Cat Vomit Color Chart: What Does Each Color Mean
Imagine sleeping peacefully at night, and then suddenly you hear a wet “glurk” sound at 3:00 AM. All the cat owners are well familiar with this sound. This dreaded and hacking sound simply means your cat is ready to vomit! However, by the time you realize this and hurry to get your cat, it’s already too late, and your kitty has thrown up on your favorite rug. You could do two things at this time: first, you just get back to bed for sleep, or you’ll be concerned about your cat’s health.
You also have a cat, and many times you wonder why cats vomit.
It’s pretty common for felines to vomit; however, it’s not that normal, especially for them. According to the vet, whenever a cat vomits, you don’t need to rush to the vet for urgent treatment for your cat. Yes, you don’t have to visit a doctor every time your cat vomits, but sometimes it is a concern. So, it’s extremely important to know when and why.
One of the major factors that can help you to determine the cat vomit color chart!
Yes, based on your cat’s behavior and vomit color, you will know whether it’s a serious case or just common vomit. From food sensitivities and illness to hairballs and stomach infections, there could be any reason behind your cat’s vomiting.
Don’t know whether it’s time to contact the vet or if your cat’s vomiting is just normal? No worries, keep reading this post!
Today in this guide, we’ll tell you everything about cat vomit color charts and different types of cat vomit pictures. We’ve also explained why cats vomit, the types of cat vomit, and what it means, including what the causes are when to take a vomiting cat to the vet, and the various treatments available to help your cat feel better.
Table of Contents
What Causes Vomiting In Cats?
Felines are cute, cuddly soft fur balls, but sometimes they also act a bit weird. If you have owned a cat for some time, you may have experienced your pet vomiting and leaving piles of kitty hairballs and vomit on your carpet. You might be thinking that your kitty is extremely sick, but that’s not true! Even completely healthy cats can also have been noted to be frequently puking.
So, what causes cats to vomit?
From having an upset stomach to harmful bacteria and even infectious disease, there are many possible reasons behind your feline’s vomiting.
To help you understand better about the situation, here are some common causes of vomiting in cats:
- Change in their diet.
- Change in the food or treats.
- Eating or drinking things they should not.
- Viral and bacterial infections.
- Allergic reactions to food
- Foreign bodies.
- Pancreatitis
- Heatstroke
- Eating too fast
- Intestinal parasites
- Hepatic lipidosis
- Hairballs
- Neurological disorders
- Dislocation of the stomach
- Chronic medical conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, and others.
Types of Cat Vomit and What It Means
Before understanding the meaning behind a cat vomiting color chart, let’s learn the different types of cat vomit and what they actually mean. This sounds weird and strange to some people, but the appearance of a cat’s vomit can give you a bit of insight into a cat’s health.
Wondering why my cat vomits after eating?
Here are some of the most common types of cat vomit and what they mean:
Undigested Food Vomit
There are two types of cats in the world: the first one doesn’t eat food for at least 24 hours but whenever she eats, she will eat an entire bowl of food in two seconds. The second one is who eats food on time throughout the day.
If you see undigested food like visible kibble in your cat’s vomit, your kitty has been eating too fast and vomited immediately after eating. This also indicates that your feline has eaten too much and gorged itself with food which causes vomiting. This is why your cat vomits after eating!
Sometimes, this also happens when your feline is suffering from parasites or stomach obstructions. This means if they ate something which they should not, such as a toy, string, or even your AirPods.
If this happens once in a while, then it’s okay, but if it frequently happens, you should consult the vet.
Partially Digested Food
The partially digested food means that the food your kitty ate before is slightly liquefied. Sometimes the cat vomit looks like poop.
So, what went wrong, and why did your cat vomit after some time?
This has been connected to two factors: first, your cat has eaten extremely fast, and second, the food she ate didn’t go well with her stomach. This mostly happens with the new food type.
Sometimes cats do this because they have a severe condition of their thyroid, parasites, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Suppose you notice that your feline can’t put on some weight even after eating enough, or she does not have regular bowel movements, or the kitty regularly vomits partially digested food. In that case, you have to immediately contact the doctor, as this can be a serious medical condition. However, if this happens once in a while, there is nothing to worry about; it’s normal.
Foamy Cat Vomit
Suddenly, you notice your beloved cat started to vomit, and it’s not a regular one; it seems foamy. What happened to your cat? Is your cat dying?
No, that’s not the case; the foamy cat vomit occurs when the air meets the vomit because the food is transferred from her stomach and out of her mouth. Due to the dry heaving motion, the air moves back and forth fast in the mouth resulting in foam.
Liquid Cat Vomit
If your cat has done liquid vomit, this means there is nothing in her stomach. In simple words, this vomit isn’t caused by excessive eating or food because your cat has vomited on an empty stomach.
Cat Vomit Color Chart: What Does Each Vomit Color Mean?
Now, after reading here, you’ll know about the types of cat vomit chart, so let’s move on to the different colors and what they mean. From white and brown to black and yellow, cat vomits can be in different colors, and each one means different. So you need to understand each color to know your kitty’s health condition.
Here are some of the most common colors of cat vomit and their meaning regards of the cat’s overall health:
Yellow Liquid and Froth
Yellow vomiting is always connected with stomach acid or bile. Animals who are affected by these things often vomit yellow liquid and froth. This indicates that your kitty’s stomach is empty. The stomach produces acid even when there is no food present there. So, even if your cat is regularly eating and normally still, she can vomit yellow liquid and froth once in a while, which is not a problem.
However, if this happens quite frequently, this may be an indication that your cat is suffering from liver disease. Check whether vomit is yellow and with food or yellow paste or solid, foamy, and yellow-green in color. For further help, you can visit the vet.
Green Liquid
Why is my cat throwing up bile? What is the green vomit meaning?
