A common cause of vomiting is gastritis. This means that the cat’s gastric mucosa is inflamed. Gastritis can be both acute and chronic, which means that it has lasted for more than three weeks.
Symptoms
Symptoms of gastritis are vomiting, abdominal pain, decreased appetite and the cat withdrawing.
There are also several reasons why the cat vomits, read more during vomiting in cats.
Cause
The cat may get gastritis from eating something inappropriate. There may also be something in the feed that causes a hypersensitivity reaction in the stomach. It is far from always possible to determine the cause of chronic gastritis in cats. Foreign objects can also get stuck in the stomach and cause a chronic gastritis.
Some medicines can cause acute gastritis such as anti-inflammatory drugs and certain antibiotics. If the cat vomits during medication, the treating veterinarian should be contacted. If vomiting occurs with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, treatment should be stopped immediately!
Some systemic diseases can also lead to gastritis, such as kidney failure and hyperthyroidism.
Diagnostics
Acute gastritis can in the worst case lead to stomach ulcers whereupon the cat can become very ill. By examining the lining of the stomach via a fiber endoscope (gastroscopy), gastritis or stomach ulcers can be diagnosed.
Treatment
Acute gastritis in otherwise healthy cats can be treated according to dietary advice in case of vomiting / diarrhea. If the cat has other diseases, is on medication or if the gastritis has a more chronic character, a veterinarian should be contacted for further investigation and treatment. In case of persistent vomiting, always consult a veterinarian!