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Why is my 11-year-old cat vomiting unchewed food after eating?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Russian Blue | Male | neutered | 10 years and 7 months old | 16.5 lbs

My 1/2 Russian Blue mix keeps vomiting shortly after eating.Not every time but almost daily.It appears the dry food isn’t chewed up.this is also w/ wet food.Seems to be happening more often in the past few months.So we slowly changed his royal canin weight control to their sensitive stomach but the issue continues.He’s almost 11 & a little overweight but not much.He’s just large at about 16 1/2 lbs.Still active,eats & drinks normaly,& isn’t really showing signs of aging.What else can we try?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 4th, 2019

Marley is a very handsome boy! I'd have him checked out by a vet for a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis. In senior cats, there are medical conditions that can cause vomiting such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease, and those tests I mentioned above can screen him for them. Should he have one of these, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. Please have him seen by a vet in the next few days. Best of luck.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on March 5th, 2017
Poor Marley! It sounds like he isn't feeling well at all, and while the vomiting could be caused by a hairball, it could also be caused by a GI illness, eating something rotten, pancreatitis, or a foreign body. Given his age, the vomiting could be caused by kidney failure, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or even cancer. I can give you a home remedy to try to see it helps with Marley's vomiting, but even if it does, I do recommend having him seen by a vet on Monday. Kidney failure, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism are common diseases of senior cats, and it would be a good idea to have a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis done on him to see how his organs are functioning and if he suffering from any of these diseases. If he is, the vet can discuss treatment options.

Home remedy:
I recommend withholding food for 12-24 hours, then feeding a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, 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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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