Frequent Vomiting

Q. How can I stop my cat's frequent vomiting?

Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, D.V.M., says: A healthy cat can experience frequent vomiting. Causes range from food intolerance, eating too quickly, ingesting plants or paper, playing too hard after eating, and ingesting hairballs to medical conditions such as early inflammatory bowel disease. You need to observe vomiting episodes, taking note of contents, frequency, time of day, association with eating, and general health of the cat to help determine the cause. These observations will aid your veterinarian in reaching a diagnosis.

Cats who vomit within a few minutes of eating are actually regurgitating and need to slow down when they eat. To decrease regurgitation, try one the following: Mix canned and dry food together (cats cannot eat the combination as quickly); add water to dry kibble, so the pieces expand, before letting your cat eat it (the food will not expand in the stomach and create overfilling); feed your cat larger kibble that requires chewing; put food in a shallower bowl so the food is thinly dispersed and cannot be ingested in large mouthfuls; feed multiple cats separately to decrease competition; and feed smaller and more frequent meals. You should discuss ongoing vomiting and/or regurgitation with your veterinarian.

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