Why Does My Cat Keep Gagging But Not Throwing Up?
This article should be avoided by anyone who has a cat, especially if that cat is vomiting.
Let’s get one thing straight: this is not a good thing.
In order to understand the phenomenon, you have to understand that it’s not uncommon for cats in the later stages of liver disease to regurgitate bile and foam and vomit a mild amount of material.
Cats usually throw up after drinking or eating a commercial formula that’s not right for them. If your cat gags after having just had a meal or drink, visit your veterinarian.
Why Does My Cat Keep Gagging But Not Throwing Up?
Here are some of the most prevalent health issues affecting your cat’s digestive system: The most common reasons for vomiting in cats include problems with the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis, intestinal parasites, or inflammatory bowel disease.
I’ve put all of the symptoms beneath each subheading below.
Heart Disease
Heart disease refers to problems with their heart that limit its function, such has valve disease, congestive heart failure, or congenital defects.
Heart disease can keep your cat from eating, drinking, playing, walking, or even breathing. Heart diseases can be serious or fatal.
It’s important that your cat sees a vet right away if you notice any of the symptoms I’ve described.
Breathing problems and walking difficulties are often the first symptoms of heart disease in cats. Once diagnosed, treatment usually consists of medication and lifestyle changes.
Dry retching, difficulty eating, and fatigue are often symptoms of other health problems. Frequent or intense vomiting also might be a sign of another health condition.
It’s critical to see your veterinarian when you suspect your pet has a heart condition.
He or she can conduct a physical exam and consultation. The evaluation will help identify the nature and severity of the condition.
It will also determine whether your pet needs to be hospitalized or treated with a particular medication and therapy.
Liver Disease
The liver is also responsible for creating bile that is used by the body to break down fats.
Cats with liver disease may exhibit distinct symptoms, such as weight loss, vomiting, loss of appetite, yellow-colored bowel movements, and pale gums and eyes.
The most common causes of feline liver disease include: Congenital conditions, such as bile duct and focal liver fibrosis, and inherited metabolic disorders such as galactosemia.
Viral hepatitis, infectious agents, or chemical toxins may also lead to liver damage. Treatment may involve supplementing a pet’s diet with vitamins, minerals, and/or medications.
Because the liver is involved in so many processes, the symptoms of liver disease in cats can be quite confusing.
For example, an animal with a liver condition may show an increased appetite, vomiting, extreme lethargy, abdominal pain, and weight loss.
If left untreated, liver illness may be deadly, thus immediate veterinarian attention is essential.
Kidney Disease
When cats have renal illness, their kidneys’ ability to remove toxins is compromised, which results in high blood levels of toxins such as ammonia, creatinine, and urea.
As a result, these poisons build up and cause cats to vomit.
As a result, renal dysfunction might lead your cat to gag frequently, without vomiting. If these symptoms are accompanied by loss of appetite, your cat may be suffering from a liver or kidney condition.
Lodged Foreign Body
Cats are curious creatures that enjoy learning and investigating their environment.
For this reason, they will try a variety of strange objects in their mouths. Plastic wrappers and coins are easy prey for inquisitive cats, and they may swallow these pieces of garbage whole.
Building materials, such as cement and gravel, can also be swallowed whole. The textures of these materials, like rubber or cloth, may also intrigue the animal, and they may ingest it.
Slime, however, poses a major problem.
They achieve this in a much quicker time than they would if they were to empty their stomach by vomiting, which takes some time and is not very effective in preventing an obstruction from returning.
If you have tried vomiting your cat and it works, but they do not like it, you can try using a syringe to help push the foreign object through your cat’s digestive system.
Before you try this, make sure you have had medical training.
They’ll put a variety of alien items in their mouths, including rocks, dirt, glass, and plants. All they can taste through their tongues is all of these things. This trauma can eventually cause them to vomit.
Unfortunately, these things might get lodged in your kitty’s stomach and intestine, and without getting it removed in a timely manner, your cat could die.
If you miss the initial signs of a lodged foreign body, you could be looking at a very serious situation involving your cat’s health. If it takes more than a few tries to get your cat to expel this foreign object, you need to consult a veterinarian.
Your cat will continue to gag when they eat or drink if there is something stuck in their throat, and will likely breathe rapidly to indicate their discomfort.
The blockage could come from several sources. Nervous tissue, hair, metal, wood, plastic, or even a piece of bone can cause a blockage.
