Vomiting, in general, is due to health problems that should never be neglected or risk getting worse and endangering the cat’s life. But don’t worry, just take action to correct the problem.
Regarding the cat vomiting bile, recognizable by its yellow color, I explain everything you need to know about these different causes and especially about how to act to solve the problem.
Cat vomiting bile: What is bile?
Bile is a secretion produced by the liver, yellow in color and which is essential for digestion, making it possible to emulsify the fats ingested in food. It allows a good assimilation of fat molecules. Located in the gallbladder, vomiting is not normal, whether in us or in felines.
If bile is vomited, it is because the body’s natural movements related to the functioning of bile are reversing and expelling it instead of bringing it to the next stage of digestion. The body seeks to expel toxins and purge the cat by eliminating this bile. This mechanism is the basis of all the problems associated with vomiting bile in cats.
The different causes and their solutions
To be able to solve the problem, it is vital to pay close attention to the cause of the problem, here is everything you need to know about the different causes of feline bile vomiting. For each of these causes, I will give you the solutions.
Prolonged fasting
Cats are not made for long fasts and during a long fast, bile builds up in their stomach, eventually irritating it, which will cause your cat’s body to throw it up by vomiting. If your cat hasn’t eaten for a long time, give it appetizing food.
You can first give him wet food, which is easier to digest than dry food and which he loves, such as tuna or meat which he will love. If the cat is still not eating, there may be an underlying pathology that is causing it to refuse to eat and a visit to the vet will be necessary.
To get a cat that categorically refuses to eat to eat, here’s how to motivate it (but you still need to treat the underlying cause):
- Flavor its water: With chicken juice or tuna oil, classics because cats love it and liquid food will be easier for them to swallow. You can also take salmon oil, which is specially designed to stimulate cats’ appetites and give them good nutrients without the mercury disadvantages of large fish . Water is essential for the cat because they cannot fast for a long period.
- Give him only lukewarm: To avoid any pain and staleness when he eats and to encourage him to eat. Cold, whether water or food can hurt his esophagus, which can promote vomiting. Warm water is exceptionally to use for your cat, especially since if you flavor it, the smell will diffuse more easily and attract it.
- Calm him down : With soothing pheromones, for example, which can be diffused to his food. You can take an anti-stress spray or a soothing collar that will allow him to calm down despite his sick state. Reassuring him will allow him to live better with his illness.
- Give him soft food : Remember that the more aggressive the food is for his stomach and esophagus, the more he will tend to vomit. So to make him eat, give him only slack, even if it means moistening the kibble. Ideally, reduce his mash to a mush so that he really has no effort to make and that it slips into his mouth without hurting him. Warm food is also a plus, allowing to whet his appetite and also to be gentler on his stomach and esophagus than cold food.
- Give him vitamin B12: It stimulates the appetite and will help him eat more. Brewer’s yeast is another solution to make your cat want to eat. You can also take appetite stimulators designed for cats.
- A calm and clean corner : His bowl must always be in an environment that stimulates his appetite and in which he feels confident. And away from the litter of course, especially in these circumstances. Cats need calm when they eat, it’s a reflex that comes from their animal moment, because being in the process of eating, they are vulnerable to possible predators.
- Give him food he loves: Like meat or fish, but make it an exception so he doesn’t stop eating just to get it. For example sardines or chicken, it will be difficult to resist, especially if the food is lukewarm. In this precis, human food can be given to him, as long as he does not whim about it to always have it when he is no longer sick.
Toxic ingestion
Cats can ingest many toxic elements, such as plants, household products or even small objects. And when the body takes care of digesting them, it interprets them as difficult to digest and will then increase the secretion of bile, which your cat will reject.
If your cat doesn’t seem to be in pain, watch him, he should recover on his own because his body will do what is necessary. But if he seems to be in pain, take him to the vet to avoid poisoning.
To prevent this problem from happening again, be careful that your cat does not ingest anything. Pay close attention to what he might have ingested to prevent this from happening again. These are most likely cleaning products or toxic plants, but sometimes the causes are very diverse, up to the ingestion of intoxicated prey for outdoor cats.
Parasites
Fleas, ticks and other worms can enter your cat’s body and cause them to vomit from the irritation these parasites cause. It is vital to take him to the vet, because he will not be able to get rid of it on his own and his parasites will multiply until they kill him.
