Help! My Cat Can’t Keep Food Down & Vomits Immediately After Eating!

cat feeling sick
(Last Updated On: July 30, 2022)

Just like dogs, cats can vomit without any apparent reason. It usually happens when a cat eats too fast or too much in a short period. Another reason why this might happen is that your cat has eaten something which it  shouldn’t, like a mouse, bird, frog, or something like that. Also, if a cat starts running around or playing with you or another cat right after a meal, chances are you will have to clean up it’s vomit.

If your cat vomits immediately after eating, and stops, it probably just ate something that it shouldn’t have eaten. If it is regularly eating and has normal bowel movement without any diarrhea, there is no reason to worry. If it’s acting normal after vomiting, then it probably got rid of the problem.cat feeling sick

However, if you notice that your cat is losing interest in food and seems lethargic, contact your vet and schedule a check-up.

Cats can vomit for various reasons such as intestinal and stomach problems, infectious diseases, cancer, feline diabetes, and kidney failure. Perhaps your cat can’t keep dry food down? Or your cat has been throwing up a lot lately. Read on to know what you should do.

When Should You Worry If Your Cat Vomits

As mentioned, you shouldn’t start panicking as soon as your cat vomits. If it keeps happening, though, your cat might have a problem. Here are some things you should pay attention to.

  • Weight Loss – if your cat starts rapidly losing weight or has diarrhea and blood in his vomit, you should take it to the wet.
  • Dehydration – if your cat is throwing up, that could mean that it is not getting any water into its system. You should take it to the vet so it can start an IV.
  • Reduced movement – if you notice that your cat is lethargic and less active than usual, there might be a serious problem. Also, if you notice that it is lying down in ‘’secluded’’ places and spaces around your home, it might be pretty sick.

Help! My Cat Ate a Chicken Bone!

What Can You Do For Your Sick Cat?

If your cat vomits, keep it away from food and water for a couple of hours. Don’t worry, it won’t starve. This will help its stomach recover and settle down. If it hasn’t thrown up during those couple of hours, give it a couple of tablespoons worth of water. If your cat manages to keep that water down, give it more. After that, you can give it a mixture of boiled potatoes or rice mixed with cottage cheese, lean hamburger, or chicken. Just remember to remove the skin from chicken.

Control Your Cat’s Weight And Diet

Cats are predators and carnivores. Quite simply, they were created to hunt. They have sharp teeth, short intestines, strong digestive systems, and sharp claws which is why holistic practitioners believe that cats should eat raw food. Dry cat food which you buy in your local store or a pet shop is full of carbohydrates. Now think about it, if your cat, who is a carnivore, eats too many carbs, what will happen? Your kitty will pack on weight, and it can mess up its digestive system.

The important thing to know is that you can’t change your cat’s diet suddenly because it may lead to even more health problems. Instead, gradually replace the dry, store-bought food with raw, fresh, and unprocessed foods.

Best Diet For Your Cat

Since store-bought food is full of carbs which can cause problems for your cat, you should try feeding them wet canned food or fresh, raw meat. Canned cat food contains much more moisture which helps the digestive system of your cat. Fresh, raw meat is also much easier to digest than a bunch of carbs. Also, if you notice that your cat is throwing up hairballs covered in bile, you should start adding green sprouts to your cat’s meals. If your cat stopped eating wet food suddenly, see this article.

If your cat is coughing up hairballs regularly, it might indicate that there’s a problem with their digestion. Avoid buying remedies since they are often full of sugar and petroleum, which is unhealthy. Instead, add a little cod liver oil into your cat’s food.

Is Your Cat Active?

If you have only one cat and you live in an apartment, chances are your cat is not getting enough exercise. Combine that with a carb-rich diet, and you will get a bunch of health problems. You should find at least one hour a day to play with your cat. This will help your cat with any minor digestion problems, and it will ease any stress they might have.

Conclusion

If your cat vomits, don’t panic. If your kitty is acting healthy and if it is eating without any problems, chances are the problem will solve itself. You just have to keep an eye on your cat’s diet, level of activity, weight, and stool. If you notice drastic changes in the physique or the behavior of your cat, contact your vet and schedule an appointment.

2 Comments

  • Kevin says:

    Cat vomits every time he eats. Doesn’t stop him from moving around, but again, it’s EVERY time he eats. This seems like it might be a food problem. Dry or wet food doesn’t matter. This has been going on for a few months now. I’ve had cats before, never had a problem. We’ve also tried sensitive stomach food, and still every time. We have a gravity feed bowl that we keep full, and have watched him eat… He take like 4-5 bites and throws it all up. Not sure what can be done other than trying a vet. He did come from a somewhat abusive home, not sure if there’s internal problems. Definitely doesn’t like his stomach touched though.

  • lauren says:

    hello, my name is lauren, i found your article online. i have a five year old orange tabby that i adopted from the shelter about a year ago. sweetest boy ive had, and i had no idea why anyone would surrender him.

    however, i understood why a few months later when he began having problems. he had two UTIs that first year that were fixed with antibiotics. i then put him on the hills prescription diet for urinary care to prevent any more utis. i figured that was the worst of it. it fixed his urine problems, yet it made his stool literal orange liquid that SMELLED like AWFUL chemicals. he would even end up s***ing on the wall… i took him off of it and his stool was immediately better. but, months after he began constantly vomiting, either right after or soon after he would eat.

    i have taken him to the vet numerous times throughout all of these experiences and spent over $5,000 on tests and food for them to tell me NOTHING was wrong with him. i can no longer afford to go to the vet. i began taking his health into my own hands by trying to make a good diet for him. i tried raw food, wet food, dry food, dry and wet food, raw food with goat milk, etc… the switched diets proved to work for some time but eventually each diet would end in the same result of him becoming intolerant of it altogether and unable to keep down food. he is currently going through this again and i am desperate for help. i love kiwi so much, and i hate seeing him like this, but i have been completely overcharged at the vet and i simply cant go any more. im willing to take any advice that might help with his diet and intolerance. i know its possible that he could be in pain because when he lays in bed with me at night he constantly flicks his tail as if irritated for no reason.
    please, please help!

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