Cat Vomiting Green Liquid: What to Do
As my cat got older, I noticed that he was vomiting at least a couple times per week, and it was often a yellow-green color. I weighed him and he had lost a considerable amount of weight. Keeping a journal of his appetite and vomiting helped me realize that something was wrong. This worried me, but after doing some tests and using different treatments, I saw that his vomiting decreased and he gained his weight back.
It’s always concerning to see your kitty get sick. And a cat vomiting green liquid can worry you even more. Nearly every cat will vomit at some point in their life — so when should you be worried, and what should you know about green cat vomit? Read on to find out.
Is Green Cat Vomit Cause for Concern?
Vomiting is a body’s normal response to many things, including viruses, having eaten something inappropriate, or bacterial infection. Vomit can be green because it includes bile.
Bile is a normal substance made by the liver and found within the gallbladder. It is released into the small intestine just past the stomach (in the duodenum) when your cat eats. It helps both digestion, particularly of fats, and the body carry away waste.
If vomit contains bile, it is not cause for alarm. Vomit often contains bile because your cat’s intestines are not moving things forward as they should, and bile goes backward into the stomach. Bile itself cannot diagnose any particular issue in your cat, and vomit including bile is not more concerning than other vomit.
The most important thing for pet parents to monitor is not the color of vomit, but how your cat is feeling overall. If your kitty vomits, immediate medical attention is not necessary; monitoring at home is sufficient at first. If issues continue, call your veterinarian for medical care.
Take note of these possible issues to better assess if your cat needs medical attention:
Decreased Appetite
If your cat is no longer eating whatsoever for 24 hours, this is a very urgent medical concern that needs immediate attention. If your cat’s appetite has decreased over time but they are still eating, and their appetite does not return over a few days, call your veterinarian.
Losing Weight
Does it appear your cat has lost weight? If you’re unsure, use a human baby scale (or cat scale if you have one) and weigh your cat at the same time daily to confirm. Weight loss for more than two days is an urgent concern.
Changes in Behavior
If your cat is acting differently, this could indicate that they are not feeling well. Examples of changes in behavior include your cat being less active, not playing as much, sleeping more, or hiding. If this occurs for more than a couple days, they need medical attention.
If at any time your cat is profusely vomiting many times over a matter of a few hours, if they cannot rise, or if they appear less aware of their surroundings, it could be a sign that they need emergency care. This is rarely the case, but it’s important to know.
Types of Green Cat Vomit
You might notice green cat vomit can look different depending on the situation. Let’s go over what types of green vomit you may see.
Green Liquid
A cat vomiting green liquid often indicates that they have been drinking water and maybe eating some food. The juices inside the stomach for digestion — and possibly water — will make vomit into liquid.
Green Foam
Green foam vomit indicates your cat has extra gas in the stomach that is mixing with stomach acid. This could be due to stomach acid entering the esophagus, which is the tube from the mouth down to the stomach. Foam can also occur because your cat’s stomach is empty and thus has extra air.
Green Mucus
Mucus is naturally found in the stomach to protect the inner lining from all the acid and digestion taking place. It’s normal to find mucus in vomit and may be more common in cats with empty stomachs. Mucus also is naturally found in your cat’s sinuses (nasal passages) and is normally swallowed. Cats with stuffy noses may have more mucus in the stomach.
Causes of Green Cat Vomit
Regardless of the type your cat produces, green vomit indicates that the stomach or organs near it are inflamed — and there are many possible causes. Here are just a few examples:
Inflammatory bowel disease. If your cat has been vomiting for more than three weeks, your veterinarian may diagnose inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. This condition indicates the intestines are inflamed, which can be caused by many things including food allergies to specific proteins.
Viruses. Viruses that affect the whole body and cause fever or affect any part of the abdomen can lead to vomiting, since cats are uniquely sensitive to discomfort in the abdomen.
Kidney disease. This occurs in one-third of all cats over 15 years of age and can be seen in even younger cats as well. Inflammation and discomfort from the kidneys coupled with other metabolic changes result in vomiting.
Foreign bodies. Cats may eat things that cannot be digested by the body, such as fake plants, string, or small pieces of a toy.
Treatment
Prior to seeing a veterinarian, there are not a lot of treatment options for cats who vomit at home. Ensure your cat has unlimited water available. You may even entice them with tuna juice or low-sodium chicken broth to help with hydration. Do not give your cat any treats. If you’re enticing them to eat after they have been anorexic, stick to plain cooked meat, canned tuna, or cat diets. Avoid treats and any other types of foods.
While medications to decrease stomach acid are available over the counter, they are not always the right choice for your cat. Veterinary advice prior to administering any medication is important. Whenever concerned, call your veterinary office to better assess if your cat needs medical care. Your veterinarian would likely administer medication to stop the vomiting and fluids if your cat is dehydrated, and they may offer testing to figure out why your cat is vomiting.
My Take on Green Cat Vomit
Seeing my cat vomit made me a little sad, knowing that they weren’t feeling very well. If your cat rarely vomits or goes back to their normal self in a day, don’t worry.
Green cat vomit is not a major concern for panic — it’s all about how your cat is feeling overall. As long as they start eating again within a day and their behavior returns to normal over a couple days, monitoring at home is okay. But don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian if you are concerned.
