Cat Vomiting Blood

Vomiting in cats is quite a common occurrence, and in most cases, the cause is transitory and harmless.



In the majority of cases, a cat is merely throwing up a hairball – these balls of fur tend to accumulate in the cat’s stomach as a result of the fur that is ingested whenever the cat grooms itself. In addition, there might be occasional episodes of vomiting when a cat eats something bad, or simply eats grass and leaves. These are also minor problems that do not usually require medical attention.



However, when a cat vomits blood, it is time to take the matter seriously. There are a number of serious medical problems that can cause a cat to vomit blood, and it is always advisable to get the matter attended to by a veterinarian at the earliest.

Vomiting of blood may vary in the degree of its severity.



You may simply notice a streak of blood in the vomit, or there may a lot of it. The blood may also be fresh, in which case it is usually from higher up in the digestive tract, or it may be old blood that has been partly digested. In this case, the blood usually has a brownish, dried up appearance. Fresh blood is often the result of an injury to the lining of the esophagus or stomach, usually from a bone or some other foreign material that was swallowed by the cat. Occasionally, the blood may actually be from the mouth or nose, and it may have been swallowed earlier. Sometimes, the blood may be coughed up from the lungs, rather than thrown up from the digestive tract.

Other medical problems that could cause your cat to vomit blood include ulcers and tumors. The tumors may or may not be cancerous, and only tests will be able to determine this. Ulcers can be caused by numerous factors, and once again, only your veterinarian will be able to determine the causes and the course of action. In some cases, medications themselves can cause ulcers, or they may directly cause bleeding. If you notice your cat vomit blood while it is on some sort of medication, you should ask your doctor whether the two could be connected. Certain clotting disorders could also lead to internal bleeding, and blood from the digestive tract may then be expelled by vomiting. There is no standard treatment for this problem – treatment will depend on the causes and their severity.