Although many caregivers think that it is normal for cats to vomit frequently, the truth is that acute episodes of vomiting or recurrent vomiting over time are always a reason for veterinary consultation and can have many different causes. In this article on our site we are going to focus on describing the most common when explaining why our cat vomits white foam
It is good that we observe if the vomiting is acute (a lot of vomiting in a short time) or chronic (1-2 vomiting a day or almost does not subside) and if, in addition, other symptoms such as it could be diarrhea, to report it to the vet.
Gastrointestinal causes of foam vomiting
The simplest reason behind vomiting is going to be irritation of the digestive system, which can have different causes. At the time of diagnosis, it will be important to take into account, in addition to whether the vomiting is sporadic or persistent and whether or not there are other symptoms, as we have already said, the content of the vomit, since it can be foam, food, blood or even parasites. In the article we will focus on why the cat vomits white foam.
Some of the gastrointestinal causes are as follows:
- Gastritis: Gastritis in cats can be both acute and chronic and, in both cases, will require veterinary assistance. In gastritis, irritation of the stomach wall occurs, such as when a substance such as grass, some foods, medications or toxic substances is ingested, therefore, poisoning in cats is another cause of gastritis. When this is chronic we can see that our cat's coat is losing quality. If it is not treated, we will also appreciate weight loss. In younger cats, food allergy may be behind gastritis. For all this, it must be our veterinarian who identifies the specific cause and prescribes the corresponding treatment.
- Foreign bodies: in cats, the typical example is hairballs, especially during the moulting season. Sometimes this hair ends up forming, inside the digestive system, hard balls, known as trichobezoars, which can become so large that they cannot come out on their own. Thus, the presence of foreign bodies can cause irritation of the digestive system but also an obstruction or even an intussusception (introduction of a segment of the intestine into the intestine itself), in which case surgical intervention would be necessary.
- Inflammatory bowel disease: it is one of the most common causes of vomiting in cats and must be differentiated from other pathologies such as lymphoma. Our veterinarian will be in charge of carrying out the relevant tests. In these cases we can see that the cat vomits white foam and has diarrhea or, at least, decomposition, in a chronic way, that is, that it does not correct itself over the days.
Finally, note that one of the best-known infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal system, feline panleukopenia, causes vomiting and profuse diarrhea, but in this case, they are usually bloody. In addition, the cat will usually have a fever, will be dull, and will not eat. This state represents a veterinary emergency
Other causes of vomiting foam
Sometimes, the cause that will explain why our cat vomits white foam will not be in the stomach or intestine, but in various diseases that affect organs such as the liver, the pancreas or the kidney. Some of these conditions are:
- Pancreatitis: Feline pancreatitis can be caused by a variety of causes, all of which will require veterinary treatment. It presents acutely or, more frequently, chronically and can concur with other diseases, such as gastrointestinal, liver, diabetes, etc. It consists of inflammation or swelling of the pancreas, an organ responsible for producing enzymes for digestion and insulin to metabolize sugar. Among the symptoms are vomiting but also diarrhea, weight loss and a coat in poor condition.
- Hepatic failure: The liver performs important functions such as waste removal or metabolism. A failure in its operation will cause symptoms, many of them non-specific, such as vomiting, lack of appetite or weight loss. In more advanced cases, jaundice occurs in cats, which is the yellowish coloration of the mucous membranes and skin. Various diseases, toxins or tumors can affect the liver, so veterinary diagnosis and treatment will be essential.
- Diabetes: Diabetes in cats is a common disease in cats over 6 years of age, characterized by inadequate insulin production, which is the substance responsible for getting glucose to cells. Without insulin, glucose accumulates in the blood and symptoms occur. The most common is that we see that our cat drinks, eats and urinates more, although it does not gain weight, but vomiting, alterations in the coat, bad breath, etc. can also occur. The strict treatment must be established by the veterinarian.
- Kidney failure: Kidney failure in cats is a very common condition in older cats. Kidney damage can also occur acutely or chronically. Chronic renal failure cannot be cured but it can be treated to keep the cat with the best possible quality of life. For this reason, it is essential to go to the veterinarian as soon as we observe symptoms such as a considerable increase in water intake, a change in the excretion of urine, loss of appetite, dehydration, coat in poor condition, dull mood, weakness, wounds in the mouth, strange smelling breath or vomiting Acute cases require urgent veterinary care.
- Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid gland is located in the neck and is responsible for producing thyroxine. Its excess implies the development of a clinical picture, especially in cats older than 10 years, which will consist of weight loss, significant increase in activity (we will notice that the cat does not stop), increase in food and water intake, vomiting, diarrhea, greater elimination of urine and, also, more vocalizations, that is, the cat will be more "talkative". As always, it will be the veterinarian who, after the relevant tests, diagnoses the disease.
- Parasites: if our kitten vomits white foam and we haven't dewormed it internally, it may be infested with internal parasites. In these cases, we may also observe that the kitten vomits white foam and does not eat or also has diarrhoea, all of which are discomforts caused by the action of the parasites. As we say, this situation is more likely to occur in kittens than in adults, since they are more resistant to parasites. Our veterinarian will recommend some of the best products for deworming cats.
If you look closely, most of these diseases have similar symptoms, so it is essential Go to our vet without delay since As we have said, frequent vomiting in cats is not normal and we must identify the disease that causes it as soon as possible to start treatment.
Avoid and treat vomiting foam
Once we have exposed the most common causes that explain why a cat vomits white foam, we will see some recommendations on what we can do to prevent and act in this situation. They are as follows:
- Vomiting is a symptom that should not be left untreated, by going to our reference veterinarian.
- It's a good idea to write down the symptoms you see. In the case of vomiting, we must look at its composition and its frequency. This will help the vet reach a diagnosis.
- We must provide our cat with a diet that is adequate for its nutritional needs, avoiding foods that may make it feel bad or cause an allergic reaction.
- We also need to keep him in a safe environment to prevent him from swallowing any potentially dangerous objects.
- As for hairballs, we should brush our cat, especially during the moulting season, as this helps to remove all the dead hair that has to fall out. We can also count on the help of m alt for cats or feed specially formulated to favor the transit of the hair.
- It is important to maintain a calendar of internal and external deworming, even when our cat does not have access to the outside. Our veterinarian will give us the most appropriate guidelines depending on our circumstances.
- If our cat vomits once and is in good spirits, we can wait, observing it, before contacting the vet. On the contrary, if the vomiting is repeated, we appreciate other symptoms or we see our cat down, we should go directly to the vet, without trying to treat it on our own.
- Finally, from 6-7 years of age it is convenient that, at least once a year, we take our cat to the veterinary clinic for a full review including analytics. This is justified because in these controls some of the diseases we have talked about can be diagnosed early, which allows treatment to be started before the first symptoms appear.
