Vomiting is a nonspecific clinical sign that can result from any number of causes, such as food intolerance, eating too quickly, ingesting plants or paper, and playing too hard after eating. Actually, hairballsnot foreign objectsare by far the most common cause of vomiting in cats.

If your cat vomits frequently, try to observe the episodes. Take note of the time of day, how often it happens, when it occurs in relation to mealtime and the contents. These observations can help your veterinarian diagnose any problems.

Though a healthy cat can experience frequent vomiting, a vomiting cat should have a thorough examination including abdominal palpation. Abdominal tenderness is evidence of possible foreign object presence. Inability to hold any food or water also points to such a diagnosis.