Why a cat vomits yellow liquid with foam

The veterinarian's consultation begins with the collection of anamnesis. The doctor asks about the features of the cat's diet, the timing of the onset of symptoms, the presence of chronic diseases or infections. Visual examination, palpation of the abdomen and information obtained from the cat's owner are necessary to make a preliminary diagnosis. Its confirmation is carried out with the help of laboratory diagnostic examination:

If a cat vomits white foam

I have written a lot about vomiting in cats (and digestive problems in general), and read even more. After all, my claim to the title of felinologist is binding, and there are two furry treasures in the house.

Vomiting can look oh-so-very different, and therefore the causes are different, but most often I wondered what it meant. "vomiting white foam." ? I see cat vomit regularly (my cat gets rid of lumps of hair that form in his stomach after licking), but I would never call what came out of his stomach backwards white foam.

And recently my cat, who is not at all prone to vomiting, threw up. That's when I realized what "white foam" was.

You can never confuse it with anything: it is a foamy white mass, very similar to the beaten egg white (anyone who has ever made eggnog, will understand). The foam is formed from saliva with an admixture of gastric juice, when, during gagging, the cat coughs and coughs convulsively. The process is very similar to the culinary technique of whipping with a whisk.

The latter, of course, is educational, but much more importantly, why is the cat vomiting white foam? By the way, there can be a lot of foam. That time my sufferer spit up everything you can: apparently, she was afraid, and that's why she ran around the house. And how scared I was.

There were almost a ton of reasons for it. It means that the white foam vomiting is a symptom of a painful condition, but a symptom completely nonspecific. Only a veterinarian can get to the bottom of this, but you need to help the poor thing? Yes, he does! Especially since not all causes require only veterinary attention.

For clarity we'll divide causes of white foam vomiting into three groups: Harmless (well, conditionally), disturbing (the cat is developing a disease, she needs to be examined quickly), and dangerous (urgent veterinary care required). But there's one problem: you look at the foamy cat spit, and you'll see if it's harmless, or if you need to rush to the vet. But we'll try to find out.

Other common causes

The cat's digestive process works non-stop. Gastric juice is secreted even if no food has entered the body for many hours, and this can provoke white foam vomiting. The cause is physiological and relatively safe, but still, you should feed the cat according to a suitable schedule, and at least twice a day.

Vomiting white foam from eating too much food is also physiological and harmless, but again, keep an eye on how much the cat eats per meal. Because every other cat is a branch of the black hole, can continuously devour food simply because food is available.

Is the portion size regular and correct? Perhaps the food is too cold – is irritating the stomach too much and, as a consequence, is provoking white foam vomiting.

In general, if white foam vomiting is a one-time occurrence or very rare, you can not worry. But if it happens very often, you should take your cat to the vet, even if he behaves normally, has good appetite and poops regularly.

What does each discharge tell you when vomiting occurs?

If your pet has thrown up a couple of times at most, but is feeling fine, don't panic. It can be caused by irritation of the intestines, which is caused by swallowing hair or a large lump of grass. In this case, it is recommended to monitor the condition of the pet for one day and then look for the causes of its deterioration.

The cat may vomit bile, as evidenced by the yellow color, as well as suffering from other excretions. Regular vomiting of a rich yellow or green hue is primarily indicative of liver or kidney disorders. There may also be abnormalities on the stomach side.

Blood that is present in the vomit may indicate that the esophagus or pharynx has been damaged by some sharp object, such as a fish bone.

Causes of nausea and vomiting in the cat

Burping of hair is a physiological process of getting rid of external stimuli and should not be a cause for concern. But if it happens regularly, you should consult a specialist who will determine the cause of this condition.

