What's going on when a cat vomits white foam?

A cat vomiting white foam may be due to poisoning, ingesting bitter substances, foreign object obstruction, feline distemper virus infection, internal diseases, gastritis, hairballs, and other causes. If there are no other abnormalities, the main considerations are hairballs and ingesting bitter substances. In this case, you can grow some cat grass or buy some hair removal gel and probiotics for your cat to eat, and also supplement vitamins. If there are other abnormal symptoms, such as convulsions, lethargy, anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, etc., go to the pet hospital immediately.

Poisoning

If a cat accidentally swallows insecticides, chronic rat poison, or other substances, it will vomit white foam. At the same time, poisoning can also cause the cat's mucous membranes to turn purple, convulse, become lethargic, have diarrhea, and even lose consciousness and shock.

After discovering that the cat is poisoned, the owner should immediately feed it soap water for vomiting and take it to the pet hospital for gastric washing. If the drug has been absorbed by the body, it requires medication for detoxification.

Ingesting bitter substances

If a cat eats something bitter, such as internal parasite drugs, tea, coffee, etc., it will secrete a large amount of saliva from the mouth, resulting in white foam vomiting. This situation is recoverable, and the owner can rinse the cat's mouth to clean it, which will usually recover within a few minutes.

Foreign object obstruction

If a cat accidentally eats plastic bags, hair, bones, or other foreign objects and gets stuck, it will continuously vomit white foam, along with loss of appetite, arching back, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. After the cat swallows a foreign object, the owner should take it to the pet hospital for examination, take X-rays to determine the location and size of the foreign object, and choose appropriate treatment.

In daily breeding and management, owners should avoid letting cats swallow foreign objects. When owners discover that their cats are eating strange things or rummaging through garbage bins, they should stop them in time and help the cats develop good habits.

Feline distemper virus infection

Some cats with feline distemper virus will also show symptoms of vomiting white foam, whether they are drinking water or eating food. They will also have a fever, diarrhea, and other symptoms. In this case, it is recommended to take the cat to the pet hospital for treatment. In addition to symptomatic treatment for vomiting and inflammation, the cat also needs intravenous fluid replacement, maintenance of acid-base balance, and prevention of electrolyte disorders.

Internal diseases

Cats with other internal diseases that cause vomiting white foam, such as liver dysfunction, pancreatitis, chronic kidney disease, etc., will also cause vomiting. Internal diseases require blood tests at the hospital to determine the specific disease.

Gastritis

The most obvious symptom of gastritis in cats is vomiting white foam, which is accompanied by abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, and other symptoms. Cats get gastritis usually due to accidentally eating cold, rotten, or spicy foods, which harm their stomach and intestines.

After the cat is sick, the owner should take it to the pet hospital for examination and treatment. If the gastritis is caused by improper diet, the owner needs to change the feeding method.

Hairballs

Cats often lick their hair, and the hair that cannot be excreted accumulates in the body, causing vomiting white foam with obvious hair. In this case, it is recommended that owners feed their cats hair removal gel or cat grass to help them pass the hairballs.

Hair removal gel mainly softens the cat's feces, allowing the hair in the stomach and intestines to be excreted with the feces. However, the fat content in hair removal gel is high, and excessive feeding may cause diarrhea and soft stools in cats. Therefore, it is recommended to follow the instructions for use.