Virtually every pet owner who has felines has had to deal with cat vomit at some point or another. As with dogs, it's not uncommon for cats to vomit irregularly. It is oftentimes not a major issue and may not even be anything to worry about at all, aside from the hygienic issue of having to clean up the mess. However, if your pet vomits regularly or periodically, it may also be a sign of some underlying medical concern that you need to address.
Vomiting is a difficult symptom to gauge, because it is a warning sign for dozens of different feline health problems. However, there are a few different causes of cat's vomiting that are most likely when the cat vomits shortly after eating a meal.
Eating too Quickly
Perhaps the single most likely reason that your cat is vomiting shortly after he eats has to do with the speed at which he eats. Cats that eat too quickly will find that the food they ingest doesn't sit well in their stomachs. Although they may not be sick at all and have no real health problems, their body's sometimes reject the food shortly after it is ingested. In these cases, your pet will likely vomit up his food after he eats. This situation is likely to occur in obese and overweight cats or, most likely of all, in homes in which there are multiple cats fighting over the same dish of food.
If you have multiple cats, consider feeding them in separate rooms or in isolated areas where they will not feel the pressure to eat as quickly as possible. Because one cat can easily outpower the other one for a more sizable share of food, keeping your pet's separated in this way will help to ensure that they don't eat too fast.
Metabolic Disorders
A more serious potential cause of vomiting immediately after eating is a metabolic disorder. There are a number of different metabolic disorders which may affect your cat. These include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, liver disease and more. In each of these cases, the vomiting will be accompanied by a host of other symptoms, which may include some or all of the following:
- Loss of appetite in general
- Lethargy
- Change in movement or gait
- Diarrhea
- Paling of the gums, lips, nose and tongue
In these cases, prompt medical attention is necessary in order to ensure that your cat doesn't continue to suffer from this condition.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Cats that suffer from various gastrointestinal disorders oftentimes reject food that they eat. If a cat's stomach and general system cannot process the food properly, it will oftentimes give it up in the form of vomit. There are a host of different disorders and issues that may cause this, from colitis and inflammation of various parts of the gastrointestinal system to parasites and other issues as well.
For more information relative to your cat, ask a vet.