Chronic vomiting in cats is often dismissed as normal but usually indicates underlying disease. Appropriate investigation and treatment prevents prolonged unnecessary suffering.
The normalization of chronic vomiting in cats represents a significant welfare failure. Cats that vomit weekly or more frequently for years may have conditions causing nausea, abdominal discomfort, and nutritional compromise. The causes — IBD, lymphoma, pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism — are typically treatable or manageable. Years of untreated disease represent years of unnecessary suffering that earlier investigation would have prevented.