My cat is vomiting and does not eat: causes and what to do

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 6 August 2021
Update Date: 1 November 2024
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Why Do Cats VOMIT? - 8 Most Common CAUSES
Video: Why Do Cats VOMIT? - 8 Most Common CAUSES

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Digestive Problems in Cats they are a constant concern for the tutor and the veterinarian. Digestive diseases have very characteristic signs and symptoms, but not all are treated equally, so it takes some skill on the part of the veterinary team to intelligently diagnose what is really happening.

We must remember that the causes of a digestive pathology are very diverse, but specifically in cats there are certain references that leave us clues. There are diseases in cats that, although not closely related to the digestive system, end up causing some clinical signs, such as vomiting or diarrhea. In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain everything about vomiting in felines accompanied by lack of appetite, its causes and possible treatments according to the pathology or condition that generated them. Keep reading to find out - My cat is vomiting and does not eat: causes and what to do.


Why is my cat vomiting and not eating?

By the time a cat starts to experience persistent vomiting, there is a very high possibility that he will start refusing food. If the animal is not medicated in time, the clinical picture that may present itself will be inappetizing. Long-term bad appetite should be avoided in any animal, but in cats it is very delicate as it can cause 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 caregiver to realize that something is wrong and, in most cases, will be the reason for the consultation.

As we mentioned earlier, there are several pathologies in felines that can end up producing vomiting. The veterinarian must act quickly to relieve symptoms that may be causing pain or discomfort to the animal or, in the worst case, gradually deteriorating its health. Relevant complementary exams must be performed and the results of these exams must be associated with the clinic to reach an accurate diagnosis in the shortest time possible.


The most frequent causes of vomiting and lack of appetite in cats are as follows:

  • Diet: guardians often come to the clinic with the complaint that the kitten has been vomiting lately. If your cat looks healthy and vomiting and lack of appetite persist, it is more likely that the condition is being caused by a change in diet or an inappropriate diet. If your cat is not being fed processed foods and you are on a BARF diet, note that the proteins your cat needs to ingest must also be approved for human consumption. Many owners sometimes feed their cats with scraps from slaughterhouses (fur, hooves, beaks, feathers, etc.). This practice will result in persistent vomiting and, due to both discomfort and malnutrition, rejection of food.
  • Frequency of meals: not all animals have the same eating habits, and the tutor should know how their puppy generally eats. If you feed your feline a substantial portion once a day, you should supervise it to make sure it's not eating too fast. If you have several cats, you should check to see if the pet that is vomiting and has a poor appetite finishes his food first and will eat the others. The solution is simple: if there are several cats and one of them has this behavior, they must be fed in separate rooms. If your kitten is eating a significant amount of food too quickly, divide the portions to avoid vomiting that results from abruptly eating the food.
  • Foreign bodies: Sometimes a foreign body can block the digestive tract, causing vomiting in cats. We must take into account the type of taste buds that the cat has, being able to swallow a certain amount of hair when washing. The hairballs that form can be dense enough to clog the digestive tract and cause the kitten to vomit.
  • Gastritis: it is an inflammation of the stomach that can be associated with both the ingestion of bad food and prolonged fasting. The guardian must make sure that the kitten receives a quality food that meets all the nutritional requirements of his animal and that, of course, there is no possibility that he is spoiled. If you divide the kibble to give the cat twice a day, you must be careful with the time, because if the cat is used to eating at certain times, the production of gastric acids will increase, causing gastric inflammation and vomiting if 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 hallmarks of pancreatitis is persistent vomiting.
  • Parasites: a very high load of gastrointestinal parasites is also a characteristic sign of vomiting in cats. It is often associated with diarrhea.
  • Neoplasms: Tumors anywhere in the digestive tract will result in persistent vomiting in cats, due to the failure of the affected organ to function properly.

There are other pathologies that are not closely associated with the digestive system and that can cause the cat to vomit and not eat, for example:


  • Feline Leukemia Virus
  • Feline immunodeficiency virus
  • feline hyperthyroidism
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis
  • liver lipidosis
  • Renal insufficiency

My cat is vomiting and does not eat or drink

Having classified the most frequent causes of vomiting and loss of appetite in cats, we can describe a little the reasons why your feline also does not want to drink water.