1. Siamese cats often have underdevelopment of the back wall of the stomach (pylorus). Because of this, vomiting "gushing" occurs. In this case, only surgery can help.
2. Pregnancy can also be the cause of nausea and vomiting due to the restructuring of the body and a disruption of the hormonal background.
3. Vomiting often accompanies ear diseases in cats.
4. Disorders of the liver (pancreatitis, lipidosis) or abnormalities associated with the kidneys can cause a cat to vomit yellow.
5. Nausea is also accompanied by pathology such as stomach or pancreatic cancer.
6. Intestinal obstruction.
7. Parasites that poison the cat's body from the inside.
8. Stress (moving, a long trip in transport can provoke seasickness in the cat and, accordingly, vomiting).

Cat vomiting first aid

The cat does not eat anything and vomits bile, what to do? First of all:

• Do not try to feed forcibly, the animal should starve for 24 hours;
• When vomiting the cat loses fluid, which leads to dehydration, so the cat should be given water, even if it refuses (you can do it with a syringe without a needle);
• Do not give any drugs on your own without a doctor's prescription (except Smecta and activated charcoal).

If the cause of nausea is established accurately and lies in poisoning, vomiting should be induced to get the toxins out. To do this:

Warning. Vomiting should not be induced if the cat has been poisoned by chemicals or has swallowed sharp objects.

Opinion and advice on the treatment of cat vomiting from a veterinarian

Veterinarians recommend getting help if a cat burps, vomits bile and won't eat anything for more than a day. Also, when the vomiting is accompanied by diarrhea, fever, apathy, and tearfulness.

After an accurate diagnosis, an adequate therapy regimen is chosen:

If the cause of vomiting was poisoning, it is advisable to use sorbents

Symptoms

Vomiting in a cat yellow, even single vomiting is a reason to contact a veterinary specialist, because it is a serious symptom indicating a violation in the work of the body.

Immediately it is necessary to go to the clinic if the pet has repeated vomiting with bile and blood clots, concentrated with admixtures of mucus. Such symptoms indicate intestinal congestion, perforation of the stomach by an ulcerous lesion or the decay of a malignant tumor in the area of the intestinal loops.

In the case of fountain vomiting (when it is not possible to leave the house with the animal), it is necessary to call a doctor at home. The younger the animal, the greater the risk of dehydration from prolonged vomiting.

In addition to vomiting bile, there may be other characteristic symptoms:

Independently identify the cause of what is happening is problematic, and prescribing independent treatment is also dangerous for the animal's life. Any delay in providing the cat with skilled care can cost its life.

When contacting a veterinarian, the veterinarian performs a general clinical examination and collects a detailed medical history. The anamnesis must necessarily indicate what the animal was eating the day before the vomiting, whether there are any chronic diseases.

In some cases the doctor may be satisfied with just the clinical examination and history. But in the vast majority of cases a serious examination is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis includes:

• ultrasound examination;
• X-ray of liver structures, gallbladder and bowel loops;
• computed tomography if tumor processes are suspected;
• endoscopy to rule out inflammation in the stomach and duodenum;
• general analysis of blood and urine;
• vomit samples.

Treatment

Yellow vomiting in a cat is a dangerous and alarming sign that requires immediate treatment. The most common cause of yellow vomit is caused by problems with liver structures. The most common are – cirrhosis, hepatitis, hepatosis, biliary stone disease, cholecystitis, liver failure.

Depending on the main cause diagnosed, therapy will be aimed specifically at eliminating it.

With hepatitis of a toxic nature (resulting from poisoning by poisonous plants, intoxication by zoocoumarins, medications or poor quality food) treatment includes taking the following drugs:

Hepatitis of an infectious nature, provoked by viral infections, parasitic infestations are treated with a special diet and immunostimulants. Also treatment includes the administration of vitamin preparations, antispasmodics, and in some cases antibiotics.

Hepatoses (fat deposits on the organ itself) are treated with a special diet and medications. Limiting fats of animal origin in the cat's diet, as well as a diet based on an increased content of protein components, usually stabilizes the condition of the pet. If the pet's hepatosis has developed on the background of diabetes, treatment is prescribed taking into account the underlying disease.

