Vomiting is considered a sign of a malfunction of the digestive system, however, in cats, such a manifestation is sometimes considered the norm. Often, animals specially eat grass for this, which provokes a gag reflex and helps to clear the stomach.
If vomiting in cats with foam is rare enough, then do not worry. However, if this happens all the time, then you need to urgently show the pet to the veterinarian, as this can be a sign of a serious illness.
Causes of Cat Vomiting
Foam vomiting in cats can be a kind of protective reaction to the penetration of irritating substances and pathogens into the digestive system. Similar symptoms can occur if the animal has eaten something wrong.
It is very important to pay attention to the nature of the vomit, since if the foam is a uniform consistency, then do not worry. This may indicate a temporary malfunction in the digestive system.
Foam vomiting in cats can act as an independent symptom or be a sign of other diseases associated with pathologies of internal organs, viral or bacterial infections. In particular, the main reasons include the following:
- hunger;
- binge eating;
- ingestion of wool into the digestive organs;
- digestive diseases;
- injuries
- penetration of foreign bodies;
- helminthic infestations;
- poisoning.
Some pet owners complain that the cat periodically appears vomiting on an empty stomach and this problem goes away after eating food. In this case, you do not need to worry about the condition of your pet.
Quite often, vomiting in cats with foam appears after eating, when the animal has eaten much more than the norm. With normalization of nutrition, a similar problem no longer appears.
The cause of vomiting in the animal may be feeding errors. For example, low-quality feed, as well as heavy products, can provoke such a violation. All this leads to diseases of the digestive system. Against this background, a cat may develop gastroenteritis, gastritis, as well as the pancreas and liver.
Often, the owners themselves overfeed the animal, which leads to a load on the digestive system.
One of the common causes of vomiting in a cat is the presence of hair in the stomach of the animal. This is especially true for animals with a dense undercoat. In addition to a direct effect on the mucous membrane, lumps of wool cause blockage of the intestine, while its work slows down, and feces become denser and accumulate.
When toxic substances and poisons enter the body, vomiting can be a protective mechanism. In this case, signs of diarrhea are additionally observed. Nausea and vomiting in an animal can occur due to insufficient production of enzymes.
Types of Vomiting
To determine the cause of the vomiting in the cat with foam, as well as the appointment of appropriate treatment, you must first study the nature of the vomit. If they contain particles of undigested food, this may be due to the fact that the animal eats too fast. If you repeat vomiting, you should immediately visit a veterinarian, as this may be a sign of gastritis, intestinal obstruction or pancreatitis.
Red or pink vomiting in a cat with white foam indicates injury to the stomach or esophagus, or bleeding. It can be triggered by trauma or peptic ulcer.
If vomiting is clear and appears once, then this may be a sign that the animal is hungry. With repeated repetition, it is necessary to examine the digestive organs.
Vomiting in a cat with white foam is characteristic for poisoning with spoiled food or poisons. In this case, you should definitely contact your veterinarian, as this threatens the health and life of the animal. Vomiting in a yellow cat with foam may indicate problems with the functioning of the liver and gall bladder.
Green vomit can occur in case of malfunction of the gallbladder, as a result of which bile enters the stomach. Sometimes this can happen due to the fact that the animal is full of grass.
The reasons for vomiting foam in a cat can be very different. It is precisely by the nature of the vomit that one can determine the intensity of the course of the disease and the need to consult specialists.
Vomiting in pregnant cats
If vomiting is observed with foam and the cat does not eat, then this may be a sign of pregnancy. This is due to the increased content of toxins during the gestation of kittens.
If vomit is not observed impurities of bile, blood, as well as fetid odor, then do not worry. This is a completely normal condition during pregnancy. If there are such impurities, then you need to contact a veterinarian. This symptom is accompanied by diarrhea, which leads to severe dehydration of the animal's body, therefore, you need to provide plenty of water.
Vomiting in kittens
Kittens can be sick for several reasons. Perhaps the reason for going to the veterinarian is a congenital abnormality of the sphincter in the stomach, which does not allow food to normally enter the intestines, returning it back through vomiting. If such a violation is observed, then it is necessary to reduce the portion during feeding. Sometimes a kitten can vomit or vomit after active games. Among other causes of vomiting in kittens, it is necessary to highlight such as:
- the transition from one diet to another;
- harmful or poor quality nutrition;
- binge eating;
- ingestion of wool in the stomach;
- ingestion of foreign objects;
- chemical poisoning;
- liver problems, infectious diseases, pancreatitis;
- possible consequence of vaccination.
If the kitten vomits, then you need to try to find out the cause and show the animal to the veterinarian.
First aid
The reasons for vomiting white foam in cats can be very different, however, it is important to provide timely first aid to the animal. If you are sure that the pet does not suffer from serious illnesses, then you can try to cope with the problem yourself.
Initially, you need to put the cat on a hungry one-day diet, so that the digestive system is unloaded, and the body begins to work normally. After this time, all unpleasant symptoms should pass. You can gradually, but not often, feed your pet rice boiled in chicken broth. It is better to start with small portions that need to be given to the animal every 2-3 hours. Subsequently, servings can be increased, but the number of meals can be reduced.
Tea made from peppermint helps with vomiting. The broth should be cooled and allowed to drink to the animal immediately after vomiting or after a few hours. If the cat often swallows the hair, then you need to give the pet 3 times a week for 1 tsp. vegetable oil. If there is repeated vomiting of white foam in a cat, then you should immediately contact your veterinarian, as this may be a sign of poisoning.
