What it is
The digestive tract runs from the mouth to the end of the gut, and it can go wrong anywhere along the way. Vomiting or diarrhoea can come from a sudden change of food, a swallowed object, hairballs, parasites, infections or inflammation of the gut, and sometimes they are a sign of disease in another organ.
A cat that brings up a hairball once and carries on as normal is a very different picture from a cat that vomits several times a day, stops eating and lies hidden away.
It helps to know what your cat's normal stools look like and how many times a day it visits the litter box, so that you notice any change sooner. Vomiting or diarrhoea that drags on drains the body of fluid and wears a cat down quickly, especially a kitten or an elderly cat.
Signs you may notice
- Vomiting
- Loose stools
- Straining in the litter box
- Eats less
- Blood in stools or vomit
- Hunched posture
A cat vomits, passes loose stools or stools with mucus, squats in the litter box for a long time, eats less or refuses food. Sometimes it hunches up and avoids having its belly touched.
When to see a vet
Contact a vet immediately if your cat vomits again and again, there is blood in its vomit or stools, it turns very listless, or it strains in the litter box with nothing coming out. If the upset is milder but lasts longer than a day or keeps coming back, book a check-up.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own cat's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.