The development of cholelithiasis is also accompanied by vomiting of yellow fluid. Treatment is based on the use of heat procedures to relieve spasms, drugs that have choleretic action. In the case of a large formation of concrements clogging the bile passages, surgical treatment is used, which involves crushing the stones with ultrasound waves.

Liver failure is a dangerous condition that requires immediate hospitalization of the furry pet. The therapy consists of some basic points:

• Controlling the underlying causes of the disease with antimicrobials or hormones;
• removal of poisonous substances from the body;
• regulation of mineral metabolic processes;
• control of the work of the heart muscle;
• special dietary nutrition.

Symptoms

The appearance of foam at the mouth of the cat is a cause for concern to the owner of the pet. The cause can be both a normal physiological condition (regurgitation of lumps of hair) and the development of serious dangerous diseases (rabies). Especially if the saliva foams at the mouth. In such cases, it is recommended that the cat be isolated immediately and taken to the veterinary clinic.

The appearance of foam from the cat's mouth when vomiting, resulting from prolonged starvation, intoxication, stressful experiences, as a rule, does not differ in other characteristic signs except nausea. Vomited gastric contents have no extraneous odors or impurities.

If the vomit does not contain any foreign substances, and its color is not yellow or green, or has a foul odor, you should contact the veterinarian and have the pet seen by a doctor. The occurrence of the following characteristic symptoms requires immediate intervention by a specialist:

• The cat is vomiting too often, vomiting virtually nonstop;
• body temperature rises or falls;
• Coughing, discharge from the eyes and nasal cavity;
• Appetite is impaired;
• The general condition of the animal is depressed;
• there is profuse diarrhea.

When a cat vomits pink liquid with foam – do not hesitate. The cause of such vomiting may be a stomach ulcer or esophageal perforation. The pink color indicates an admixture of blood and indicates damage to the mucous membrane of one part of the digestive tract.

The color and presence of particles in the vomit mass can characterize the degree of neglect of the pathological condition:

• Vomit with white foam is most often a sign of prolonged starvation of the pet;
• the presence of mucous white flecks in the liquid spewed by the stomach, indicates that the cat is infected with helminths;
• If the cat vomits yellow foam, the cause may be a dangerous disease – plague of flesh eaters or panleukopenia;
• The gray color of the vomit indicates an abnormal diet and the presence of pelleted food residues;
• dark green, almost black color of the vomit mass may be evidence of cancer in the digestive tract;
• yellow vomiting occurs when the functional features of the gallbladder and liver structures are impaired;
• vomiting fountain of green color – intestinal obstruction;
• vomiting with feces is a sign of lower intestinal trauma.

First aid

Noticing that the cat is vomiting foam, and there are no other dangerous signs, you can do with your own resources. It is especially important to know how to help the pet if it is not possible to get to the vet quickly.

First of all, it is necessary to put the pet on a starvation diet. For 12 to 20 hours after the pet has vomited, nothing food should be given to the cat. But water should be freely available. When the pet's condition stabilizes, without repeated vomiting, you can try giving the cat some boiled rice.

The appearance of foam at the cat's mouth should alert the owner, as there may be several reasons for this phenomenon. If intoxication is suspected, enterosorbent (Enterosgel, Atoxil, Activated charcoal, Smecta) should be given to the animal for rapid elimination of toxins. Anti-emetics such as Phenothiazine or Paspertine can also be given.

If it is not possible to go or call the veterinarian at home, it is recommended to call the clinic and ask for the dosage of medication for your pet over the phone, stating the weight and age of the pet, as well as the presence of accompanying symptoms.

If the cat is not eating and vomiting all day after a starvation diet, the cause of this phenomenon may be liver lipidosis and if no medical intervention is given, the animal is very likely to die.