When to contact a veterinarian
If the cat vomits foam, what to do will be able to determine the veterinarian after a comprehensive diagnosis. If vomiting does not stop for a long time, then this may be a sign of a dangerous disease. Be sure to visit a veterinarian if there are a number of related problems, namely:
- the animal has lost interest in food and is constantly vomiting;
- the cat is tormented by intense thirst;
- the pet drinks a lot, but does not go to the toilet;
- vomiting is observed constantly;
- clouding of consciousness is observed.
With such symptoms, you should definitely contact your veterinarian, as this may indicate the presence of dangerous problems that can be deadly.
Diagnostics
When contacting a veterinary clinic, you must inform:
- what fed the cat and whether there were changes in the diet;
- how often vomiting has occurred;
- whether there are chronic diseases, infections in the animal.
This will establish an accurate diagnosis and take appropriate measures. Diagnosis of a pathological condition in a cat is as follows:
- analysis of the consistency and type of vomit;
- inspection of the animal;
- laboratory tests of blood and urine;
- ultrasound diagnostics.
The treatment regimen is selected depending on the diagnosis. It implies the conduct of drug therapy, as well as the implementation of the required measures for the prevention of dehydration.
Treatment features
Treatment of vomiting in a cat with white foam has a general principle and is aimed at eliminating the primary causes. For therapy are used:
- antispasmodics;
- gastroprotectors;
- antiemetics;
- homeopathy;
- folk remedies;
- dieting;
- acupuncture;
- surgical intervention.
If the cat has vomiting with white foam with blood, surgery is required, as this can cause internal bleeding. In addition, surgery is prescribed in the presence of foreign objects in the stomach. They are removed during surgery, and then restorative therapy is required. In the presence of lymphoma and other types of tumors, additional chemotherapy is required.
If the treatment is carried out at home, then the cat needs to be given a weak decoction of chamomile flowers or a decoction of rice. A good result also has a decoction or infusion of oats. In combination with folk remedies, you also need to take such drugs as Papaverine, Enterosgel, No-Shpa.
If the cause of vomiting is a disease of the stomach or intestines, then gastroprotectors are prescribed. They help to carefully protect the gastric mucosa. If the pet is very sick, then there is no point in giving him antiemetics in tablet form, because after a while he will simply vomit them. In this case, it is best to use drugs in the form of injections.
Drug treatment
Often, medication is prescribed for vomiting in a cat with foam, as this eliminates the root cause of this problem. When bacteria are affected, antibiotics are prescribed, and if there is a viral infection, antiviral drugs are required.
In the case of diseases of the intestines and stomach, drugs are prescribed that eliminate irritation of the mucosa and spasm. To eliminate the occurrence of vomiting on the background of clogging of the intestines and stomach with wool, special means are used to prevent hair loss.
In case of liver disease and in the presence of pancreatitis, supporting drugs are used. To stop vomiting, Tserukal is prescribed. It helps to effectively eliminate vomiting and remove toxic substances from the body.
With frequent vomiting, the cat loses a large amount of fluid, which leads to dehydration. To restore the balance of trace elements and salts, the cat is shown taking the Rehydron solution, and in the veterinary clinic intravenous infusions of saline with vitamins and glucose are carried out. In addition, it is recommended to use immunostimulants.
If the cat has yellow vomiting with foam, then you need to give the animal a drink of saline, and then activated charcoal. If helminthic infestations are detected, in addition to restoring the water-salt balance, antiparasitic drugs are required. When poisoning the animal, the stomach is washed and medications are prescribed to promote the elimination of toxic substances.
If vomiting is provoked by inflammation or respiratory diseases, then the root cause must be eliminated initially. Frequent vomiting during pregnancy of a cat also requires appropriate treatment. Usually, an animal is given droppers with vitamins and glucose to support the body of the pet.
It is very important to visit a veterinarian with severe or frequently recurring vomiting, as self-treatment of a pet can lead to dangerous pathologies.
Diet food
Together with drug therapy, adherence to a special diet is very important. During the first 10-12 hours after the manifestation of vomiting, the animal should be kept on a hungry diet. During this period, you can’t give the cat water to drink, you can only let the ice cubes lick.
At the end of the acute period, you can gradually switch to dietary food. During this period, you need to give your pet special food prepared on the basis of rice. From the cat's diet, until complete recovery, you need to exclude heavy food. Coarse dry food is replaced by medical. Food should be frequent and food should be consumed in small portions.
Prophylaxis
Each pet owner needs to know what to do so that the cat does not vomit. In order to prevent, you must:
- observe a quality and balanced diet;
- conduct regular combing;
- prevent the penetration of toxic substances into the body;
- exclude the ingestion of foreign objects into the stomach;
- to vaccinate;
- perform regular deworming;
- timely treat chronic diseases.
It is important to pay special attention to the health of your pet in order to avoid negative consequences. Only the veterinarian will be able to determine the reason why the cat began vomiting, therefore, when the first signs appear, you should definitely consult a veterinarian.
Reviews
According to the reviews of pet owners, in the presence of vomiting in a cat, medications have a very good result, but only a veterinarian should prescribe them. In combination with drugs, you can additionally use traditional medicine, however, before this, a doctor's consultation is required so as not to provoke a deterioration in the well-being of the pet.
In addition, many cat owners say that it is important to follow a proper diet and not overload the animal’s body with junk food. This will help him recover much faster and normalize the digestive process.
If vomiting is single and not strong, then many recommend simply giving the animal Smecta. This tool helps to normalize the well-being of a pet. However, if all these remedies do not help, then you need to urgently visit a doctor.