Digestive problems in cats are a source of constant concern for the guardian and the veterinarian. Digestive pathologies have very characteristic signs and symptoms, but they are not all treated in the same way, so some skill is needed on the part of the veterinary staff to astutely diagnose what is really happening.
We must remember that the causes of a digestive pathology are very diverse, but specifically in felines there are certain references that leave us clues. There are diseases in felines that, although not closely related to the digestive system, end up having some signs such as vomiting or diarrhea as a consequence. In this article on our site we will emphasize vomiting in cats accompanied by lack of appetite, its causes and possible treatments depending on the pathology or condition that has generated them. So read on to find out why your cat is throwing up and not eating
Why is my cat vomiting and not eating?
By the time a cat begins to experience persistent vomiting, there is a very high chance that he will begin to refuse food. If the pet is not medicated on time, the clinical picture that he may present will be inappetent. Loss of appetite for long periods of time should be avoided in any animal, but in cats it is very delicate, since it can cause quite serious liver problems. Many factors lead to loss of appetite (gradual or abrupt) in cats, however, vomiting will be a sign that will help the guardian realize that something is wrong and, in most cases, it will be the reason for consultation.
As we mentioned before, there are various pathologies in cats that can end up producing vomiting. The veterinarian must act quickly to alleviate the symptoms that may be causing the animal pain or discomfort or, in the worst case, gradually deteriorating its he alth. The pertinent complementary exams must be carried out and the results of said exams must be associated with the clinic, in order to be able to reach an accurate diagnosis in the shortest possible time.
The most frequent causes of vomiting and lack of appetite in cats are the following:
- Diet: guardians often come to the clinic with the complaint that their kitten has been vomiting lately. If your cat appears he althy and vomiting and lack of appetite persist, the condition is most likely caused by a change in diet or an improper dietIn case your kitten is not fed processed food and follows a BARF diet, you should keep in mind that the proteins that your cat has to consume must also be approved for human consumption. On occasion, many owners feed their cats leftovers from slaughterhouses (skin, hooves, beaks, feathers, etc.). This practice will result in persistent vomiting and, due to both discomfort and poor nutrition, rejection of food.
- Mealing Frequency: Not all animals have the same eating habits and the guardian should know how your kitten usually eats. If you feed your cat once a day with a large portion, you should monitor if your cat eats too quickly. If you have several cats, you should check if the kitten with vomiting and lack of appetite finishes its food first and is going to eat the others. The solution is simple: if there are several cats and one of them has this behavior, they should be fed in separate rooms. In the event that your kitten eats a considerable amount of food too quickly, divide the portions to avoid this vomiting due to an abrupt intake.
- Foreign bodies: on some occasions a foreign body can obstruct the digestive tract, causing vomiting in cats. It should be taken into account that due to the type of taste buds that the cat has, it can swallow a certain amount of hair when grooming. When hairballs form they can be dense enough to block the digestive tract and cause the kitten to vomit.
- Gastritis: it is an inflammation of the stomach that can be associated both with the intake of spoiled food, as well as with prolonged fasts. The owner must verify that he is giving his kitten quality food, that it meets all the nutritional requirements of his pet and that, of course, there is no possibility that it is spoiled. In the event that the owner divides the food ration to give it to the feline twice a day, he must be careful with the hours, since if the cat is adequate to eat at certain times, the production of stomach acids will increase, causing gastric inflammation and vomiting in case it is not fed on time.
- Pancreatitis: the pancreas produces enzymes necessary for digestion, and when this function is compromised, the feline's quality of life decreases notably. One of the characteristic signs of pancreatitis is persistent vomiting.
- Parasitosis: An excessively high load of gastrointestinal parasites is also characterized by vomiting in cats. Many times it is also associated with diarrhoea.
- Neoplasias: tumors in any part of the digestive system will result in persistent vomiting in cats, because the function is not performed correctly of the affected organ.
There are other pathologies that are not closely associated with the digestive tract and that can cause the cat to vomit and not eat, such as:
- Feline Leukemia Virus
- Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
- Feline hyperthyroidism
- Feline infectious peritonitis
- Hepatic lipidosis
- Kidney failure
My cat is vomiting and not eating or drinking
Having classified the most frequent causes of vomiting and loss of appetite in cats, we can describe a little the reasons why your little feline may not want to drink water either.
