Cats sometimes seem indestructible, especially when they run through the house at full speed while avoiding multiple obstacles. However, their stomachs and digestive systems can slow them down when they’re not functioning correctly. Occasional vomiting of clear liquid is not uncommon with felines, but you should take your pet to the vet if the sign occurs more than once a month. Vomiting can have several causes—some are minor and others are severe—so the veterinarian’s examination and tests are critical for determining the proper treatment for your pet.
The 10 Reasons Why Cats Throw Up Clear Liquid
1. Indigestion
When a cat vomits clear liquid, it can signify that they’re experiencing indigestion. This can occur if a cat skips a meal, consumes a bitter plant, or does not follow a routine eating schedule. Stomach acid can irritate the cat’s gut and cause them to vomit liquid that’s clear or yellow. Fortunately, most cases of indigestion can be treated with medications at home, but your veterinarian may run additional tests to ensure that your pet is not vomiting because of a severe medical condition.
Your vet may suggest switching to a bland diet until the cat’s signs improve or administering anti-nausea drugs. Cats that do not improve from treatment can be examined for other conditions causing indigestion, including inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, and food intolerance.
2. Changes in Diet
Felines are notoriously picky about their food, and some have problems adjusting to a new diet. Cats that reject their new meals may choose to eat less, and their unsettled stomachs can cause them to vomit clear liquid. Like canines, some cats struggle with eating too fast, which can also cause vomiting.
Replacing a cat’s entire meal with a new brand can be overwhelming, and they may decide to skip the new food and wait for you to return to the old brand. This is why veterinarians recommend introducing new meals gradually for a week or more. A finicky cat may take longer to get used to their new meals, and you have to be patient with the transition and avoid forcing them to eat something they find unappealing. Adding small portions of the new food every day and reducing the old brand by the same amount is ideal for transitioning to new brands.
If your cat eats too fast, you can place their food in puzzle boxes to slow their eating and challenge their hunter instincts.
3. Hairballs
During the grooming process, cats ingest hair, and most of it is expelled through the feces. However, the undigested pieces can remain in the stomach and eventually form into hairballs. When your pet vomits a hairball, you may see clear liquid accompanied by the cylindrical gray tube.
Brushing your cat’s coat every week can remove more of the loose hair that could be swallowed during grooming, but a cat that coughs up hairballs more than once a month should be examined by a vet. They may suggest switching to a cat food formulated to reduce hairballs or using a medication that helps the hair travel through the digestive system. If the signs persist, the vet will examine the cat for other medical conditions using blood tests, an endoscopy, a radiograph, or an ultrasound.
- Related Read: Easy Home Remedies for Cat Hairballs
4. Drinking Water on an Empty Stomach
Cats require fresh drinking water to stay healthy, but some cats drink too fast on empty stomachs and vomit clear liquid. Felines that mostly eat dry food require more water than those on wet diets, but a veterinarian should examine a cat that abruptly increases their water intake.
A severe medical issue can cause increased thirst or urination, and your vet will run tests to rule out disease as the reason. Conditions that can lead to problems with excessive thirst include hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, urinary tract infections, and diabetes.
- Related Read: Why Does My Cat Throw Up After Drinking Water?
5. Ingesting Poison
Cats enjoy exploring their homes, but they often discover objects or substances that can harm them. When they consume a toxin, vomiting is a common signs. Household cleaners and automotive chemicals are well-known poisons that should be kept away from pets, but your cat should also avoid these toxic items:
- Chocolate
- Xylitol
- Garlic
- Onions
- Grapes
- Lilies
- Acetaminophen
- Ibuprofen
Identifying the substance that caused your cat to vomit can help the veterinarian determine the appropriate treatment. The length of the recovery process can depend on the type and amount of poison swallowed. A cat must be monitored while recovering from a toxin, and most vets will request follow-up visits to ensure that they are responding to the treatment.
6. Bilious Vomiting Syndrome
If your pet is throwing up bile early in the morning or late at night, the cause could be bilious vomiting syndrome. The liver produces bile to aid digestion when it enters the small intestine, but it can also enter the stomach and cause discomfort and vomiting. The syndrome is rare in cats and mainly occurs in older felines.
If the veterinarian does not detect another severe disease that is causing the vomiting, they can prescribe drugs that lower the level of acid in the stomach or strengthen the gut’s ability to process food. Cats diagnosed with bilious vomiting syndrome can benefit from eating smaller meals throughout the day and at the end of the night. Most felines respond well to treatments when their owners follow the vet’s recommendations.
7. Parasites
Intestinal parasites can also be responsible for vomiting in cats. Depending on the parasite, felines can vomit clear liquid or bile with streams of blood. A cat can get infested with parasites after coming in contact with infected feces or animals with the parasites. Cats that hunt rodents and share litter boxes with infested felines are more vulnerable to illness from parasites. Over-the-counter worm medications are available online and at pet stores, but you should wait until a vet determines which worm is causing your cat’s signs before administering treatment.
Although some pet parents prefer using DIY treatments instead of prescribed drugs to treat worms, veterinarians strongly oppose treating flines with pumpkin seeds, carrots, garlic, vinegar, or any homemade medicines. Following your vet’s treatment plan, including dewormers and other medications, is the best way to help your cat recover from a parasitic infestation.
8. Kidney Disease
When a cat’s kidneys are not functioning correctly, the toxic buildup can cause vomiting and other signs, such as dehydration, weight loss, excessive thirst, and diarrhea. Acute kidney failure can be reversed if promptly treated, but there is no cure for chronic kidney disease. However, a cat suffering from a chronic case can live for several years by following the vet’s treatment plan.
Since vets cannot cure chronic kidney disease, their primary concern is to decrease the disease’s progression. Treatments for renal failure may include a low-protein diet, intravenous fluids, vitamin injections, potassium supplements, and possibly surgery to remove obstructions.
9. Gastritis
When a cat’s stomach becomes inflamed, the irritation can cause pain and vomiting. Gastritis can be caused by minor problems, such as changes in diet or eating a toxic plant, or it can be related to severe conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease. Minor cases of gastritis can clear up in a few days, but it’s better to visit the veterinarian when your cat frequently vomits.
If the doctor discovers that a serious disease is not causing gastritis, they may prescribe a bland diet, antacids, pain relievers, or anti-nausea drugs to treat it. Veterinarians typically do not prescribe antibiotics to treat gastritis because these can do more damage by decreasing the number of healthy bacteria in the stomach.
- See Also: Ataxia in Cat
10. Cancer
Intestinal lymphoma is the most common cancer diagnosed in cats. Signs of the disease include vomiting, appetite loss, diarrhea, and weight loss. Veterinarians may use endoscopy or surgery to obtain biopsies to diagnose lymphoma.
Although cats can be treated for lymphoma with steroids for several months, some pets must visit the doctor for chemotherapy or radiation therapy. While lymphoma cannot be prevented, vets recommend vaccinating cats against FeLV to reduce their chances of contracting cancer.
When To See A Vet
If your cat is frequently throwing up, whether it is clear or not, and the cause doesn’t appear to be hairballs, you should consult a vet.
Conclusion
Although watching your feline cough up clear fluid is alarming, you cannot treat the sign until you understand the cause. A single vomiting episode is not a reason to rush to the animal hospital, but frequent vomiting should be treated immediately by a veterinarian. Early treatment can benefit the animal’s recovery and reduce the probability of the condition worsening.
Featured Image Credit: chie hidaka, Shutterstock
