Female cat with CKD and hyperthyroidism is vomiting a lot. What's going on?

A person on social media asked for some advice because their cat is vomiting and they are suffering from chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. They are seeing a veterinarian but they wanted to bounce the problem off other social media users one of whom is me. Of course, I strongly advocate seeing a veterinarian and this person has seen a veterinarian about the recent developments and will see them again.

Image: MikeB

This is my brief response:

"I am not a veterinarian but I know cats very well. Your cat has chronic kidney disease. She is vomiting. Is there a link between chronic kidney disease and vomiting? That is the question that comes to my mind.

There is a connection. Signs of uraemia which is toxins in the blood because they are not being eliminated by the kidneys, can result in vomiting, diarrhoea and anaemia.

There are other symptoms. So, it's just possible that the chronic kidney disease may have advanced more than is believed.

That said, the vomiting might not be linked to the kidney disease. Domestic cats vomit very well and competently for a large number of reasons and those reasons might not be associated with her chronic illness.

Has the vet done a urine test for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine? I would ask the vet about that asap. 

I don't think vomiting is linked to hyperthyroidism. Hope this helps a bit and the best of luck."

Do any readers of this post have any other thoughts out of interest? 

20 causes of domestic cat vomiting prepared by an AI computer

The interesting aspect of this pretty conventional list (see below the infographic) on causes of domestic cat vomiting is that it was entirely written by a computer. I mean it formulated the answer and typed the entire thing itself. It looks good so you can rely on it. The other point is that there are many causes of vomiting in cats and you'll need to see a vet if it continues beyond 24 hours.

Actually, there is only one thing you need to know about cat vomiting! Click this to find out.

Cats are good vomiters. Far better than humans. They do it with great ease. So, you might not need to race off to the vet but will have to go if it continues.

I have page which analyses cat vomiting with a bit more precision, which you might like to take a look at. Click on the link below.

Cat Vomiting – including types of vomiting for diagnosis.

1. Eating too quickly or eating too much.
2. Eating spoiled or spoiled food.
3. Eating non-food items, such as plants or string.
4. Gastrointestinal infections or parasites.
5. Certain medical conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease or liver disease.
6. Food allergies or food sensitivities.
7. Hairballs, which can block the digestive tract.
8. Medications or changes in diet.
9. Stress or anxiety.
10. Certain types of cancer or other underlying health issues.
11. Pancreatitis.
12. Kidney disease
13. Bladder stones or crystals
14. Intestinal blockages
15. Poisoning
16. Hormonal imbalances
17. Hyperthyroidism
18. Gastritis
19. Bowel diseases
20. Gastric dilatation-volvulus (twisted stomach)

It's important to note that these are general causes, it's best to consult a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis. Also, some of these causes can be serious and may require immediate medical attention.

Picture of black domestic cat spewing up ectoplasm

So what is ectoplasm? Well, the only time that I have seen it is in old photographs of spiritualist mediums spewing up a long trail of gunk from their mouths to prove that they are in contact with the spirit word, the 'other side'. I don't understand it. Perhaps the ectoplasm is from the other side and is evidence of its existence. The word appears to exist from it use to describe single celled creatures: 'clear outer layer of the cytoplasm in amoeboid cells'.

Black cat spewing up ectoplasm! No actually it is vomit!
Picture in the public domain.

There was a lot of fakery in spiritualism in those days and there still is. The picture of the black cat simply reminded me of the ectoplasm of fake spiritualists. It is a bit of fun. How spiritualists got away with it is beyond me as it looks patently idiotic. Cats are master vomiters. They can vomit with great ease. You only have to be concerned about a cat vomiting if it lasts for 24 hours or thereabouts. Then it is abnormal and questions should be asked as to the cause. Urgent action may be required. Click here for a comprehensive list of reasons for vomiting. Remember vomiting is a symptom of illness not the illness itself.

Fake ectoplasm using muslin. Pic: Wikipedia under
creative commons license.

P.S. A flashlight was used for the picture of the cat. You can tell because the reflective layer at the back of the eye behind the retina has reflected the light back out through the lens. The flash would have frozen the vomit as it was ejected. That is why the image is sharp and clear even though it was taken indoors and the cat is black.

Cats vomiting

Cats vomiting is something that we don't sometimes pay enough attention to as cats sick up hair balls not to infrequently and grass that they have eaten sometimes. It's almost part of being a cat so we get used to it as normal.

This might be a dangerous approach if your cat is being regularly sick for no apparent reason. There is anecdotal evidence that the following can cause cat vomiting (upchucking as it is called in the USA sometimes).

If the dry food is made up of very small pieces a cat can swallow it whole without masticating it. This might make her sick. Dry food is not as good as wet but more convenient. On a separate issue I have taken my cat more or less off dry food (or I give her much less and she is now more active and has lost weight).

I HAVE A FULL PAGE ON CAT VOMITING (CHARMING!) ON A LINKED SITE. CLICK THIS LINK TO READ IT.

Cats vomiting can, on perhaps rare occasions, be an early sign of having contracted Dry FIP. FIP is a nasty viral infection that often proves fatal.

Food that has grain (I am not sure why cat food manufacturers put grain in cat food other than to make it cheaper to manufacture) can cause cat vomiting for some cats. Some cat food doesn't have grain in it. You'll need to check the ingredients, which could be easier to read.

Another possibility is a benign stomach tumor. This is probably operable but if left too late it might not be. It is easy to become a little complacent about cat vomiting. This is understandable but there might be an underlying cause that is serious requiring urgent treatment by a veterinarian. Get her down there if the vomiting is abnormally regular.

Photo reproduced under a creative commons license (the picture has been cropped as allowed under this license). Photo copyright Maggie Osterberg

Sources: breeder experiences

From Cat vomiting to cat health