First of all it is important to clarify that, under normal conditions, the domestic cat is not used to drinking water very often. However, this is closely associated with its diet, since if it hunts or its diet is wet, it will drink very little water. Your hydration requirements increase if your diet is based on concentrate feed. This peculiarity occurs due to the origin of the domestic cat, which is made to resist dehydration.
If your kitten not only stops drinking water, but also has persistent vomiting and lack of appetite, it is most likely in the presence of some systemic diseaseThe same thing that happens with lack of appetite and vomiting happens with lack of water, that is, if your cat has vomiting or other uncomfortable symptoms, there is a possibility that he will stop drinking water. Therefore, it is possible that these symptoms are due to kidney failure, a viral disease, etc.
What can I do if my cat won't drink water?
There are various origins of this problem and the first thing you should do is provide some solutions in case your cat does not drink water and does not have any pathology. You must remember that stress in cats causes quite marked behavior problems and the lack of food or water intake is one of them.
- Change the water constantly: if the water remains too long in the drinker it can get dirty or reach a temperature that your cat don't like it You must constantly renew the water in the drinker so that your cat feels stimulated to drink it normally.
- Don't change the place of the water bowl: if your feline pet is used to having the water bowl in one space, the change may lead to, for reasons of stress, it does not drink the amounts of water due to its requirements.
- Offer fresh or bottled water: tap water often does not meet the necessary hygienic requirements and can have a bad taste. Make sure you give your pet the best on the market to prevent her from stopping drinking water for unhe althy reasons.
If all these measures are already applied in your home and your cat's lack of water intake is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, you should go immediately to the veterinarian to perform the pertinent tests, since that could be studying with any of the pathologies named above.
My cat vomits yellow and doesn't eat
There are different ways to have a presumptive diagnosis from home to suspect what may be happening with your pet. Having already mentioned the most frequent causes of vomiting and lack of appetite in cats, we can put into practice certain tools to approach a particular condition. One of these ways is to see what the vomit looks like. If the food is digested, if it is only chewed (regurgitated), if it is a liquid and the color of the liquid, they will give us important clues about the current pathology.
Generally the yellowish color, in many cases greenish, in feline vomit is associated with bile (gall). This may indicate that the patient has not eaten for some time and is vomiting bile because he has nothing else in his stomach, however, pancreatitis and liver damageare also associated with the vomiting of gall.
My cat vomits white foam and won't eat
Prolonged fasts are the primary cause of foamy vomiting in cats, as gastrin and hydrochloric acid production builds up due to that the animal has an empty stomach and, to alleviate the discomfort this produces, it is normal for the cat to tend to vomit. It can also be accompanied by bile and if the owner lets this happen periodically, it can cause chronic gastritis in the animal, reducing its quality of life.
Vomiting and lack of appetite in cats due to stress
We must consider that a kitten is not always without appetite due to pathologies. Stress is often a trigger for cats to lose their appetite, vomiting and lack of water intake, so the first thing you will have to assess if your cat vomits and does not want to eat is its environment. Sudden changes in the environment or in the feline's routine cause it to become stressed and changes will be seen both in food intake and in the frequency of defecation and urination. Of course, all the aforementioned pathologies cause loss of appetite, but it is important to keep your pet comfortable most of the time.
Discover the Things that stress cats the most in this article and see if any of them are the cause of the problem.
What to do if my cat vomits and doesn't eat?
If your cat suddenly loses its appetite, there are tools you can use while you contact the veterinarian:
- Heating your food to enhance the smell is a fairly viable option. Felines often respond to the scent of food.
- Offer him food that is not normally in his diet but that you know he likes and is suitable for cats. For example, if your cat only eats dry food, offering him canned food is more than recommended to diagnose whether the loss of appetite is absolute or he is just having a capricious appetite.
- Gently tapping the food bowl on the ground usually attracts your pet, as it also increases the aroma of the contents and makes it more attractive to eat.
It should be noted that these are tools used only and exclusively when loss of interest in food and vomiting are due to stress or factors that are not associated with illness. It should be done while the veterinarian arrives to perform your care. Avoid giving medications without veterinary supervision, as you risk the life of your pet.
