For cats that have been vomiting for only a short period of time and that are not otherwise visibly sick, symptomatic treatment for one to three days is usually very beneficial and successful. Typically, food is withheld for 24 to 36 hours and injections of medications may be given to help alleviate the vomiting. If the vomiting persists, or if the animal is visibly debilitated, the use of intravenous fluid therapy may be given to prevent dehydration. Drugs also can be given intravenously instead of orally.
Further treatment is based on finding and correcting the underlying cause of the vomiting. Different conditions require varying treatments. For example, a cat that ingested a string needs to have surgery immediately to prevent the string from knotting up the intestinal loops and slicing through the intestinal wall. A cat with hyperthyroidism needs anti-thyroid medication to get the thyroid level back in the normal range; symptomatic treatment of the vomiting until the disease is controlled will be necessary.
