If it occurs only once in a while, vomiting in cats is nothing to worry about. All animals are likely to fall sick now and then, and vomiting is a natural symptom of many illnesses. In many cases, vomiting is simply the result of the cat eating something that was spoilt, or food that simply did not agree with it.
In such cases, vomiting is the body’s way of dealing with the problem, and should in fact end the problem. If your cat vomits and then goes on to behave normally, eating, passing stools, playing, and so on, you can forget the episode. However, if your cat continues to vomit, if its appetite is affected, if the stools are also abnormal, and if the cat seems to be lethargic and fatigued, there may be something serious wrong.
Even if your cat seems otherwise unaffected by a single episode of vomiting, but if such episodes occur frequently, you should try to find out what is causing these episodes.
One common cause of cat vomiting is hairballs. As you know, cats clean themselves by licking, and in this way they tend to ingest a lot of their own fur. The fur accumulates in the cats stomach, forming a hairball, which is occasionally regurgitated. Some experts recommend cat grooming with special brushes so that less fur is ingested when the cat grooms itself. Generally however, this is considered unnecessary, unless the hairballs seem to be causing any health problems. Hairballs and their regurgitation are usually considered to be natural phenomenon, and long haired cats are more prone to it. You can ask your vet for advice on this matter.
Sometimes cats may vomit because they have eaten grass or leaves, or because they have eaten prey that was mildly toxic or simply disagreeable. Cats usually hunt simply for pleasure, and not for food, but they will sometimes eat their prey. Lizards and other similar prey might cause a minor digestive upset, leading to vomiting.
However, there are several more serious causes of cat vomiting. Intestinal infections can sometimes be severe and require medical treatment. There are also several intestinal parasites that can cause vomiting, along with other symptoms such as diarrhea, weight loss, and poor appetite. Serious systemic diseases such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, cancer, and so on can also cause vomiting among other symptoms. In such cases, vomiting will usually be chronic, and should be referred to a veterinarian at the earliest.
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