What to do if your cat vomits brown fluid? Cat vomiting may be sick or food allergy

Causes of Cat Vomiting

Brown fluid in cat vomit can be a sign of serious illness. Vomiting itself is considered a nonspecific symptom. It can be associated with a range of health problems. Some of these may include allergic reactions, internal resistance, pancreatitis, kidney failure, parasitic infections, liver disease, inflammation, poisoning, or neurological disorders, but what exactly causes cats to vomit brown fluid?

Causes of Cats Vomiting Brown Liquid

1. Gastrointestinal bleeding: Brown vomitus may indicate bleeding. If your cat has been vomiting for a prolonged period of time, there may be inflammation in the mouth and/or esophagus, which may ooze blood. If your cat has not been vomiting for a long time, brown liquid vomit may indicate further internal bleeding in the GI tract. This can be due to things like ingestion of a foreign body or the impact of a large hairball that blocks the gut and causes inflammation and trauma.
2. Brown bile: Sometimes brown liquid vomit can be bile in the cat’s liver. However, the vomited bile is usually yellow, so if you’re sure the brown fluid your cat vomits is bile, that could be a sign of something wrong with the cat’s internal organs.
3. Food: Of course, most cat food, whether dry or canned, is brown. If your cat is a habitual “scarf and vomit” cat, or if they have intestinal sensitivities, it may cause them to vomit partially digested or undigested food. If the veterinarian has ruled out other medical problems and believes that what the cat is vomiting is actually food, then they may want your cat to go on a strict diet of hydrolyzed protein. When it comes to food allergies, most cats are actually allergic to protein, not any other source of nutrition. A hydrolyzed diet is a food that undergoes a process of breaking down protein into its individual amino acid components. This prevents your cat’s immune system from recognizing the food as containing allergens and prevents your cat from developing allergy symptoms.
   What should I do if my cat vomits brown fluid? Cat Vomiting Some cat owners may describe their cat as “vomiting,” but it should be noted that frequent vomiting is never normal for cats. Chronic vomiting or vomiting that has occurred for more than two or three weeks is definitely a sign of a problem. If your cat repeatedly vomits brown fluid and/or is accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy or diarrhea, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately. The veterinarian will wish to perform a physical examination, checking the cat’s vital signs, including temperature, as well as palpating the cat’s abdomen. After a thorough examination, your veterinarian may also want to perform some tests, including blood tests and X-rays.

Blood tests will check your cat’s organ function to make sure there are no signs of liver or kidney disease, as well as your cat’s red blood cell and platelet levels. An X-ray study will check the abdomen for any fluid that could be blood, and it may also show a pattern of intestinal gas, which could indicate a blockage. Depending on your doctor’s findings, your cat may require hospitalization for fluid therapy and supportive care, or they may be able to go home with only outpatient treatment and oral medication. If your veterinarian suspects that your cat has a bowel obstruction, your cat may need surgery to remove any blockages.

Even something as benign as eating breakfast too quickly, a cat’s routine vomiting is by no means a normal activity. If you are struggling with a cat that vomits, call your veterinarian to see if they can help you determine that your cat is sick.