Cat vomits foam: Causes and tips for concerned owners
It is relatively common for cats to vomit. Sometimes a cat also vomits foam, or froths. This is usually not too serious and is therefore not a cause for concern. Depending on the frequency and other symptoms, however, vomiting foam can of course have a serious cause.
In the following, we will explain why your cat may be vomiting foam and in which situations you should always consult a vet.
Why does my cat only vomit foam?
If your cat only vomits foam, this indicates that the cat has an empty stomach. Otherwise, there would also be food in the vomit or the cat would regurgitate a hairball.
This means that your four-legged friend has probably not spoiled his stomach with his food or swallowed too much hair while grooming. The cause of the vomiting is therefore likely to be different.
Cat vomiting foam: What are the possible causes?
If a cat vomits white foam, there are many possible causes. Your cat may be suffering from pancreatitis and therefore vomiting. Apart from that, vomiting foam can also indicate poisoning, tumour disease or feline diabetes.
In addition, the following triggers, among others, can also be responsible for vomiting in the cat:
- Renal insufficiency
- Liver problems
- Worms
- Giardia
- Hyperthyroidism
- Gastritis
- Stress
- Viral infections
- Bacterial infections
- Feed allergies
- Ingested foreign bodies
What colour is the vomited foam?
When a cat vomits up foam, it is usually white. Occasionally, however, it can be a different colour. For example, if your cat vomits yellow foam, this is usually due to the bile contained in the foam. In this case, bacterial or viral infections are possible triggers. If your cat vomits pink foam, on the other hand, this can be a sign of minor bleeding of the vessels in the stomach lining of your four-legged friend.
Cat vomiting foam: What should cat owners do?
If your cat vomits foam and there are no other serious complaints, the first thing to do is to make sure that the cat's stomach can settle down.
Do not let the cat eat or drink for about four or five hours. After that, you can give the cat a bowl of fresh water. If your cat drinks it and does not vomit afterwards, this is a good sign. However, you should refrain from giving food for about 24 hours.
Keep a close eye on your four-legged friend during this time and pay attention to whether the animal's condition deteriorates in any way. If this is not the case, you can give your cat some food again after the 24 hours have passed. With a bit of luck, everything will then be fine and the foam vomiting was just a one-time thing that requires no further action for the time being.
Cat vomiting foam: When do you need to go to the vet?
If your cat vomits foam once and is otherwise fine, a visit to the vet is usually not absolutely necessary. But, if your cat vomits more frequently or if other symptoms occur with this, you should contact a vet immediately.
Your cat also loses a lot of fluid due to the repeated vomiting. Depending on the cause, it may well be that your four-legged friend needs urgent treatment. Poisoning, for example, is a medical emergency where every minute can count.
But chronic diseases such as diabetes or renal insufficiency should also be treated as soon as possible in order to get the associated complaints under control and to counteract possible consequences.
Symptoms that require a visit to the vet include:
- Lack of appetite and weight loss
- Repeated vomiting
- Recurrent diarrhoea
- Noticeable thirst
- Bad breath
- Failure to urinate
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Dull coat
Cat vomiting foam: How is it treated?
It is not easy to say what treatment is needed if your cat is vomiting foam because there are so many possible triggers.
If the vet diagnoses an infestation with intestinal parasites, for example, deworming the cat is necessary. In the case of a bacterial infection, the veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics, and in the case of a swallowed foreign body, the size and location of the foreign body are important.
Renal insufficiency is treated with a special diet that relieves the kidneys, while hyperthyroidism in cats can be treated with medications that inhibit the production of thyroid hormones.
In addition, if your cat is already severely dehydrated from repeated vomiting of foam and fluids, regardless of the exact trigger, the animal may need an IV to compensate for the fluid loss.
Our food tip for nutritionally sensitive cats
For many causes of foam vomiting, it is important to make sure that the food is as digestible as possible as part of the treatment. This applies, for example, to cats with food allergies who need a hypoallergenic cat food.
But also for four-legged friends with inflammatory diseases such as pancreatitis or gastritis, as well as with liver problems or chronic renal insufficiency, an adjustment of the diet is of crucial importance.
For this purpose, we recommend that you turn to our insect-based cat food. The insect protein it contains, made from the larvae of Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly), has virtually no allergy potential. It is easy to digest and provides your nutritionally sensitive cat with all the essential amino acids.
Cat vomits foam - our conclusion
As you can see, there can be many causes for your cat vomiting foam. Often the vomiting is largely harmless and will resolve itself after a day's fasting. Unfortunately, however, this is not always the case and it may well be a symptom of a serious illness or even poisoning. Therefore, if in doubt, do not hesitate to contact a vet if your cat is vomiting foam. This way you are on the safe side and your four-legged friend can be treated promptly and professionally if necessary, so that they will hopefully be well again soon.
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