Though your cat may be unable to completely dislodge this object through their vomiting, they certainly won’t like it. Another option is to have your kitty undergo an X-ray or CT scan.
This will show if there is an object stuck in their stomach.
They may ultimately succeed , but they may have difficulty digesting food for several days.
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal system (GI tract).
It typically occurs when a cat eats or drinks something that irritates his/her digestive system, such as spoiled food or drink or alcohol. The irritation to the digestive tract makes it swell, which increases the risk of vomiting.
Cats who vomit frequently can experience dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Symptoms such as vomiting are more common in cats who have just eaten or drank something they don’t like, like fish, onions, garlic, or chocolate.
Diarrhea is a typical symptom because it occurs when your cat expels stomach acid and fluids into the bowel.
The outcome of this condition is dehydration, which can lead to other health problems if not treated. The veterinarian can prescribe a drug called omeprazole for your cat.
This drug will suppress your cat’s stomach acid production. The condition is expected to be gone after 10 to 14 days.
Nausea
Another reason your cat is attempting to burp and expel the contents of its stomach is that it is suffering from hyperacidity.
Hyperacidity is a condition in which your dog’s digestive system becomes inflamed as a result of excess stomach acid. This condition is also referred to as gastritis.
A cat may also suffer from nausea if it is suffering from hyperacidity, which is why it is unable to vomit. If you observe that your cat is suffering from hyperacidity, you should consult a veterinarian in order to administer the necessary treatment.
A gag reflex is triggered by the ill sensation in your throat, which prevents you from swallowing your food.
Your cat cannot vomit because it does not have the ability to produce stomach acid. The vomitus stays inside the stomach until it passes through the intestinal tract to be eliminated.
As a result, your cat cannot vomit.
Hairballs
Cats are fastidious groomers, spending hours each day making sure their coat is clean, silky, and shiny.
Grooming also contributes to their sense of well-being. It helps a cat develop its senses, improves its sense of touch, and trains its claws, teeth, and nails.
In addition to the filth they remove, they remove loose hair that sticks to the whiskers and fur around their ears.
In addition to removing loose hair, cleaning a cat’s food bowl helps to remove rashes, fleas, and other parasites.
Cats have evolved to be able to manage the hair they ingest because it is an important part of their overall health.
The motility of cat’s stomach and intestines, or their digestion, slows dramatically when cats stop eating, making it extremely difficult for them to digest fur.
This massive buildup of hair in their digestive system can cause blockages, therefore leading to life-threatening conditions like intestinal blockage.
What To Do If Your Cat is Dry Heaving
It’s difficult to remain calm when a cat is dry heaving, especially if they’re throwing up hairballs or the most disgusting stuff you’ve ever seen.
If your cat is dry heaving, we recommend taking him or her to your Veterinarian. In order to do so, you’ll need to know a few things about taking your cat to the veterinarian.
First, you’ll want your cat to be fast asleep or at least calm and relaxed. This will allow you to administer the sedative they need.
There are sedatives that can be administered to help calm your cat down.
However, some of the ailments on your cat’s face may be from eating things he shouldn’t be eating.
If you notice a speck of hair or a foreign object, feed your cat only the blandest diet possible to keep him from getting an upset stomach.
If your cat continues to have dry heaves for more than a day, contact your veterinarian, who can determine if your cat is suffering from something else.
If your cat begins dry heaving out of nowhere, immediately call your veterinarian for advice.
Your cat may have been able to pass a hairball without being sick afterward.
If they’re choking and coughing from nausea, it’s best to call your vet for medical help.
However, if your cat is dry heaving and no vomiting or hairballs have come up, they tend to recover within two days.
Baths and grooming are the best ways to keep your cat’s fur clean and glossy, but the fur itself still needs to be brushed down in order to prevent mats.
Your cat’s coat is matted if they start pulling at the fur rather than brushing it. However, mattes are easy to remove on your own, so it won’t be a problem at all.
Conclusion
It might be concerning if your kitty starts throwing up, but don’t worry – it’s not an emergency!
In most instances, however, dry heaving is a result of a cat throwing up or gagging, and nothing more serious.
Your cat should be back to its old self in no time!
Gagging and coughing in a cat is perfectly normal.
It can be triggered by a variety of factors, including stress, illness, or digestive problems. However, it’s important to seek veterinary attention if your cat doesn’t start throwing up after 24 hours.
Try some of my preventative recommendations as well — they’ll help your cat get proper nutrition.