Have him dewormed to prevent the problem from happening again, especially if he is an outdoor cat who can pick up parasites from tall grass, especially in the spring and fall. Indoor cats can also catch it, especially through mosquito bites that can transmit litters of larvae even if it is much rarer.
Diseases
If no natural problem is detected, then it is probably a disease related to the pancreas, liver or intestines. Only the veterinarian can find a solution and it is therefore vital to always take him there quickly so that he can provide you with the appropriate treatment.
The sooner you act, the less likely the problem is to get worse. If your cat is old, you don’t have the luxury of being able to wait because his body is more fragile.
He will carry out a diagnosis using precise tools, which will make it possible to determine the most suitable treatment to stop this vomiting of bile in the cat and the pathology which causes it. To help him, you can film when he vomits bile and show him.
Also prepare for many questions, such as the context of the vomiting, in which environment, the difficulty in vomiting…
What habits to adopt while he vomits bile
While waiting for the problem to be fixed, you can simplify your cat’s life and also simplify yours. Here’s everything you can put together.
Leave it inside
First you don’t know where the problem is, imagine a neighbor has a problem with mice or rats and poisons them, then your cat comes and eats them afterwards, it’s obvious that he’s going to s poison again if he is not careful.
Then, keeping him inside prevents him from venturing out being diminished, a lack of vigilance on his part can be dangerous if he comes down from a tree or crosses the road. Finally, the interior will be sound and therefore good to avoid relans.
Spare him an unhealthy look
Your cat needs healthy air, so spare him the smell of cigarette smoke and household products, otherwise he will surely vomit his bile because of the unpleasant sensation of these smells. So do what is necessary so that he can have an air totally adapted to his situation. Especially since smells like that of cigarettes can attack his lungs.
Manage his vomiting
By knowing the situations, movements and smells that generate the most bile vomiting, you can limit them. For example, maybe he vomits more in the morning, when he gets up, when he yawns…. You will know when to feed him, for example. An anti-vomiting paste can also be very useful, allowing him to avoid the discomfort caused by vomiting.
Clean well
By cleaning the cat’s vomit with household products, it will vomit again, a real vicious circle. So, choose baking soda which will not attack it in terms of odors. Bleach will excite him for example, because the smell of bleach is similar for cats to cat urine, an unneutered cat will urinate over it to mark its smell.
Ideally, take cleaners designed for what is related to cat dirt that will allow you to get rid of it more easily.
Special cases
If your cat vomits bile, there can be different special cases regarding this vomiting. Here are the main specific cases of feline biliary vomiting.
Cat vomiting bile and not eating
Several reasons can cause this problem and there is probably a pathology behind this problem. If he’s not eating even the foods he usually loves, then it’s time to take him to the vet because only medical treatment can fix the problem.
Cat vomiting yellow bile
This is the classic color of bile, which is usually yellow. The causes are therefore those that I presented to you at the beginning of this article. If the bile is green, this is also completely normal.
Cat vomiting white bile
This is actually mucus containing gastric juice which is naturally present in the stomach when it is completely empty. Cats that are no longer eating are much more at risk because gastric juice is rarely released when food is in the stomach.
Cat vomiting bile and diarrhea
Your cat has ingested something that is not suitable for him and could possibly be dangerous. If he seems to be in pain, then take him to the vet so they can treat him. For episodes of diarrhea, know that there are reusable cat diapers that will avoid having to clean up droppings.
Cat vomiting foamy bile / Cat vomiting transparent marble
This is digestive juice that is rejected following irritation. Maybe he ate too much grass to purge himself. I have dedicated an article on the cat vomiting foam if you want more details.
Cat vomiting green bile
If the bile is usually yellow, it can tend towards green and it can therefore be all of the causes described in this article.
Cat vomiting bile and blood
It can be very simple causes, such as too much ingestion, like a disease. If the problem does not resolve itself quickly, take him to the vet so he can be treated. My article on feline vomiting with blood will give you all the necessary details on how to proceed.
My cat is vomiting bile: The final word
A cat that vomits bile must necessarily lead to find the cause to either solve the problem directly or take it to the veterinarian if no non-medical cause could be detected. In any case, put in place the good habits directly.