Cat Chronic Vomiting: Causes and Welfare

Chronic vomiting in cats is a common welfare concern with multiple underlying causes requiring systematic investigation for effective treatment.

Key Facts

Vomiting more than once weekly for over 3 months is considered chronic in cats
Common causes include IBD, food intolerance, hairballs, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and cancer
Small intestinal lymphoma is a leading cause of chronic vomiting in middle-aged to older cats
Dietary trials with novel protein or hydrolyzed diets help identify food-responsive disease
Ultrasound, endoscopy, and biopsy are often needed to differentiate IBD from lymphoma
Methyl-prednisolone and chlorambucil treat small cell lymphoma with good median survival times
Hairball vomiting is often over-diagnosed - true hairball vomiting is less common than assumed

Welfare Considerations

Chronic vomiting causes repeated discomfort and nausea. Beyond the acute distress of vomiting episodes, underlying conditions like IBD cause persistent abdominal discomfort, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. Many owners normalize chronic vomiting as 'just what cats do,' delaying diagnosis. Proper investigation often reveals treatable conditions that significantly improve welfare.

What You Can Do

Don't assume chronic vomiting is normal - seek veterinary evaluation for cats vomiting weekly
Keep a vomiting diary with frequency, timing, and characteristics to help veterinary assessment
Request food responsive disease workup before assuming primary hairball issues
Ask about endoscopy and biopsy if dietary trials and basic treatment don't resolve vomiting
Ensure cats with chronic vomiting receive regular body weight monitoring for early weight loss detection
Support research into feline chronic enteropathy treatment and biomarkers