Kitten Vomiting: Causes, Care and When to Rush to the Vet

By Tailwisp Editorial TeamUpdated October 20, 20264 min read

Kittens are curious, they eat quickly and they sample the world with their mouths. An occasional vomit may be harmless, but the same sign can mean something serious. Learning to tell the difference could save your kitten's life.

Common causes

• Eating too fast. Kittens gulp food, especially when competing. Food comes back undigested soon after eating.
• Diet change. See how to switch cat foods.
• Parasites. Roundworms can be vomited. See kitten deworming guide.
• Infections, including viral and bacterial gut infections, and panleukopenia. See feline panleukopenia.
• Foreign objects. Strings, hair ties, tinsel and small toys. See linear foreign body in cats.
• Toxins. Plants, medications, chemicals and foods. See cat poisoning: what to do and lilies and cats: why they are deadly.
• Stress and motion sickness. After car rides.
• Food intolerance or allergy.
• Overfeeding.
• Congenital problems. Such as narrowing of the gut, or megaesophagus, which causes regurgitation soon after eating.
• Systemic illness, such as kidney or liver problems.

See cat vomiting causes.

Vomiting versus regurgitation

Vomiting involves retching and abdominal effort, and often yellow bile. Regurgitation is passive: food comes up without effort, often right after eating, in a tube shape. Regurgitation may signal esophagus problems, which need vet attention. Describe exactly what you saw.

What to watch for

Note how often the kitten vomits, what it looks like, and what else is happening. Consider whether the kitten could have eaten something. Check stool, appetite and energy.

Home care for a single, mild episode

If the kitten is bright, active, and vomited once:

1. Remove food for a short time, a couple of hours at most, but keep water.
2. Offer small amounts of water.
3. Offer a small meal of its usual food, then more later if it stays down.
4. Slow down eating, with smaller portions or a slow feeder. See puzzle feeders and slow feeders for cats.
5. Observe closely.

Do not give human medications. Do not fast a young kitten for long, because of low blood sugar.

When it is an emergency

Go to a vet urgently if:

• Vomiting happens more than twice, or continues for more than a few hours.
• There is blood, or the vomit looks like coffee grounds.
• The kitten is lethargic, weak, cold or hiding.
• It has diarrhea as well.
• The belly is swollen or painful.
• It tries to vomit but cannot.
• It may have eaten a string, toy, plant or toxin.
• Gums are pale, dry or yellow.
• It is under eight weeks old, or unvaccinated.
• It refuses food or water.

See cat emergency warning signs.

What your vet may do

Exam, X-rays or ultrasound, blood tests, fecal tests and viral tests. Treatment may include anti-nausea medicine, fluids, deworming, removal of foreign objects or hospital care.

Preventing vomiting

• Feed small, regular meals. See kitten feeding schedule.
• Keep hazards away. See kitten proofing your home.
• Introduce foods slowly.
• Keep vaccinations and deworming current. See kitten vaccine schedule and core shots.
• Avoid milk and table scraps.
• Provide supervised play, with safe toys.

Dehydration check

Gently lift the skin on the back of the neck. If it does not spring back quickly, or gums are dry, the kitten may be dehydrated. See cat dehydration signs and treatment.

What to tell your vet

Bring details: when the vomiting began, how many times, what it looked like, what the kitten ate recently, whether it could have chewed string or plants, whether stool has changed, and its vaccine and deworming history. If you can, take a photo of the vomit, and bring any suspect item, such as the plant or packaging. This information can speed diagnosis.

After recovery

Introduce food slowly, offer small meals, and keep a close eye for a few days. Check that weight is rising again. If vomiting returns, call your vet, since it may signal an underlying problem.

Foreign bodies and toxins

Kittens chew everything. Rubber bands, hair ties, tinsel, yarn and small toy parts are classic culprits. If you see string hanging from the mouth or rear, do not pull it. Go to a vet. If you suspect a toxin, take the packaging, and call a pet poison helpline or your vet right away. Early action makes treatment simpler, and more likely to succeed.

Safe feeding afterward

Once vomiting has stopped for several hours, offer a teaspoon or two of kitten food, then wait. If it stays down, offer a little more every hour or two, building back to normal meals over a day. Keep portions small, and use a shallow dish.

When to see a vet

Take your kitten to a vet at once for repeated vomiting. Use the US vet directory to find a clinic.