Vomiting is a common finding when taking a feline medical history. Cat owners seem to accept that all cats vomit and are often not concerned if a cat is vomiting several times a month or weekly. If you do a Google search,“how often do cats vomit” , the AI overview will state something like “It is considered normal for cats to vomit occasionally, typically once or twice a month, often due to hairballs or eating too quickly.”
Managing the vomiting cat
Per Dr. Adam Rudinsky at Ohio State University, there is “no such thing as harmless vomiting”. There are a number of possible medical causes, ranging from gastritis and food reactions to cancer and kidney disease (Reference 1). But what about the cat who is diagnostically healthy? And is there more (apart from medications and supplements) we can do to manage those cats that vomit regularly due to a chronic condition such as Inflammatory Bowel disease?
Coughing or vomiting?
When a cat vomits, the abdominal muscles and diaphragm contract at the same time. The diaphragm moves forward while the abdominal muscles compress the stomach, forcing the contents up and through the esophagus (Reference 2).
The diaphragm and abdominal muscles are also active when a cat coughs but there is no retching and production of stomach contents when a cat coughs. Sometimes violent coughing can result in vomiting.
Both vomiting and coughing use the same muscles, hence the confusion that “hairballs are coughed up”. The cat must vomit to expel a hairball – you will see the stomach heaving back and forth in intense, rhythmic contractions that you don’t see in coughing. Many cats will vocalize, lick lips, and drool prior to vomiting.
Dietary tools in Managing the Vomiting Cat
The tools available to the caregiver of a cat prone to vomiting are dietary and behavioral. Let’s first look at how we may modify the cat’s diet.
The vomiting cat’s diet must meet their nutritional needs and also be (Reference 4):
- Palatable
- Reduce excess stomach and intestinal secretions
- Keep food moving through the digestive tract
The diet should be easily digested and contain enough protein to maintain lean body mass. There are veterinary diets that are formulated to be palatable and easily digested.
What form of food?
The form of food (e.g., liquid, canned or dry) affects how quickly the stomach empties. Liquid diets are the fastest to leave the stomach, followed by canned foods and finally dry kibble. One study aimed at determining the optimal time to fast a cat before anesthesia found that some dry kibble could be found in the stomach after an 8 hour fast whereas canned food was gone in less than 4 hours (Reference 3).
Vomiting is associated with fluid loss. Cats with mild fluid deficits can be managed with oral water intake or fluids under the skin. If the cat will eat it, canned food can provide moisture and faster transit through the stomach. If your cat is a confirmed dry food eater, adding some warm water to their dry food can offset some of the fluid loss and improve palatability (Reference 4).
Vomiting may trigger food aversion in some cats. You may want to use a diet made with different ingredients than the regular diet during an episode of vomiting.
Small meals frequently
Consider feeding smaller meals more frequently ( 3-6 meals daily). Smaller meals result in less stomach distention, reduce gastric acid secretion, and transit the stomach faster (Reference 4).
Hairballs
Cats prone to hairballs can benefit from the addition of fiber to their diet to help clearance of swallowed hair. Commercial hairball diets blend insoluble fibers such as cellulose and soluble fibers, typically beet pulp.
Managing the vomiting cat includes several dietary strategies:
- Adding more canned food in their diet
- Feeding smaller meals more frequently
- Feeding a diet with fiber added if hairballs are a problem
The type of diet, form of food, or number of meals is often not the full picture. The asocial cat becomes a social eater living in the human home. Next up, behavioral concerns with managing the vomiting cat.
references
- Rudinsky, Adam. “YouTube Live: Chronic Vomiting Cats: What Can We Do?”. October 4, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkZsUYhswGk. Viewed 7/18/26.
- Batchelor DJ, Devauchelle P, Elliott J, et al. “Mechanisms, causes, investigation and management of vomiting disorders in cats: a literature review”. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2013;15(4):237-265. doi:10.1177/1098612X12473466
- Castro, JLC et al. “Determining the Optimal Time of Gastric Emptying in Cats Using Dry or Wet Food”. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, 2016. 44: 1365. Pub. 1365I. 24June2016
- Purina Institute, Centre Square. “Feline Chronic Enteropathy”. https://www.purinainstitute.com/centresquare/therapeutic-nutrition/feline-chronic-enteropathy, viewed 7/14/26.
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