Moderate severity

Chronic Vomiting

Repeated or long-standing vomiting that is a sign, not a diagnosis — from simple hairballs and diet issues to inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease or hyperthyroidism.

⚠️ Common symptoms

Bringing up food, bile or foam more than once or twice a monthVomiting several times a week, or daily, over weeksWeight loss, poor appetite or a dull coat alongside the vomitingVomiting with diarrhoea, lethargy or increased thirstRetching, drooling or lip-licking before bringing food up

Vomiting is one of the most common reasons cats are brought to the vet, and one of the most misunderstood. Many owners assume a cat that throws up now and then is simply prone to it, but bringing up food, bile or foam on a regular basis is not normal — it is a symptom that something in the digestive system, or the wider body, is not right.

It helps to separate the occasional from the chronic. A single hairball, a bout of eating too fast, or an upset after a diet change is rarely cause for alarm. Chronic vomiting — more than once or twice a month, or several times a week over weeks — is a red flag. The list of possible causes is long: food sensitivities and inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis, intestinal parasites, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, swallowed foreign objects, and in older cats the very real possibility of gastrointestinal lymphoma.

Because the causes overlap so much, guessing is a poor strategy. Vets work through them methodically with blood and urine tests, faecal analysis and often abdominal ultrasound, then tailor treatment to what they find — a special diet and anti-nausea support for some cats, targeted medication for others. The key message for owners is simple: frequent vomiting deserves investigation rather than a shrug, especially when it comes with weight loss or any change in appetite, energy or thirst.

🔍 Causes

Occasional vomiting can be harmless — a hairball, eating too fast, or a sudden diet change. But frequent or persistent vomiting is different. Common medical causes include food sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease, intestinal parasites, foreign bodies and, in older cats, gastrointestinal lymphoma. Toxins and some medications can also be to blame.

🛡 Prevention

Feed a consistent, good-quality diet and make any changes gradually over a week or so. Control hairballs with regular grooming, keep parasite prevention up to date, and stop cats gulping their food with slow-feeder bowls. Keep string, hair ties, plants and other tempting hazards out of reach.

💊 Treatment

Treatment always aims at the underlying cause, so the vet's job is to find it. That may mean blood and urine tests (to check the kidneys, thyroid and liver), a faecal test for parasites, and often ultrasound to look at the stomach and intestines. Depending on the findings, management ranges from a hypoallergenic or easily-digested diet and anti-nausea medication to specific treatment for IBD, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease or, occasionally, intestinal lymphoma.

When to see a vet: The old idea that cats are 'just sicky' is misleading. See your vet if your cat vomits more than once or twice a month, if vomiting suddenly becomes frequent, or if it comes with weight loss, appetite change, lethargy, diarrhoea or increased drinking. Repeated vomiting with an inability to keep water down, a bloated painful belly, or suspected string-swallowing is an emergency.

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⚕️ Medical disclaimer

  • This information is educational only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
  • Symptoms overlap between conditions — only a vet can diagnose accurately.
  • Never withhold treatment or self-medicate based on information found online.
  • When in doubt, call your vet. Early intervention almost always leads to better outcomes.

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