First aid

Causes of white foam vomiting in cats can vary, but it is important to provide timely first aid to the pet. If there is confidence that the pet is not suffering from a serious illness, you can try to deal with the problem yourself.

Initially, you should put the cat on a starvation diet for one day so that the digestive system is relieved and the body begins to work normally. After this time, all the unpleasant symptoms should go away. It is possible to feed the pet little by little, but not often, rice boiled in chicken broth. It is better to start with small portions, which should be given to the pet every 2-3 hours. Later portions can be increased, but the number of meals – to reduce.

Vomiting can be helped by mint tea. The decoction should be cooled and given to the animal to drink immediately after vomiting or several hours later. If the cat often swallows hair, it is necessary to give the cat 3 times a week 1 tsp. vegetable oil. If repeated vomiting of white foam in the cat is observed, you should immediately contact the veterinarian, as this may be a sign of poisoning.

When to go to the vet

If a cat is vomiting foam, what to do will be able to determine the veterinarian, after a comprehensive diagnosis. If the vomiting does not stop for a long time, it may be a sign of a dangerous disease. Be sure to visit the veterinarian if there are a number of related problems, namely:

If such symptoms are present, it is imperative to see a veterinarian, as this may indicate a dangerous problem that can be deadly.

Types of vomiting in cats by appearance

Vomiting in any manifestation is a serious reason to consult a veterinarian, please do not delay. The cause of the gag reflex can be judged by the appearance and hue of the vomit. Let's look at the different options. First of all, it is necessary to decide on the appearance, composition and color of the vomit.

Vomiting white foam.

This phenomenon is common in small kittens who have recently been switched to solid food. The cause of the gag reflex is overfilling of the stomach. The vomiting attack is strong and prolonged. The white foam is a mixture of gastric juice and mucous membrane secretion. Similar vomiting also occurs in adult animals when food is changed. For example, if you continue canned food instead of dry food, the pet will gladly eat it.

The appearance of foamy vomiting is a symptom of the initial stage of gastritis. If the foam has taken on a yellowish hue, this indicates an infestation of worms. Intoxication of the body increases, and the process involves the liver. Hence, the coloring of the vomit in the color of bile.

If the cat vomits white foam, it may be a symptom of poisoning, such as detergents. In this case, it is definitely necessary to consult a specialist.

Cat vomits clear mucus

The mucous impurity in cat vomit is gastric juice. This phenomenon is typical for worm infestations, chronic gastritis or gastric erosion. Vomiting with mucus also occurs in infectious diseases. It is important to watch for impurities and additional inclusions, such as helminth fragments.

Vomiting in a cat with a gray mass

This type has partially digested food. The causes are different: overeating, the initial stage of pregnancy in cats, or regurgitation of hair swallowed during licking. The latter case is a variant of the norm. The gag reflex is a protective reaction of the body, a quick withdrawal of everything foreign.

Cat vomiting green liquid

• Food poisoning. The cause of the greenish hue is a bile impurity. It is a reaction of the liver to intoxication;
• Infectious disease;
• Problems with the gastrointestinal tract (intestinal contents in the stomach). This is a serious symptom and a visit to the vet should not be delayed or the animal will die;
• Diseases of the liver and gallbladder, including cancer.

What to do if a cat starts vomiting

Sometimes nausea and vomiting in a cat is not dangerous and there is no reason to go to the doctor. It is one or two times vomiting during the day. The pet's appetite is not disturbed, he goes to the toilet normally, there are no behavioral abnormalities.

This applies, for example, to occasional overeating or regurgitation of hair. Vomiting in pregnant cats is also not dangerous.

• Weakness and signs of dehydration.
• Frequency of vomiting more than 2 times a day, duration of more than 3 days.
• An admixture of bile or blood in the vomit.
• Fecal odor of vomit.
• "Home remedies" proved ineffective.
• Vomiting persisted after correction of the pet's diet and eating habits.

