Vomiting is a reflex act where food and/or fluid are brought up from the stomach through the mouth. Vomiting occurs when the vomiting center of the brain, the chemoreceptor trigger zone, is stimulated by specific nerve impulses from the body. Diseases and certain situations, like a car ride, can stimulate the nerves leading to the vomiting center, causing nausea and vomiting. Many anti-vomiting medications work by blocking the signals from reaching the chemoreceptor trigger zone.
Complications of vomiting include dehydration, weight loss, and aspiration pneumonia, which occurs when vomitus gets inhaled into the lungs.
A vomiting cat should be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine the severity of the vomiting, necessary diagnostics, and the recommended course of treatment. Chronic vomiting cases may require advanced testing procedures to diagnose the specific cause.
