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My cat throws up wet food right after eating. Should I be concerned?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 months and 26 days old | 7.4 lbs

I’ve noticed that every time I give my cat wet food he throws up 2-5 minutes afterwards. How concern should I be ? His still acting fine , he throws up and goes on about his day . As for dry food he only ever thrown it out once but it was after he had already eaten bland chicken.

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Claudia Fioravanti

Veterinarian

Published on March 27th, 2019

Hi, in general wet food is more palatable than dry so cats tend to eat it too fast and up vomiting it undigested shortly afterwards. It might help to feed Ramsey smaller portions of food throughout the day if someone is around, ideally 5 but 3 would have to do if your are not at home during the day. This feeding pattern resembles the one of cats in the wild, where they eat several small prays throughout the day and helps keeping hunger level stable and make sure they don’ t get super exited once food is served. Hope this makes sense !

17Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, CPA
Veterinarian
Published on April 21st, 2018
If you cat only vomited once it could be due to the change in diet. I recommend a slow transition to a new diet over a few days so that Appa can get used to the new diet. If the vomiting persists, I recommend you take her to your veterinarian for a complete check up.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on May 28th, 2017
It is very likely that these episodes are dietary related.
I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken (or white fish) and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days.

I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhoea, more vomiting, lethargy or inappetence.
Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 6th, 2020
He may have vomited from the change in diet. If he is otherwise acting normal you could monitor and see if the vomiting resolves. Withhold food for the day and if no vomiting then feed him a small amount of his regular food and see how he does. If he continues to vomit or seems lethargic then he should be examined and treated by a vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 24th, 2015
You can do two things: Stop feeding dry food altogether as your kitty is eating too much to fast, the food swells in the stomach and then the stomach protects itself from being overloaded by activating vomiting. Feed about 2 oz of wet canned food twice daily instead.

OR: Do not free feed dry food, feed the daily ration in three portions. If the vomiting /regurgitating of food does not subside with these measures, you need to see your vet and have your kitty checked for gastro-intestinal disease.
43Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Why does my cat throw up right after eating wet or dry food?

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Vomiting in cats can be caused by several things, but vomiting right after eating does bring to mind a couple of possibilities. But you first have to differentiate whethere whether Coix is vomting (obvious retching and forceful expulsion) or regurgitating (undigested food just seems to come out without much effort). Vomiting can be caused by inflammatory bowel disease, megaesophagus (typically causes regurgitation), a parasitic infection (not as common), or even an underlying congenital disorder. Most of these conditions are treatable. You should first start with some diagnostic testing to gather more information on your specific pets condition. Then we will know what needs to be done for Coix to help control his vomiting episodes a bit better. In general, you can continue to feed smaller portions and go with an easily digestible diet such as limited ingredient diets (i.e. Iams, Purina, Evo). This is something you can easily start while awaiting a proper vet visit and diagnostic work-up for Coix. I hope this helps get you started and best wishes on finding the exact underyling cause for Coix's vomiting episodes. Take care.

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My cat eats dry food too fast and throws up. Should I try wet?

There are a huge number of reasons that a cat will vomit. Since it sounds like Luna is mostly vomiting undigested food, she may simply be eating the dry food too quickly, so canned food is a great idea to try. Canned food is actually more biologically appropriate and better for a cat's health than dry food, so feeding Luna only canned food is a great idea. However, if she continue to vomit while eating canned food only, I would certainly recommend having your veterinarian examine her. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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My cat throws up after eating. Could it be eating too fast or an allergy?

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Why does my cat throw up undigested food after eating but seems fine?

Colby could be eating too quickly and vomiting secondary to that. Since you have changed his food already, I would try offering him a smaller amount and see if he can hold that down, then give him the rest.

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My new puppy threw up after eating wet food. Should I be worried?

The odd look is probably due to the mixture of wet and dry food, and I suspect the wet food is causing Simba's vomiting. The addition of a new food suddenly can cause stomach upset. Feed him a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If he refuses to eat the bland diet, he vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away.

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My cat vomits after treats. What's causing it and is it serious?

If your cat only vomits when given a treat but otherwise is tolerating the wet food without vomiting or diarrhea, then there is little cause for concern. Cat do not need extra treats to be happy and healthy. In fact, some cats can be very sensitive to even minor changes in their diet. Your cat may just be sensitive to one or more ingredients in the treats. Your should seek veterinary attention, however, if your cat routinely has bouts of vomiting or diarrhea that aren't associated with changes in the diet.

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My cat keeps throwing up undigested food. Is wet food better?

Hello. Some veterinary nutritional specialists do recommend feeding cats only a wet diet, & some even go so far as to recommend not feeding anything with fish. There is no harm in slowly switching Linus to a canned meat or poultry diet, but if this does not stop or slow down the vomiting, you may have to try a truly hypoallergenic diet such as Hill's z/d. These specialty diets are through your veterinarian only. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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