Cat vomiting — when to worry
A cat vomiting more than once or twice in 24 hours, going off food, or hiding needs same-day vet contact — cats decompensate fast.
Recognise the signs
- Yowling or stretching out before producing vomit
- Hair visible (hairball) versus food/bile/blood
- Yellow bile on an empty stomach
- Food brought up shortly after eating (often regurgitation in fast eaters)
- Blood — red flecks or coffee-ground appearance
- Hiding, refusing food, weight loss
First aid steps
- Remove food for 2–4 hours; cats must not be starved longer due to fatty liver risk.
- Offer small amounts of water; many cats prefer running water from a fountain.
- After 4 hours offer a small amount of bland food — boiled chicken or white fish, or a vet-recommended sensitive recovery diet.
- If the cat refuses food for more than 24 hours, phone the vet — feline hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) can develop in a cat that does not eat for 2–3 days.
Do NOT
- Do not starve a cat for more than a few hours — fatty liver disease is a real risk.
- Do not give human paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin — paracetamol especially is fatal to cats.
- Do not give cow's milk to soothe the stomach — most cats are lactose-intolerant.
- Do not assume vomiting in a thin older cat is hairballs — investigate for hyperthyroidism, kidney disease or IBD.
When to phone the vet immediately
- Any cat that has not eaten for 24 hours
- More than 2–3 vomits in a day
- Blood in vomit
- String visible from mouth or anus — do not pull
- Lethargy, hiding, jaundice (yellow gums or eyes)
- Suspected lily exposure — even pollen on the fur
- Diabetic cat or kitten under 6 months
Signs that can usually wait for a routine appointment
- An occasional hairball (1–2 per month) in an otherwise bright, eating, drinking and toileting cat is not usually concerning, but mention it at the next routine appointment.
Common causes
- Hairballs (typically once or twice a week, with hair visible)
- Eating too fast
- Sudden diet change
- Hyperthyroidism in older cats
- Chronic kidney disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Linear foreign body — string, thread, tinsel
- Toxin ingestion — lilies, paracetamol, permethrin spot-ons
- Pancreatitis
What the vet will need to know
- How many vomits and over what period
- Appearance — hair, food, bile, blood, foreign material
- Eating, drinking, urinating, defaecating normally?
- Indoor/outdoor — exposure to plants, chemicals, prey
- Recent flea or worm treatments — and product name (permethrin in cats is toxic)
- Weight changes over the past few months
- Age and any known conditions
Aftercare
- Continue prescribed diet or anti-nausea medication as directed.
- Hairball-prone cats benefit from regular grooming and a hairball-management diet.
- Address any underlying conditions diagnosed (kidney support diet, thyroid medication).
- Keep a simple log of vomiting frequency for the vet.
Prevention
- Slow-feeder bowls or puzzle feeders for fast eaters.
- Regular grooming, especially for long-haired cats.
- Keep house plants checked — no lilies, no autumn crocus, no daffodils within reach.
- Never use dog spot-on products on cats.
- Annual senior bloods from age 8 catch chronic disease early.
Breed-specific notes
- Persians and other long-haired breeds are more prone to hairballs.
- Siamese and Oriental breeds over-represented in IBD and food sensitivity.
Frequently asked questions
How often is normal for hairballs?
Once or twice a month is broadly within normal for many long-haired cats. Weekly or more frequent hairballs, or any cat producing hairballs alongside reduced appetite or weight loss, deserves a vet check — it may not be 'just hairballs'.
My cat vomits right after eating but then eats again — what's that?
Often regurgitation from eating too fast rather than true vomiting. Try a slow-feeder bowl, smaller portions split across more meals, and elevated bowls for cats with arthritis. Persistent regurgitation needs a vet — megaoesophagus and oesophageal disease are uncommon but possible.
Why is not eating more dangerous in cats than dogs?
Cats can develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) when they do not eat for 2–3 days, particularly if they are overweight. The liver becomes overwhelmed processing fat stores and can fail. This is why a cat off food for 24 hours warrants a vet call, not a wait-and-see.