Analyze the cat's condition, be prepared to answer such questions from the doctor:

• Is there a connection between vomiting and diet?
• Does the reflex arise after a lot of food.
• Has the cat ever eaten stale food?
• What is the time interval between feeding and the gag reflex?
• Has the animal been stressed or anxious?
• Has the cat had any head trauma in the recent past?
• Approximate time of vomiting onset.

Implementing Prevention

Prevention of sudden attacks of the gag reflex is carried out with:

• Regular anthelmintic therapy. For outdoor cats every 3 months;
• Annual vaccinations, preventive examinations at the veterinary clinic for early detection of hidden diseases;
• Proper nutrition. Balanced ready-made food in sufficient quantities will avoid pathological conditions;
• Pet grooming. Combing out the hair will prevent the accumulation of hair clumps in the stomach;
• Keeping hygiene in the home. A clean room and no small objects that the cat can swallow.

White foam together with stomach contents can have both physiological and pathological origins. The appearance of concomitant clinical signs requires professional help and a complete diagnostic examination. Timely treatment will avoid complications and keep the pet alive.

Treatment of the pet

When a cat vomits bile, it is necessary to visit a veterinarian as soon as possible, who after an examination will identify the cause of the unpleasant condition and prescribe a suitable treatment. It is not uncommon for cats who vomit yellow to suffer from:

Depending on what diagnosis the veterinarian makes, treatment will be formulated to address the cause of the ailment.

For toxic hepatitis, which can be triggered by poor quality food or poisoning by a poisonous plant, medication, veterinarians prescribe:

To treat infectious hepatitis, which occurs against a background of viral infections, parasitic infestations, prescribed a special diet and taking immunostimulants. In addition, the veterinarian prescribes:

When hepatosis is diagnosed, it is advisable to apply drug treatment in combination with compliance with a special diet. Fats of animal origin in the cat's menu are reduced to a minimum. Dietary diet containing a high percentage of protein contributes to the stabilization of the state of the fluffy patient.

Note! If, in addition to hepatosis, the veterinarian found diabetes mellitus, the therapy is prescribed to a cat who burps bile, on an individual basis, taking into account the characteristics of the body.

Yellow vomiting in a cat can signal the development of biliary stone disease. Therapeutic goals in this case are based on the use of heat treatments that help relieve spasms. In addition, it is advisable to give your pet medications that have a choleretic effect. When there is a large formation of concrements that block the bile passages, it is necessary to carry out urgent surgical intervention. In this case, with the help of ultrasonic waves, the stones are crushed.

Diagnosis of liver failure requires immediate treatment. Cats vomiting both water and bile need:

• to stop the cause of the pathological condition (to this end, antimicrobial and hormonal agents are used);
• removal of toxins from the body;
• regulation of the process of mineral metabolism;
• control of the functioning of the heart;
• Special dietary treatment.

What to do to prevent it

Cat owners faced with a situation such as yellow vomiting ask their veterinarian how to prevent the complex ailment from developing again. Below are the basic preventive measures that every pet owner should know.

• The pet's diet should be balanced. Only high quality food should be bought for cats. It is advisable to use natural products for the kitten.
• There should always be clean drinking water in the kitty's bowl.
• Raw meat and fish have no place in the fluffy's diet.
• To store medications and household chemicals should pick up places inaccessible to animals.
• It is important to vaccinate pets against infectious pathologies in a timely manner.
• Every 6 months, kittens and cats should be prevented from worming.
• Systematically comb out the cat's hair with a special comb to prevent clogging of the stomach with lumps of hair.
• Small objects and parts should be removed from the floor away from the cat to avoid ingestion of a small object.

If vomiting with a mixture of bile occurs, it is important to monitor the cat's condition. One time vomiting should not be frightening, but systematic vomiting will be a reason to go to the vet immediately. If there is concern that the cat might vomit when taken to the vet it is advisable to use a plastic carrier.