First of all, it is important to clarify that, under normal conditions, the domestic cat does not drink water very often. However, this is closely associated with his diet, as if he hunts or has a wet diet, he will drink very little water. Your hydration needs increase if your diet is based on concentrated and dry foods. This peculiarity is due to the origin of the domestic cat, which is made to resist dehydration.

If your cat not only stops drinking water, but also suffers from persistent vomiting and a lack of appetite, it is more likely to be in the presence of a systemic illness. The same as with poor appetite and vomiting, so with lack of water - if your cat is vomiting or experiencing other uncomfortable symptoms, there is a chance he will stop drinking water. This could be due to kidney failure, viral disease, etc.

What can I do if my cat doesn't drink water?

There are a number of reasons for this, and the first thing you should do is find some solutions if your cat is not drinking water and is not sick. Remember that stress in cats causes severe behavioral problems and lack of food or water intake is one of them.

  • Change the water constantly - if it is left in the water basin for a long time, it can become dirty or reach a temperature that your cat will not like. You need to constantly refresh the water in the bowl to encourage your cat to drink normally.
  • do not move the water basin: If your cat is used to having the bowl in one space, the change could mean that, due to stress, he will not receive the right amount of water for his needs.
  • Offer fresh or bottled water: tap water often does not meet the necessary hygienic requirements and can have a bad taste. Be sure to give your pet the best available to prevent it from stopping drinking water for unhealthy reasons.

If all of these measures are already in place in your home and your cat's lack of water intake is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, you should go immediately to your veterinarian to take the relevant tests as he may be suffering from any of the above mentioned illnesses.

cat vomiting yellow and does not eat

There are several ways to have a presumptive diagnosis at home to suspect what may be happening to your pet. Having already mentioned the most common causes of cat vomiting and no appetite, we can use certain tools to approach a certain condition. One of these ways is to pay attention to the appearance of vomiting. Whether the food is digested, whether it is just chewed (regurgitated), whether it is liquid, and the color of the liquid are factors that can give us important clues about the ongoing pathology.

Generally, the yellowish, in many cases greenish, color of feline vomit is associated with bile. This may indicate that the patient has not eaten for a long time and is vomiting bile because there is nothing left in the stomach, however pancreatitis and liver damage are also associated with biliary vomiting. Learn more about cat vomiting yellow in this article.

cat vomiting white foam and does not eat

Prolonged fasting is the main cause of frothy vomiting in cats, as the production of gastrin and hydrochloric acid accumulates due to the fact that the animal has an empty stomach, and to alleviate the discomfort this produces, it is normal for the cat to have a tendency to vomit. It can also be accompanied by bile, and if the guardian lets this happen periodically, it can cause chronic gastritis in the animal, decreasing its quality of life.

cat vomiting and does not eat due to stress

We must consider that a kitten does not always have a lack of appetite due to pathologies. Stress is often a trigger for feline inappetence, vomiting and lack of water intake, so the first thing you will need to assess if your cat is vomiting and does not want to eat is his environment. Sudden changes in a feline's environment or routine will cause her to become stressed and you will see changes in both her food intake and the frequency of bowel movements and urination. Of course, all of the aforementioned pathologies are accompanied by inappetence, but it is important to keep your pet comfortable most of the time.

Find out the things that stress cats the most in this article and see if any of them are causing the problem.

My cat is vomiting and does not eat, what to do?

If your cat has suddenly lost her appetite, there are tools you can use while contacting your veterinarian:

  • Heating his food to enhance the smell is a very viable option. Cats tend to respond to the smell of food.
  • Offer foods that are not normally in the diet, but that you know he likes and are suitable for cats. For example, if your cat only eats dry food, offering canned food is more than recommended for diagnosing whether the lack of appetite is absolute or if it is just a whimsical appetite.
  • Gently tapping the food bowl on the floor will often attract your pet as it also increases the aroma of the contents and makes them more attractive to eat.

It should be noted that these are instruments used solely and exclusively when loss of interest in food and vomiting is due to stress or factors that are not associated with illness. It must be done while the veterinarian comes to carry out your care. ANDavoid giving medication without veterinary supervision, because you expose your pet's life.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to My cat is vomiting and does not eat: causes and what to do, we recommend that you enter our Other health problems section.