My Cat is Vomiting - When Hairballs Are Not the Cause of Cat Vomiting

By Kate Rieger

Perhaps you have watched your cat gulp down his chow quickly (like a dog!), then drink a lot of water(like a dog!), then he jumped up on the bed for a nap(like a cat). He wakes up and jumps off the bed -- whoops -- your cat is vomiting his dinner all over the floor.

If he gives the mess a disdainful glare and sits down in front of the cat food bowl looking for more food, you don't need to be too concerned. Your cat simply had a load of undigested food in his belly and landed on the floor too hard which caused him to throw up his dinner. While overeating and cat hairballs are common causes of cat vomiting, here are some other reasons why your cat is vomiting and how you should react to them.

1. Swallowing a foreign object, like a plant that irritates the stomach; or dental floss or string, that has tangled itself inside his intestine
2. Pancreatitis
3. Diabetes
4. Hyperthyroidism
5. Kidney disease
6. Inflammatory bowel disease
7. Feline urinary tract infection

If there is blood in the vomit, either bright red or black, get your cat to the vet immediately. This is a sure sign that he has eaten something poisonous.

Cats are not cows, but they do enjoy occasionally eating grass and plants. If your cat is vomiting over and over, but shows no other signs of illness, hold off feeding him for 12 to 24 hours. If he becomes lethargic and won't eat after 24 hours get him to the vet - fast. He may have ingested something poisonous, or even have another illness like pancreatitis.

Cats love to play with strings of all types: dental floss, thread, yarn, tinsel, fishing line. When they swallow the string it has a chance to tangle up inside his intestines and even cause a blockage.

If your cat is vomiting repeatedly and doesn't let up, this is a sure sign that he has swallowed something foreign. An intestinal blockage is life threatening. Get him to the vet.

If you cat is a chronic vomiter - he vomits on a regular basis, but perhaps only once or twice a month, then he may be suffering from irritable bowel disease. If he drinks and urinates excessively in conjunction with cat vomiting, he may be diabetic, have kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, cancer, heartworm disease, or event a feline urinary tract infection.

If you are a cat owner whose cat is suffering from entangled intestines, or poisoning, or is a chronic vomiter, your cat needs proper diagnosis by a veterinarian. If the diagnosis requires long-term medical treatment, talk to you vet about herbal solutions for your cat.

Vets are turning more today to herbal solutions for treating the illnesses that cause chronic cat vomiting. Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) is an excellent tonic for the entire digestive tract including your cat's intestines, bladder and kidneys.

Urtica urens is used in modern herbalism to promote a healthy metabolism and supports strong thyroid and adrenal functions. Galega officinalis (Goat's Rue) helps improve pancreatic health and maintain healthy insulin levels in cats. Arctostaphylos uva ursi helps maintain normal pH levels in your cat's urinary tract.

If your cat is vomiting and you suspect one of these illnesses, natural herbal remedies play a large part in eliminating disease and maintaining wellness. Better yet, help your cat stick to a simple pet health care program that actually gets him on the fast track to recovery using simple, natural herbal solutions.

About The Author: Kate Rieger has been owned by 15+ cats and is a champion of spay and release for her feral cat neighbors. She is partnered with the Kentucky S.N.I.P clinic and together through adoptions, education programs and spay/neuter efforts, they provide affordable solutions to reducing the pet overpopulation crisis in the Kentuckiana region. While she would like to extend the concept of spay/neuter to some of the human population, she swears she's only into altering cats. Never one to be short on opinion, she is on good behavior during her speaking engagements at local schools, organizations, Fortune 100 companies, and on local and national radio talk shows. Drop by and pick up a free copy of her eBook '111 Things You Don't Know That Could Harm Your Cat,' that shows you how to protect your cat from conditions that could injure your cat. Pick up a copy and protect your cat today.