Can Cats have bulimia? My cat Snickers throws up all the time. When he’s mad at you, especially. I give him foods with hairball control but, it seems he does it to try to control his people. If he gets upset about something, he will get right beside you and puke. What can I do to stop this?

Dana
Montgomery, AL

Many folks joke about “kitty bulimia”. Cats with this syndrome eat large meals and then promptly vomit. They may then be hungry again.

The syndrome looks just like bulimia in humans. But it isn’t actually bulimia. True bulimia has not been documented in cats.

Cats who vomit frequently almost always have a medical condition that causes vomiting. Such medical conditions include inflammatory (aka infiltrative) bowel disease, food intolerance, infestation with parasites, liver problems, kidney problems, glandular conditions such as thyroid disease, intestinal conditions, and tumors in the abdomen.

Stress can cause predisposed cats (and humans) to vomit. This is probably why Snickers vomits when he is upset. I doubt that Snickers vomits purposefully in order to punish you. Vomiting is very unpleasant, and the activity punishes the individual who vomits more than the individual who has to clean it up.

A change in diet to something easily digestible (a so-called sensitive stomach formula) may help with the problem. But the best thing would be a trip to the vet for tests that may give insight into why Snickers is so predisposed to throwing up.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

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• What Causes Vomiting and Diarrhea in Young Cats?
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My nine-year-old Orange Tabby has vomited periodically most
of her life. Within the last few months, her
vomiting has increased to the point that I had to
rush her to vet ER. They hydrated her, ran
blood tests, xrays, etc.

Jill
Portland, Oregon, USA

It sounds like you and your cat are going through quite an ordeal!

Many things can cause cats to vomit. Food intolerance, metabolic disorders (such as liver or kidney disease), foreign objects in the stomach, neurological problems, heartworm disease, intestinal parasites, tumors, problems with the pancreas and exposure to poisons are among the many offenders, and this list is far from complete.

However, in cats that have a long history of vomiting that worsens precipitously I am often suspicious of a syndrome called inflammatory (or infiltrative) bowel disease. The syndrome is also known as IBD.

Cats with IBD suffer chronic irritation of the intestines. This leads to vomiting, diarrhea, or both.

Diagnosing IBD can be difficult. A biopsy of the intestines (by means of surgery or endoscopy) is the most definitive method, but it is very invasive and I rarely recommend it.

However, you do not mention that your cat has had an ultrasound of her abdomen. Ultrasound is a powerful, non-invasive and painless diagnostic technique. Skilled ultrasonographers can sometimes diagnose IBD. And they almost always offer insight into the cause of chronic vomiting. I would recommend abdominal ultrasound as the next step for your cat.

If your cat is diagnosed with IBD, several treatment options exist. Dietary modification is the mainstay of treatment, but it sounds like you may have exhausted this possibility. Probiotics help many cats; yours, unfortunately, seems refractory to this treatment.

I have seen many cats with chronic vomiting respond favorably to treatment with medicines that modulate the immune system. Prednisone is most commonly used. As I have mentioned before on this blog, prednisone is a double-edged sword. However, you may want to discuss a trial of the medicine with your veterinarian. It may help solve the problem.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

• Can Cats Suffer From Bulimia?
• What are the Side Effects of Cortisone (Prednisone)?
• What Should I do About my Cat’s Poor Appetite?
• Is IBD Contagious?
• What Causes Vomiting and Diarrhea in Young Cats?