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My senior cat is vomiting frequently and projectile. What's wrong?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 12 years and 8 months old | 5 lbs

She started vomiting approx a month ago (periodically). Over the last 2 weeks it has become a daily occurance sometimes 2-3 times a day. Its a LOT at once and its projectile. I'm not exaggerating, she vomits so hard & so much its scary in itself, the distance it goes is unbelieveable.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 7th, 2017

Poor Toby. It sounds like you're wondering what could be going on and what you can do next. Vomiting in older kitties can be caused by issues with the intestines (such as inflammatory bowel disease or lymphoma), issues with internal organs (kidneys, liver, thyroid, pancreas), or less commonly by intestinal parasites or something being stuck in the intestines. There are other even less common issues, but these are the ones I worry about first. Your first step is a trip to the vet's office for an exam and likely blood work and x-rays of her abdomen and chest. From there, they may be able to determine exactly what is wrong, or there may still be a question. There are some treatments that can be tried if you can't afford the testing or if the testing doesn't show a clear answer (which is frustratingly common in this sort of issue), or you may choose to go forward with more advanced diagnostics such as an abdominal ultrasound. While you're waiting for your vet visit (which will hopefully be within 24 hours), make sure Toby has access to fresh water at all times and don't attempt any diet changes. Best of luck to you and beautiful Toby!

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