Help! My Cat’s Throwing Up!

When you’re a cat owner, then dealing with upset stomachs is part of life. For keen foragers and hunters, cat’s digestive systems can be upset surprisingly easily. If you’re dealing with a cat with diarrhea and vomiting too often then it’s time to look for help – and this is a great place to start!

The Clean Up

It’s important to clean up thoroughly and quickly. It’s not just to prevent staining and disperse nasty odours. Cats are creatures of habit and once they’ve inaugurated a toilet, they may well return to it. If you can remove all signs of the initial problem, then they won’t have anywhere to return to.

Many owners favour an enzymatic cleaner, which uses enzymes to break down the molecular chains that cause stains and odours quickly and remove the evidence.

How Is Your Cat?

It’s important to check on your cat when they’ve been sick or suffered diarrhea. While most instances of this kind of sickness pass quickly and aren’t something you need to worry too much about, there’s a chance it’s the first sign of something serious. Look for symptoms like lack of appetite or energy, evidence that they’re in pain or blood in the stool or vomit: these could all indicate that something is seriously wrong.

Taking Care

If your cat has just vomited once, or experienced one instance of diarrhea then you likely don’t need to worry too much about caring for them going forward. They may have sampled something that doesn’t agree with them or eaten too much at dinner.

If they continue to suffer, then it’s worth making sure they can stay hydrated – if they’re vomiting a lot or suffering an extended bout of diarrhea then they’re losing more fluid than usual, very quickly. Make sure they have plenty of fresh, clean water available so they can rehydrate easily.

If they’re having difficulty holding food down and digesting it, then you might want to consider shifting their diet in the short term. Boiled chicken with rice is a popular choice for an easy to digest meal for a sick cat.

When to Call the Vet

There are key indicators that tell you when you need to call the vet rather than continuing to care for your cat at home. If vomiting or diarrhea persist after three days, then it’s less likely to simply pass, and they may need medical treatment. Similarly, if they lose their appetite, appear to be in pain or are very sluggish and lacking in energy, there might be something more causing the problem, and an expert needs to take a look.