Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My outdoor cat eats birds/rats & vomits. Is he getting sick?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 20 lbs

My cat goes outside and kills animals such as birds and rats, I'm worried if he gets any diseases or sicknesses from them since he throws up more every other day since my mom has seen him eat rats.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 26th, 2017

Yes, you are correct that Finnegan can get sick from rats and birds. Cats can get tapeworms and leptospirosis from eating rats, and can get salmonella from eating birds. It's not normal for a cat to vomit so frequently, so I would have him seen by a vet for a health check about that. Since he's allowed outside, it would be impossible to keep him from eating rats and birds unless you find a way to keep him confined to the yard. You can build a cat sanctuary where he can play and lounge outside, but it will keep him from hunting. Your other choice is to keep him indoors all the time. I hope this helps!

Vote icon

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat has been eating mice and birds outside and vomiting it all in the house since last 3 days. He is an outdoor cat and he won't stay in the house all day. Although I feed him twice a day with home cooked food he still goes out and eats prey and t
This is common for cats who hunt outdoors. Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do except either keep him in (or out) or keep him in a easily cleaned area (with tile or wood perhaps). Perhaps he could be outdoors all day and indoors at night so that he keeps the vomiting outside. You can even start feeding him his food outside if that will help. Best of luck to you and Jhumru!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Our House hold has been having the stomach flu and we were wondering if we could have given most of our animals a stomach sickness. My one cat has been going outside and he could’ve brought something in but then my other cat has gotten really sick sh
It is not likely your cat(s) "caught" a stomach bug from you. It is more likely the outdoor cat was exposed to an illness which he brought back. Ideally, you should have them examined by your veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury. Supportive care, such as IV or subcutaneous fluids, anti emetics and antibiotics, may be indicated. If this isn't possible, try a 24 hour fast followed by a bland diet fed in small, frequent amounts until symptoms resolve. Transition slowly to the regular diet afterwards. If It doesn't help, you'll definitely need to see your veterinarian.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat got lump above his eye, he went out and got this lump I was thinking some bee byte so thought i ll wait till morning and go to vet later! And he eats rats outside of our house and he cannot digest then he will vomit it, please tell me if there
Thank you for posting the picture. It is quite swollen with an area in the center that appears to be a wound. I am concerned that this could be an abscess and is likely to get worse. Often times this causes a fever and is painful. Abscesses often need to be drained and patients require antibiotics to resolve. As far as eating rats the only way to prevent him from hunting would be to keep him indoors. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My kitten has been vommiting over the day for 4-5 times and not eating anything. I can't figure out what's causing to him. One thing is that i can see some rodents at night travelling around my house. Is it the problem causing my kitten to vomit? Tha
Hello. I'm sorry your kitten is having this issue. I doubt the rodents are causing the issue unless Whittey is eating them. Any vomiting that is happening that frequently is a big problem. He should definitely be examined by a vet as soon as possible. He could have parasites (worms) that is causing the problem. He could have eaten something that is stuck now in his intestinal tract which is very serious. He could have a food allergy/sensitivity. Whatever it is, he needs to be examined. A kitten can get dehydrated very easily with that much vomiting. I hope this helps. Best wishes. Dr. Amber
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat ate a bird and is looking pretty sick. He doesn't want to eat and seems super lethargic.
Poor Ekko! These signs can be caused by an obstruction (especially if he ingested bones and feathers) or a toxicity (perhaps something that the bird had eaten or made the bird sick). I recommend having Ekko seen by a vet as soon as possible to figure out what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat Gizmo keeps being sick at the moment. It’s not all day every day but it’s happenes several times within the last 2 weeks. He’s not normally like this. He’s an indoor cat (if that makes a difference?) Anyway, he has a thing for licking plastic,
Hi. If your cat is vomiting that often or for that long, it is concerning. There are a lot of possibilities for vomiting unfortunately. It can range from stress, diet, IBD, eating something they shouldn't have, and many more. An exam, labs, and x-rays will be needed to help guide us in the right direction. I would recommend getting him seen by your veterinarian in the am.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My child is sick and vomited on the floor. My 3 month old kitten was eating her vomit when I returned to clean it up. Should I be concerned? Is there anything I can do? Can cats get gastroenteritis /norovirus?
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Oh no, things sound not good at your house! Despite the fact that the situation is a bit gross, Gus is likely to be fine. Animals and people can share the same viruses but not commonly. And there are many ways he could get your kids virus besides eating the vomit. Cats definitely can get gastroenteritis, which just means inflammation of the stomach and intestines, from many things. I would just watch Gus. I hope everything gets better for you!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Ryan has difficulties controlling his appetite. He is deaf. He lives here at the foster/sanctuary. He will eat and eat like he's starving. Doesn't even chew, then throws up. We've tried various diets per the vet. He's now on H/E by Royal Canin. I giv
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ryan. Vomiting is not normal in a cat and a common misconception is that it is due to eating too quickly. While this can be the case, the vomiting is more likely the result of an underlying disease. An increased appetite can be due to diabetes or hyperthyroidism. If possible, it would be best to have him screened for these diseases. Another common cause of vomiting in cats is inflammatory bowel disease. He is eating a high quality diet, but it may be triggering inflammation in his intestines. You could transition to a prescription hydrolyzed diet and feed this exclusively. It may result in control of his vomiting. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, I'm from Bangladesh. i have a Persian cat. Now he is 10 months old. I'm giving him raw meat and fish on his daily diet. Some days ago he vomited a lot and don't eat his food. Then, I ask him who gave persian cat to me. He said, " You should gi
Poor kitty. If he is only receiving meat in his diet he stands a good chance of suffering from Taurine deficiency, which can cause heart failure. He needs to be seen by your vet right away for testing and treatment depending on the underlying issue. Other possible causes for his vomiting and lethargy are underlying congenital kidney disorder, pancreatitis or simply salmonella poisoning from eating raw meat. I surely hope that your vet can narrow things down after running some tests and stabilize Cyrus’s conditon soon. Best of luck to you and take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
A stray cat that comes to my house pukes out his food after 5 mins of eating it. Could it be worms, i wouldnt want markus to catch anything
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Intestinal parasites are transmitted fecal-oral, from hunting or fleas. Markus can't catch worms by being near the stray cat. There are many reasons for the stray cat to be vomiting: parasites, viral or bacterial infection, cancer, liver or kidney failure, over active thyroid, food allergy/intolerance, obstruction, pancreatitis, feline leukemia, FIV or FIP. If he is this sick maybe consider calling animal control to come get him. I wish you the best!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Food Cat Supplies Wet Cat Food Canned Cat Food Cat Health & Wellness Dewormer Treatments for Cats Veterinary Diet Cat Food Cat Toys Vaccines and Shots for Cats Sensitive Stomach Cat Food Vet Worthy Cat Health & Wellness Veterinary Diets Cat Health & Wellness Vetoquinol Cat Health & Wellness Vetality Cat Health & Wellness Flys-Off Cat Health & Wellness BiologicVET Cat Health & Wellness NaturVet Cat Health & Wellness Vetericyn Cat Health & Wellness Veterinary Diets Cat Food Vet's Best Flea & Tick Solutions for Cats
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored