My cat is gulping, coughing, and eating too fast. What's wrong?

George's intermittent vomiting can be a frustrating problem to diagnose and manage. While eating quickly can cause vomiting, other possible causes of this waxing and waning frequency of vomiting could be related to inflammatory bowel disease or chronic pancreatitis. These conditions can both require fairly extensive diagnostic testing to get a definitive answer, including blood tests, abdominal ultrasound and intestinal biopsies. At this point, you can certainly try to slow down George's eating pace, but you can also consider trying a diet change, as this can help both of the issues I mentioned. If you decide to change his diet, I recommend using a novel protein diet (one protein source/one carbohydrate source), such as Dick van Patten's Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets or prescription based formulas. Choose a flavor of food that he has never been exposed to (i.e. venison, rabbit, etc.) and gradually mix his old and new foods slowly over 5-7 days. Avoid feeding any treats or table food while feeding this diet to eliminate any exposure to other foods. It can take 6-8 weeks to determine if a diet change is successful, so don't give up after a few weeks if you haven't noticed a change. If George continues vomiting intermittently on a new diet that he is eating slowly, I would consider taking him back to the vet to discuss further diagnostic testing. I hope that all goes well!

It would be honestly hard to say without an exam. Some possible causes could be a food-based one (IE an allergy to an ingredient in the wet food that is causing a reaction after eating it) or a functional one such as a problem with the esophagus or digestive tract's ability to move the food through the body (something very common in cats). An exam would be a good idea to help rule out these causes through either some testing such as X-rays, or through a food trial to see if an ingredient can be ruled out. Until you can get to your vet, offering smaller meals more frequently may help with keeping food down and minimizing discomfort after eating.

It could be that Tiger ate his food too fast, leading him to choke a bit on it. To keep him from eating too quickly, I would portion out his food, giving him more of it after he eats a small amount. You could also put his food in a muffin tin, putting equal portions in each of the 12 tins. That will slow down his eating. I hope this helps!

It could be Brownie ate something outside causing him to cough and gag, and it's concerning that he can't eat without doing this behavior. Keep a close eye on him and if this keeps happening over the next few hours, I'd have him seen by a vet for it. The vet can diagnose what is causing it and can treat him.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Coughing after eating is not normal and can have several medical causes such as an upper respiratory infection, feline asthma or bronchitis, or a heart condition. If he has swollen lymph nodes, there may be something infectious or inflammatory going on. I would recommend Susie see her veterinarian again for an exam to make sure there is nothing more serious at play. Your veterinarian may take chest x-rays to help with making a diagnosis. I hope this helps and I hope Susie feels better soon!

It depends on how soon after eating your cat vomits. If food is consumed and then almost immediately regurgitated (still looks whole, not digested), then s/he may be eating too fast. If it is several hours later and the food is partially digested, s/he may have a food allergy or intolerance, a gastrointestinal disorder, or some other underlying medical condition. For cats that gobble their food, it helps to feed more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day. Or you can put a couple balls or small blocks (too large to be swallowed) in the bowl so your cat has to eat around the obstacles. This will slow down his/her eating.

He may be eating too fast. My cat does this sometimes. Try feeding small amounts during the day or you can use a slow feed bowl which makes it harder to gobble the food. The wet food will help prevent urinary problems so try a variety to find what he can eat without coughing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Baby.