Being a cat provider for over 30 years brought an array of medical issues that I had to deal with and work through. While most of my fur babies overcame the problem, some did not because the problems were either cancer, kidney failure, tumors, or a heart defect. I have experienced my share of joy, pleasure, heartache, and grief during these years of cat care. I currently have six loving fur babies, four years to 17 years.
One of the most frustrating medical issues is vomiting and diarrhea in cats. There is an endless list of possibilities for the vomiting and a cat’s parent must quickly become a medical detective to narrow down the reason for the vomiting. There are plenty of holistic and traditional treatment options to help your cat. However, if you cannot pill your cat and your cat has an off-the-scale sniffer, smelling out any amount of medicine in their food, the dire situation becomes irritating, frustrating, and scary.
I learned that most of the medications that a vet orders are equal to what your doctor would prescribe for you, except for the dosage. I also learned that acupuncture and holistic therapy entered the animal arena about ten or so years ago, giving pet owners other options for treatment rather than traditional medicine.
Why Is My Cat Vomiting At Night?
There are many reasons why a cat vomits. One or two times, once in a while, can be expected with cats, as cats seem to vomit more than dogs. When a cat starts to vomit every night, like my Isabella, has diarrhea, and loses significant weight, it is an immediate cause for concern. It would be best to take the kitty to see the vet. You must also take into account the type of vomit and the amount. The following list represents some reasons why your cat could be vomiting more than normal.
- Hairballs
- Indigestion
- Renal Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Swallowing toxic substances
- Allergies
- Food intolerances
- Viral or bacterial infections.
- Dairy
- Grains
- Intestinal parasites
- Medication side effects and more
There are many reasons why your cat may be vomiting at night, and you need to try to narrow down these reasons. I know this because I have been going through nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea for over a year now with one of my fur babies, Isabella. My precious kitty, Isabella, is 13 years old. She started vomiting in November 2021 and still has this problem. Although symptoms are decreasing in early 2022, she still has a problem. The first thing I asked the vet to do back in 2021 was to consider treating her for possible intestinal parasites.
Treating a cat for parasites is always a good thing and probably should be done at least every year. However, Isabella is an inside cat. She has never had a flea issue. This treatment was the first step, but it made no difference. We were able to rule out parasites as a possible problem.
Along with the vomiting, she had liquid explosive diarrhea. Isabella rarely vomited during the day; it was only at night. Isabella’s weight decreased from 16 pounds to 7.2 while trying to find a treatment to help her. Her diagnosis, finally, is Irritable Bowel Syndrome! I discovered that her symptoms got worse when she ate any cat food that was not grain-free. I changed her diet, which has helped a lot, but not entirely.
Some cats, like Isabella, refuse to take any medicine, herbs, or supplements in any way or form. These cats, like Isabella, fight too hard and become highly excited when pilled. I continue to mix tiny amounts of probiotics with grain-free moist food. She may or may not eat the food, especially if she smells something off, and will let it sit and dry out. She is very stubborn and refuses to eat that dish of food. She cannot afford to lose any weight, so I end up feeding her without the medicine and she gobbles up the new dish of food.
The vet gives her a steroid shot every three months and a vitamin B shot every month. Her weight is now 8.2 pounds, and the vomiting and diarrhea are gradually improving.
What To Do About My Cat Vomiting At Night?
You cannot do anything about your cat vomiting at night until you find out why your cat is vomiting and if it has other symptoms such as diarrhea or weight loss, such as my Isabella.
If your cat vomits occasionally, it is probably not too concerning, depending on what your cat is vomiting. It becomes problematic if your cat vomits every night. My fear is that the kitty may become dehydrated. Any of the above possibilities for vomiting can be severe. The first step is to monitor some of the following:
- When and how much is your cat eating?
- Does your cat eat dry food, moist food, or a combination?
- Is your cat drinking enough water?
- Does one brand disagree with its stomach?
- Does your cat seem to vomit when its stomach is empty or after eating?
- What does the vomit look like, such as undigested food, brown, green, yellow, clear?
- Does your cat have fleas?
It would be best to take your cat to the vet and discuss the vomiting and any other noted symptoms. The vet will want to know everything, such as listed above. When a cat vomits, it is best not to give it any food for a short time. If any of our cats vomit, it seems as though the first thing they want to do is eat, and we do not give them anything for a short while, usually three hours, but no longer than eight hours after vomiting.
If your cat is vomiting, it would be best to feed it a bland diet because a bland diet is easier to digest, and this will not hurt your kitty. An example of a bland diet could be a piece of boiled white chicken with no bones or skin cut up into tiny pieces. You cannot give your cat this diet for more than two days as it contains no essential cat nutrients.
If the cat has no more vomiting, you could try to mix a bit more white chicken with a couple of spoonfuls of white rice. Speak to your vet about a bland diet for only a day or two and slowly introduce food back into the cat’s diet. Cat food made for sensitive stomachs may be necessary.
Finding out what makes your cat vomit can be a frustrating journey, as it has been for Isabella and me.
Know Some Basics to Help Relieve Your Cat’s Night Vomiting
It is OK to use some fundamental options to help your cat’s vomiting. These home remedies are not going to hurt your cat. However, the difference is the amount of vomiting your cat does, the frequency, and what they vomit.
If your cat starts to vomit once or twice during the night, allow your cat no food for at least two hours to rest its stomach. I would introduce one teaspoonful of wet cat food every few hours to see if the kitty vomits. If a kitty is making it a nightly routine to vomit, you need to take your cat to the vet for assessment. Cats lose weight and can become dehydrated quickly and easily.
I have been rescuing cats and providing cat care for over thirty years. I have no degree in animal medicine. I am a seasoned nurse and find that my experience in this field of medicine helps me identify possible cat health problems and solutions. My knowledge helps me discuss openly with the vet to find something that helps my cats recover from whatever illness they acquire.
There are many medicines and herbs that humans and cats can take. However, the significant difference is the dosages. I know the side effects, which helps me to know if the medicine is working or not. Allow the vet to diagnose and treat accordingly.
The more a cat’s parents are informed, the easier the vet’s job is to treat your cat. You can have a wealth of experience and common sense. However, if you are not a vet doctor, you should not self-diagnose or self-treat your cat. Supply the vet with all possible information and work with the vet for the sake of helping your cat reach the highest quality of life.