When a cat vomits a green liquid, many people assume that it is because of the food that the cat ate before. Maybe she ate the green grass or dental chew things or catnip. But it is really a secondary thing, and you should not worry about it.
The green color is actually NOT secondary because it can signify a gastrointestinal obstruction. If you notice that your cat has no appetite and is lethargic, and can’t keep water down, there are high chances that your feline is suffering from a gastrointestinal obstruction. So, you should go to the vet for proper treatment and testing. Also, keep your felines away from eating leaves and plants, as some plants are highly toxic for cats.
Brown Vomit
If your cat vomits in brown color, there can be a lot of reasons behind this, such as
- Cat vomits digestive and partially digestive liquid because of the color of the food or kibble she ate before.
- Sometimes vomit becomes brown in color because there is a small amount of frank blood present in the vomit.
- Cats have eaten any foreign object, which results in GI blockage.
- Cat is suffering from serious medical conditions like a gastrointestinal tumor, cancer, fecal impaction, or blockages in the GI tract.
If your cat frequently vomits brown liquid, we suggest you visit in an emergency.
Red Vomit
Red vomit… is my cat throwing up blood?
When a feline vomits red liquid, that does not necessarily mean that she vomits blood. There are many other factors, such as your cat has eaten the kibble, which is dyed in vibrant colors. In this case, you can contact the vet to get guidance and opinion from the doctors.
Another factor is that maybe your kitty has several serious health problems such as a significant GI upset, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease, and stomach irritation, and that’s why she often vomits a red color liquid with the presence of blood.
So, even if it’s the first time your kitty has vomited red liquid, you should immediately bring your feline to the vet for examinations and treatment.
White Vomit In Cats
If you see that your kitty has vomited a clear, white liquid, this simply means that foam is present. Don’t worry; this is not that serious!
This type of vomit usually occurs on an empty stomach. The white and clear vomit indicates that the kitty’s stomach is empty or she has gastritis and is food intolerant. However, this vomiting can cause nausea and weakness in the cat.
Black Vomit In Cats
Black or Coffee ground color vomit is also serious, just like red vomit in cats. Why?
Like dogs, cats never eat soil or dirt; that’s why black vomit should always be concerned. This indicates that there is bleeding in the stomach or intestines. Sometimes digestive blood has transformed into a darker shade of brown and black once it is vomited. Look at the above coffee ground vomit pictures to know how it looks. If your cat’s vomit is in the same color, you should take her to the vet ASAP.
Cat Vomiting Treatment
There are many treatments available to treat this sickness in felines. First, the vet will try to understand why your kitty is vomiting so much. Their primary goal will be to diagnose whether the vomiting is due to any serious illness and diseases like kidney or cancer issues.
The entire examination may include:
- Blood Tests
- Abdominal X-rays and
- Barium study, ultrasound, and endoscopy
- Exploratory surgery
If your beloved kitten has swollen or eaten any foreign object like a toy or string, or she has an obstruction in the GI tract that causes vomiting, it is serious. These foreign objects sometimes don’t pass through the GI tract and can cause serious health damage. That’s why it’s important to remove them immediately. Thus, surgery is required to completely remove the object from the cat’s stomach or throat properly.
However, suppose your cat is vomiting due to inflammatory bowel disease, stomach issues, or an underlying food allergy. In this situation, you don’t have to worry much as it is not that serious, and few medications and changes in diet will make vomiting stop. For example, when a cat is vomiting due to hairballs or gastroenteritis, the vet will give your cat some antacids and antiemetic medications like Cerenia.
How to Prevent Cat Vomiting?
Here are some tips to prevent cat vomiting by:
- Less and Slow Feeding
- Specialized Feeding Bowl for food and water
- Feed small portions with the right proteins and nutrients.
- Using cat food with hairball formula
- Visit the vet for regular health checkups.
Home Remedies for Cat Vomiting
You’ll be surprised to know that treatment for cat vomiting can cost between $150 to $1500 in the United States!
The price can be more or less depending upon the underlying cause. Don’t want to visit the vet and spend this much money?
No worries, here are some home remedies for cat vomiting:
- Don’t feed your cat for at least 24 hours. Only give water in small amounts.
- After 24 hours, give your kitten a bland diet of ingredients like boiled chicken.
- Give this diet for 3 to 5 days but only in small quantities.
- If vomiting stops, you can mix this bland food with the regular cat food and give it to your cat for the next 5 to 7 days.
- Give your feline enough water and monitor the water intake.
All these home remedies can help ease nausea and settle your cat’s stomach. However, if your cat’s vomiting didn’t stop and it is in colors like black or red, you should immediately see a vet for diagnosis.
When to See a Vet?
Vomiting is a common thing that happens to many felines, so you don’t have to worry much if it occurs once in a while. But if your cat vomits more than once in just 24 hours or even in a month and her vomit looks black or red in color, we recommend taking your kitty to the vet for the proper testing and treatment.
Here are some tips to prevent cat vomiting by:
- Less and Slow Feeding
- Specialized Feeding Bowl for food and water
- Feed small portions with the right proteins and nutrients.
- Using cat food with hairball formula
- Visit the vet for regular health checkups.
Final Thoughts
So, this is all about types of cat vomit pictures and color meanings. From yellow and white to black and red, cat vomit could be in many colors; that’s why it is important to understand the meaning of each color and its type. Sometimes it is because of some simple issues like food or digestive issues, but it can also indicate serious health problems like liver diseases and diabetes.
I hope this post has helped you to know the significance of each color. So now you can determine the cause of your cat’s vomiting and how to treat it. If you feel your cat is vomiting regularly and feeling sick, you should immediately consult your nearest vet. So, if you find this article informative, please share it with your friends and family so they can also stay informed about cat vomiting.
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