in his stomach, one of the symptoms that we will see is that the cat will vomit after eatingas an attempt to expel them. In these cases, it is typical to see the cat cough or gag several times until it expels an elongated cylinder of compact fur coated with saliva or food debris.
Hairballs are very common, especially in long haired cats or with a tendency to overgroom. Occasional gagging can be normal, but when the episodes are frequent or the cat retches a lot without being able to expel anything, there may be a problem. risk of intestinal obstruction.
In addition to vomiting after eating, hairballs may be accompanied by constipation, loss of appetite, apathy, or abdominal painIn that case, it's not advisable to wait and it's recommended to go to the veterinary clinic.
To do? The most recommended is put a little malt on his paw once a day so that it licks itself and thus facilitates the elimination of hair through feces. A good daily brushingA healthy diet that promotes intestinal transit and good stress management also decrease the likelihood of these balls forming. But if, in addition to vomiting, you have constipation and loss of appetiteIt's best to take him to the vet.
Eat too fast or too much
When a cat is a glutton or has to fight for food, either because there is an animal (it has four legs or two legs) that is harassing it or because it eats with other furry ones which make it feel intimidated, He may eat too fastWhen large mouthfuls of dry feed are swallowed without chewing and with a lot of air, the food can accumulate in the esophagus and come back up almost intact shortly after eating; this is known as esophageal atrophy. regurgitation.
These episodes usually occur right after ingestionYou'll see the food looking practically the same as when it was in the bowl, with hardly any bile or gastric juice. This can also happen if the cat simply eats an excessive amount in a very short time, even without other animals being around.
In some cases, these repeated binges and regurgitations can be a sign of anxiety, stress, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or other illnesses that increase appetite. Therefore, if the problem is frequent, it shouldn't be attributed solely to gluttony: it's advisable to consult a doctor.
To do? In these cases it is convenient find out the causeIf a cat feels harassed or intimidated, it's necessary to work with both the affected cat and the harasser so that both can lead a normal life. For example, we can feed them in separate rooms and use Feliway to reduce stress in cats. If it's a person who's bothering the cat, we need to talk to them, regardless of their age, and teach the furry one to respect the furry one.
If the problem is that he's a glutton and has always eaten quickly, We can help you eat more slowly doing the following:
Image - Nuestroperro.es
- Soak the dry feed with water so that the kibble softens and the cat chews more.
- Give him high-quality wet foodwhich is usually easier to swallow and digest.
- Feed it with dry food with large kibbleforcing him to chew.
- Buy him a gluttonous feeder, like the one shown in the image above, or even use interactive toys that release food gradually.
- Offer smaller and more frequent portions throughout the day instead of one or two very large doses.
Gastritis, constipation, and other digestive problems
Sometimes the Cats' stomachs become inflamed It can occur through the ingestion of spoiled food, human food scraps, plants, medications, or other products. It can also occur through sudden changes in diet or food allergiesThis inflammation of the stomach is known as gastritis and often causes vomiting, sometimes with yellow bile or even small amounts of blood.
When gastritis is prolonged or severe, the cat may show apathetic, with little appetite, dehydrated, or with abdominal painIn these cases, it is essential to consult a veterinarian to assess the need for medication, a special diet, or additional tests.
El constipation It is also a common cause of vomiting. If the stools are very dry or large, intestinal contents accumulate and the digestive tract becomes overloaded. When no more food can move through the intestine, the body responds vomiting some of the food back up through the mouthHere, the following are key: good hydration and a diet rich in adequate fiber for your cat
Another common cause is intestinal parasiteswhich can interfere with digestion and cause vomiting of undigested food, diarrhea, or weight loss. That's why it's so important to maintain a periodic internal deworming and perform fecal analysis when recommended by the veterinarian.
There are also more complex diseases such as gastric retention syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, or liver and kidney disorders These symptoms can also manifest as vomiting after meals. Only a professional, through examination and tests (blood tests, ultrasound, X-rays), can determine the exact cause and the appropriate treatment.
When to monitor at home and when to go to the vet
An isolated instance of vomiting after a single meal, in an active cat that eats and drinks normally, It is not usually a cause for alarmIn such cases, some veterinarians may recommend a short fast of several hours (only in healthy adult cats and always following their advice) and offer clean water in small amounts.
However, if your cat vomits more than once a month, several times in a single day, or almost weeklyThis should no longer be considered normal. It's also advisable to consult a veterinarian if you observe... Weight loss, lethargy, fever, diarrhea, blood in vomit, large amounts of mucus or strong foul odoras they may indicate a more serious problem, such as blockages, ulcers, or systemic diseases.
While you wait for your appointment, this may be helpful save a small sample of the vomit Note its appearance (if there is hair, undigested food, bile, blood) and the time it occurred. All this information, along with a video of the episode, will greatly help the veterinarian identify the cause.
When in doubt, it's always safer to consult a doctor, because continuous or intense vomiting can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in a short time, especially in young kittens, older cats, or cats with other pre-existing conditions.
I hope this article has been helpful  Observing the frequency of episodes, the appearance of the vomit, your cat's behavior, and the context in which they occur is the best way to to detect in time whether it is a one-off thing or a problem that needs veterinary attentionAnd with small preventative measures at home, such as brushing, good nutrition, stress management, and appropriate feeding bowls, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of your furry friend vomiting after eating.
