My cat is gagging and only spitting up saliva. Should I worry?

Hi, thanks for your question. It's unusual to see vomiting and coughing at the same time, although it's possible. Typically, though, the cat is just retching and nothing is coming up. It's likely, especially if your cat is bringing up stomach contents from time to time, that this is solely a GI problem. Vomiting can have a number of causes. Depending on how old your cat is, whether it goes outside, etc, one possibility might be more likely than another. Here are some possibilities: parasites, food intolerance/dietary indiscretion (eating something that made her sick), exposure to a toxin, a blockage either in the stomach or intestines, kidney disease, liver disease, diseases of the pancreas, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. As you can see these are all very different diseases. Your vet can help you figure you what's going on with a good physical exam and some tests, probably blood work and x-rays to start with. Get your cat seen as soon as you can.

It sounds as Savannah is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking her to the vet the first chance you get, she will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection she will need an anti vomiting injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better. if the vet thinks it is more serious she will need a blood test and possibly an ultrasound in order to find out what is wrong.

AT her age there may be an infection or mild obstruction causing the problem. If there is no improvement, then she may need to be sedated to get xrays on her neck and throat and a good exam down her throat to check for anything abnormal. If there was something irritating it at one point, then this will be evident and they can adjust medicine to help get her better.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Mittens has been vomiting and is now coughing. Cats can vomit for a number of reasons, including trying to vomit a hairball, eating something they shouldn't have, gastrointestinal obstruction, infection, inflammation, or even cancer. From the information you provided, my concern is that Mittens may have aspirated (taken fluid into the lungs) during one of these vomiting episodes, and is now coughing as a result. Aspiration pneumonia can be a scary thing in cats, and especially if Mittens is not acting himself or wanting to eat, I would recommend bringing him to your veterinarian to be examined. If your veterinarian determines that he has abnormal lung sounds, he/she may recommend blood work and chest x-rays to look for evidence of pneumonia. If present, they will likely start Mittens on some antibiotics. There are other possibilities for Mitten's cough including bronchitis or an upper airway infection, which should also be managed by a veterinarian. I hope this is helpful!

Your cat Felix is nauseated and trying to vomit. If this has been going on for some time, or if he is very lethargic and not himself, he may be very seriously ill. I recommend a vet visit right away for blood work and X-rays of his belly to see what is making him sick, and if he needs emergency supportive care like surgery and IV fluids.

Hello. If Pepper has been doing this for a while, it is time to let your veterinarian evaluate her. I wonder if she is actually coughing ( which can sound like gagging in cats ), & if she may have some degree of asthma or bronchitis. There really is not much you can do at home that is safe. I hope you can have her seen soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. What you are describing could be Lumi trying to cough up a hairball. I would recommend using a product such as feline Laxatone which can be found online quite easily. If there is no improvement or Lumi worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.