Why is my cat throwing up clear liquid?
The clear liquid looks exactly like its name. You can see this vomit is different from other types due to its color. There are several common reasons for your question “Why is my cat throwing up clear liquid? “.
Various vomiting instances in felines include hairballs, new food, eating habits, indigestion and constipation. More serious causes could be gastritis, foreign objects, food poisoning, parasites, constipation and health problems.
If you find it difficult to recognize the different symptoms of cat vomiting with health problems, you’re not alone. There are many cat owners who have encountered the same problem as you. We will help you make this easier with the knowledge in the title below. Get a copy!
Why is my cat throwing up clear liquid?
To clear up your mind (and your cat’s throat), here are possible reasons as to why your feline friend is throwing up clear liquid:
Hairballs
Hairballs form when your cat grooms excessively using their tongue. By nature, cats like to clean themselves almost all the time, which is why they are very prone to hairballs.
When your cat’s tongue has accumulated too much hair inside its digestive tract, it will sometimes form into a hairball, which could potentially hurt your cat when in bigger amounts.
Before your cat coughs a hairball, clear liquid comes out of its mouth first. Hairballs are usually not that alarming when in small amounts. However, if you notice that your cat is having difficulty when coughing them out, it’s best to talk to your vet about the best solution for it.
A solution to this problem is to brush your cat properly. When you groom your cat more often, they are less likely to groom themselves and are also less likely to catch loose fur that goes inside their tummies.
Likewise, you may also find certain cat food in the market that will help keep hairball formation at bay. You can ask your vet about it.
Food & Dietary Changes
New food sensitivity
On the other hand, if your cat tastes new food for the first time, switching too quickly could also cause this clear liquid vomiting. Always remember that when introducing new food to your pet, make sure to gradually make the change by putting only a little bit of the new food at first.
It should take 1-2 weeks for them to try and adapt to the new food.When changing cat food, you should carefully observe their reaction. If something goes wrong, stop the new food and go back to the old food.
Eating too quickly & Changes in Routine
When your cat’s regular feeding schedule has been disrupted, there’s a chance that they might throw up clear liquid. To make sure it doesn’t happen; always schedule your cat’s meals properly.
In some cases, a cat eating too quickly could also cause them to vomit clear liquid, which is sometimes accompanied by food. Cats that have intestinal problems or sensitivities tend to do this often, and they have to be taken to a vet for proper advice.
Sometimes, this could be a sign of stress because of the presence of other cats.The cat will eat faster than usual so it can finish before another cat shows up and competes for the meal. Or it will finish its meal and go to another cat’s bowl to eat more. To avoid this situation if you have more than one cat in your home, separate their bowls and place their bowls far apart. And make sure the eating space is quiet, without too much activity.
Indigestion
Cats, like humans, can also be prone to indigestion. This happens when hydrochloric acid and other gastric juices build up in their stomach. The said buildup happens when your cat is not fed on schedule or as needed. This results in vomiting due to their stomach being irritated by the acids.
Indigestion will make the cat vomit clear liquid, which is sometimes accompanied by white or yellow foam.
Oftentimes, indigestion happens when your cat takes a large meal all at once, which makes it difficult for their stomach to take all of the food in a single go. Frequently feeding your cat in little amounts throughout the day will help keep indigestion at bay.
Gastritis
A cat that feels nauseous is dehydrated, and looks generally sick might have gastritis if they vomit clear liquid. This liquid is usually accompanied by blood in the worst-case scenario. Gastritis happens when your cat eats something that’s not suitable for its tummy.
When this happens, take your cat to the vet right away because their stomach has been greatly irritated. Veterinarians will assess your cat and take the best course of action to treat their gastritis.
Parasites
There are many types of parasites that can become a threat to your cat.If your cat is infected with the parasite, it is likely that they will vomit clear liquid. This symptom is accompanied by a dull coat, unusual weight loss, loss of appetite and if you see parasites in their feces.
Maybe your cat has a worm infection and needs deworming. In this case, the veterinary clinic will be the best place for you to get specific results and treatment for your cat
Constipation
Cats can also get constipation, just like its human owners. Constipated cats also leave behind bloody feces, aside from the nasty vomit. They may also not want to eat much.
Constipation in cats is usually treated with fiber-rich foods, as advised by your vet.
Foreign Objects
Cats are naturally curious creatures. They like to bite and chew on many things such as pieces of plastic, string, toilet paper, carpets, etc. However, most of the time they only consume very small amounts and pass them out easily with feces. In some cases these foreign objects accumulate and cause them to vomit clear liquid.
This usually happens with kittens when they are still young and curious, where they try things around and explore. To avoid making your cat easily overwhelmed with things and picking up random foreign objects (and mistake them for food), it’s best to let your cat out early. This way, it will be easier for your cat to know which objects to avoid.
You should also regularly clean up and store away small foreign objects that’s reachable by your cats, such as toys, cutlery, and the like.
If the foreign objects cannot be vomited or cleared through the digestive tract, it may become trapped in the intestinal tract. If your cat refuses to eat, vomiting continuously, and appears to be in pain, maybe it needs surgical intervention. In this case you should contact the veterinarian immediately.
Poisoning/Food Allergies
Cat poisoning can happen if someone fed the cat a food item that’s toxic to them. Vomiting is one of the key symptoms other than excessive saliva pouring out. Your cat could be poisoned by various home chemicals, such as lawn fertilizers, household cleaners, antifreeze, herbicides, and others.
If you know what your cat has eaten, even if symptoms of poisoning have not yet appeared, you should take it to the vet as soon as possible. They can use antidote, activated charcoal to prevent toxicity from developing or intervening with surgery in time.
Other symptoms to look for to check if your cat ingested something toxic include coughing, difficulty in breathing, diarrhea, and seizures. When this happens, contact your vet right away, since this is an emergency.
Health problems
Diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease are the most common metabolic disorders that a cat could have, which include the liquid vomiting symptom. Talk to your vet to assess your cat if they have any of these health problems, just to be sure.
Furthermore, it may also help if you know the cat’s genetic history from the breeder since most of these disorders can be inherited.
Conclusion
After reading all the possible cases we listed above you are now an expert in the field of “Cat throwing up clear liquid”. Congratulations !
Remember, vomiting can be harmless in some cases. However, it is better to seek the help of a veterinarian as soon as you see the danger signs that we have mentioned in the article to avoid any significant danger to your cat’s health.