Many cats that eat dry food have been known to vomit up dry food after they have eaten. It may seem unusual to their owners but fortunately, there are some common reasons why this happens. It is always best to observe a cat’s actions during and after eating. A cat’s behavior always varies and there are cats that eat slowly and seem to relish every bite and then there are the greedy ones who eat their food as if they hadn’t had a bite in months. Keep in mind that cats that eat only dry food tend to regurgitate the food almost as soon as they finish eating. One of the reasons is that once the dry food has mixed with the contents of the cat’s stomach, it expands and begins to cause discomfort. Most often a cat will eat much too quickly and this will cause him or her to vomit the food right back. It could also be that the cat hasn’t chewed its food too well.
At times especially if the cat is a long-hair and has lots of long fur, they might throw up their food due to an excessive amount of hair that has accumulated in their stomachs. It might occur not as often with short-haired cats but is always the result of their own grooming sessions. If a cat feels anxious or stressful they can become ill after eating. This can be caused by a certain change in the cat’s diet or perhaps a change that has occurred in the home environment. Dry cat food can be a mixture of all kinds of ingredients and at times your cat might just be allergic to some of the ingredients. Some of the more serious reasons why a cat might vomit after eating dry cat food include stomach ulcers, parasitic infestation or diabetes.
There is persistent vomiting where the cat keeps on throwing up over and over, even after their stomach is empty, throwing up a clear or frothy liquid. Then there is sporadic vomiting which may occur when the cat throws up at least once a day for several weeks. Owners should be aware of what is happening to their cats because persistent vomiting can be caused by problems that are not serious like hairballs however sporadic vomiting is most often a sign of a more serious health problem. If your cat eats much too quickly and vomits afterwards the ejected food will be undigested dry food. At times cats eat grass, plants or objects that don’t agree with their stomachs and can also lead to vomiting.
For cats that regurgitate or eat much too fast, you should try to wet the dry food with some warm water and feed him or her smaller amounts per meal. If the problem is hairballs they can be treated with small amounts of petroleum jelly added to the cat’s diet or specially formulated dry food meant to help with hairballs. Stress can be treated by being able to identify what is causing the cat’s stress and lessening it. If it appears that it might be something more serious then consult with your vet.
