Vomiting and diarrhoea in cats

Diarrhoea and vomiting can happen in cats for a few different reasons. It’s usually nothing to worry about, but you should speak to your vet if your cat is vomiting or has diarrhoea for more than 24 hours. Keep an eye out for other symptoms alongside diarrhoea and vomiting, such as weight loss.

Diarrhoea in cats

Normal and healthy cat poo is firm and dark brown. If your cat does not use a litter tray inside the house, it can be difficult to spot if they have diarrhoea.

Signs of diarrhoea in cats

Here are some common signs that your cat has diarrhoea:

• Their bottom is dirty, smelly or it seems like they are in pain
• They are dull or withdrawn
• Excessively cleaning their bottom
• Bloated stomach
• Farting more than usual
• Soft, watery or loose stool

Vomiting in cats

Your cat might vomit up food, white foam or bile. Seeing puddles of white foam might be concerning, but this usually happens if your cat is vomiting on an empty stomach.

Cats can also vomit up hairballs after swallowing their fur when grooming themselves. There are specific treatments that can help cats that often vomit hairballs.

More about cats and hairballs

Signs of vomiting in cats

Some signs a cat might be about to vomit include:

• salivating
• licking their lips  
• swallowing often
• anxiety or restlessness
• a heaving or retching noise

Vomiting vs regurgitating food

Regurgitation and vomiting can be confused, but there's an important difference.  

Vomiting often comes after symptoms of nausea, salivating and heaving, and involves bringing up the contents of the stomach. It can contain partially digested food and fur and can also be discoloured because of the presence of bile.

Regurgitation usually contains undigested food and there is often no salivating or heaving. Regurgitation happens if your cat has eaten their food too quickly and will look much like the food before it was eaten.

If your cat is regurgitating regularly, speak to your vet for advice. 

What to do if your cat has diarrhoea and is vomiting

Most vomiting or diarrhoea gets better on its own. If your cat has mild diarrhoea or has been vomiting for less than 24 hours with no other symptoms and is behaving normally, there is not usually a cause for concern.

Here are some steps to help your cat feel better:

• Give your cat plenty of water, as cats that have been vomiting or have diarrhoea are at risk of dehydration  
• Miss your cat’s next meal if they are vomiting. After this, feed small amounts of bland, easily digested food such as boiled chicken or skinless and boneless white fish. Gradually build back up to their normal diet over a day or two. Young kittens should never skip a meal, so talk to your vet if they're young and it happens more than once or twice.
• Make sure your cat is getting the rest they need, as they might need more sleep than usual. If they seem lethargic, contact your vet

When to call your vet

If your cat’s diarrhoea and vomiting lasts for longer than 24 hours or if your cat has other symptoms such as lethargy or blood in their poo, contact your vet. Severe diarrhoea or diarrhoea and vomiting left untreated for a long time can lead to your cat becoming dehydrated or seriously ill.

It’s also important to contact your vet if:

• your cat is elderly – elderly cats that have diarrhoea are more likely to become dehydrated
• your cat is a kitten – kittens are also more likely to become dehydrated, but it’s especially important to contact your vet is your kitten is unvaccinated
• you see blood in their poo or vomit  
• you think your cat has eaten something poisonous
• you are concerned your cat has eaten something they can't digest, like small bones, tinsel or thread

Repeated episodes of vomiting or diarrhoea over a long period can be caused by a health problem that needs treatment, so it's important to speak to your vet.

Tests your vet may carry out

If you take your cat to the vet for diarrhoea or vomiting, they’ll ask questions about your cat's history and perform a full examination of their stomach. If further tests are needed, your vet may test your cat’s poo, or carry out a blood test, X-ray or an ultrasound.

Treatment for vomiting and diarrhoea in cats

Your vet will recommend a specific treatment for your cat. Common treatments include anti-sickness injections, medication, a specific diet or probiotics.

Causes of diarrhoea and vomiting in cats

There are many common causes of diarrhoea and vomiting in cats. These include:

• a sudden change in your cat's diet, like a new food, treats or them scavenging food outside
• worms or gut parasites, especially in kittens
• eating something that upsets their stomach
• a food intolerance
• gut blockage from eating something they shouldn’t
• gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines)
• pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas)
• some hormonal conditions such as hyperthyroidism
• internal conditions such as kidney disease or liver disease