--- title: "Cat Vomiting: When to Worry and When to Call the Vet" url: https://pawmultiverse.com/cat-vomiting-when-to-worry/ description: "PDSA: contact your vet straight away if your cat has vomited for over 24 hours, cannot keep food or water down, is very young or old, or has blood or black dots in the vomit. When one vomit can be watched." source: Paw Multiverse (https://pawmultiverse.com), free to cite with a link --- # Cat Vomiting: When to Worry Published by Paw Multiverse (A.I.T. Multiverse Consulting Ltd) · Last updated 10 November 2026 **Blood or black dots in the vomit, vomiting for over 24 hours, or can't keep food or water down?** Phone your vet now. [Find an emergency vet](https://pawmultiverse.com/find-emergency-vet/). Might it have eaten something? [My cat ate something](https://pawmultiverse.com/my-cat-ate-something-what-to-do/). Quick answer PDSA says to contact your vet straight away if your cat has been vomiting for more than 24 hours, cannot keep food or water down, is very young or old, or is otherwise unwell, or if there is blood or black dots in the vomit. A single vomit does not always need a vet: feed normally, give fresh water and watch closely, and call if it happens again or your cat seems unwell. From PDSA. Not veterinary or financial advice. [Worried about your pet now?](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-emergency-what-to-do-now/) ## Contact your vet straight away if - Your cat has been vomiting for more than 24 hours, or cannot keep food or water down. - Your cat is very young or old, or otherwise unwell. - Your cat has low energy, pale gums, diarrhoea or a painful belly. - There is blood or black dots in the vomit. - Your cat has eaten something it should not have: [my cat ate something](https://pawmultiverse.com/my-cat-ate-something-what-to-do/). - Your cat is drinking or peeing more than usual. Source: [PDSA Pet Health Hub, Vomiting in cats](https://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/vomiting-in-cats). ## A single vomit PDSA says it is not always necessary to see your vet the first time your cat vomits: feed normally, make sure fresh water is available, and watch closely. If at any point your cat seems unwell or vomits again, contact your vet, and call for advice if it vomits more than once or has any other symptoms. Source: [PDSA Pet Health Hub, Vomiting in cats](https://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/vomiting-in-cats). ## Common causes PDSA lists common causes as a mild stomach upset (gastritis), worms, fur balls, travel sickness, and a change of diet or eating something unusual. Less common causes include pancreatitis, food allergies, an overactive thyroid, kidney disease, poisons, a gut blockage, medicine side effects, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and liver disease. The treatment depends on the cause, which is why a vet needs to see a cat that keeps vomiting. Source: [PDSA Pet Health Hub, Vomiting in cats](https://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/vomiting-in-cats). ## What to tell the vet When it started, how often, what the vomit looked like (a photo helps), whether your cat is eating, drinking, using the litter tray normally and passing faeces, any change of food, anything it might have eaten (plants such as lilies, string, medicines), and any medicines it takes. ## Questions people ask When should I worry about my cat vomiting? PDSA says to contact your vet straight away if your cat has vomited for more than 24 hours, cannot keep food or water down, is very young or old, is otherwise unwell, or has blood or black dots in its vomit, low energy, pale gums, diarrhoea or a painful belly. My cat vomited once. Do I need the vet? Not always. PDSA says to feed normally, make sure fresh water is available and watch closely, and to contact your vet if your cat seems unwell or vomits again. What causes cats to vomit? PDSA lists common causes as a mild stomach upset, worms, fur balls, travel sickness and a change of diet or eating something unusual, with less common causes including kidney disease, an overactive thyroid, poisons and gut blockages. Is vomiting with increased thirst serious in cats? PDSA lists drinking or peeing more than usual alongside vomiting as a reason to contact your vet straight away. ## Sources - [PDSA Pet Health Hub, Vomiting in cats](https://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/vomiting-in-cats), read 10 November 2026. ## Related pages [My cat ate something](https://pawmultiverse.com/my-cat-ate-something-what-to-do/), [cat flu](https://pawmultiverse.com/cat-flu-symptoms/), [lilies and cats](https://pawmultiverse.com/are-lilies-poisonous-to-cats/) and [pet emergency: what to do now](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-emergency-what-to-do-now/). **Is your pet's food on a recall list?** Check the barcode on the bag against five official registers in the US, UK, Canada and France. [Check your bag](https://pawmultiverse.com/check-your-bag/) · [Recalls this week](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-food-recalls/this-week/)