My cat dry heaves often, but only vomits food occasionally. Why?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 4 years and 5 months old | 13 lbs
My cat dry heaves frequently, but only vomits on occasion. When he does, it's usually food and not a hairball. He doesn't seem to have any issues eating or using his litter box, but he just dry heaves a lot. (3+ times per day, for about 2-3mins)
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on October 17th, 2018
I would wonder if the dry heaving is actually a cough - the two can sound very similar in a cat. Feline asthma, some infections or parasites like lungworms can cause a cough. I would recommend making an appointment to see your vet - they may recommend a chest x-ray to look for evidence of asthma. If you can take a video to show your vet it could help!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on December 24th, 2019
Bits could have an upset stomach because of something she ate, she could have a hair all, or if this has been more of a chronic problem she could have something like inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatitis. It’s also possible that Bits is actually coughing when you notice her retching and dry heaving. I’d recommend trying to get a video of the dry heaving and making an appointment to see your vet - they can help differentiate between unproductive vomiting and coughing.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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