Do you know the common slang terms for vomiting? You must be familiar with puking, barfing, gag reflex, talking to Ralph on the big white phone (okay you probably didn’t know that).
Vomiting is quite common among us humans, as it is for cats. And usually, it’s not a good sign.
But can something like overfeeding cats cause vomiting? That’s what we’re here to find out!
Can Overfeeding A Cat Cause Vomiting?
The short answer is, yes. Overfeeding can cause vomiting.
If your cat eats too much food at any given time of the day, expect them to empty the contents of its stomach. Allowing your pet to keep eating and drinking tons of water causes vomiting.
Change your pet’s eating habits – desist from free feeding, and give them food at regular intervals.
Aggressive Eating
Your cat may also be vomiting due to eating too fast. They might be an aggressive eater, or they may be quickly gulping down food due to stress.
If you are a household that has multiple cats, then each cat wants to get to the food as soon as possible. The competition might make cats stress out and eat fast.
To rectify this, feed each cat at different times of the day, or provide separate bowls for each.
Other Dangers of Overfeeding
There is an assortment of pitfalls to overfeeding your cat. Vomiting is not the only danger. The biggest risk is obesity. An obese cat is subject to many health complications. Moreover, your cat won’t be able to function normally.
Here are some issues that overfed and obese cats face:
1. General Decline in Health
A cat that is allowed to stuff its face soon has issues like joint pain, breathing difficulty, and teeth problems. Some of these ailments will persist even if you change your cat’s diet.
Your pet is at risk of major complications like arthritis, diabetes, and liver problems. Better to watch how much you feed your cat than have them go through such pain.
2. Lack of Exercise
Cats are energetic creatures, especially in their prime years. If you’ve had your kittens when they were a few months old, you would have seen how they chased every moving thing. The playfulness continues as they age.
However, being overweight prevents them from doing many physical activities like jumping, running, scratching posts, etc. Due to such passivity, they miss out on vital exercise, thus increasing their health problems.
3. Less Grooming
Being obese leads to lethargy and laziness. Overweight cats are unable to groom themselves, an important routine in every cat’s life.
Your cat will find it hard to reach around and properly work on its coat. This makes their fur dull, and it eventually loses its luster. Obese cats are known to give up completely on grooming. This leads to matted fur, heavy dandruff, and unclean coats.
4. Rising Costs
As a pet owner, a real practical issue that you face is rising expenses. The more your cat eats, the more you would need to spend on cat food.
Plus, any sickness that befalls your pet must be treated. This means more frequent visits to your vet. More visits mean more money spent on vet’s bills.
When Should I Worry About My Cat Vomiting?
At times when the cause of vomiting is easy to detect, like overfeeding, then you don’t need to fret beyond looking to rectify the overfeeding.
But there are scenarios when vomiting should be a cause of worry. This is when it is accompanied by other symptoms.
The symptoms are:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Change in litter box habits
If you notice your cat displaying symptoms, contact your vet immediately.
Tips to Prevent Cat Vomiting
1. Balanced Diet
The foremost step to consider is giving your cat a balanced diet. Avoid giving out treats and snacks that are high in calories.
If your pet has a sensitive stomach, purchase cat food that is specially made for felines with sensitive stomachs. Today you’ll be able to find many products that suit your needs.
2. Keep them Hydrated
Cats are notoriously averse to drinking water. So ensuring that they are well hydrated is your responsibility. They prefer running water rather than stagnant water in a bowl. Set up drinking fountains that provide a continuous stream of water.
Conclusion
Overfeeding, as a whole, is a bad idea. It not only causes your cat to vomit but also brings along other problems. One of them being obesity.
Obese cats invite health issues like arthritis, joint pain, and diabetes which could be fatal. Take your cat to the vet as soon as you notice symptoms like fever and diarrhea appearing alongside the vomiting.
There’s nothing like seeing your cat living life to the fullest rather than being dull and sick. You can make sure that it enjoys life.
