My cat licks plastic and throws up frequently. Are they linked?

Question

My cat Jude goes through periods of time where he licks plastic bags and smooth surfaces constantly. He also goes through periods of time where he throws up all of the food he has eaten soon after ingestion. Sometimes the cause is hair balls but they are not always present. My vet doesn’t seem very worried about him throwing up so often, but I personally feel there is a cause, and want a second opinion. Are these things connected? What could be the cause of both behaviors or each individually? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 9 years old | 10 lbs

Megan, DVM, CVA · Accepted Answer

Poor Jude. It is common for cats to OCCASIONALLY vomit, but not on a daily or even every other day basis. If he is commonly throwing up it could be hairballs, eating too fast, or even something else like inflammatory bowel disease. If you don't already, I would definitely put him on a regular hair ball treatment. I like the products laxatone or catlax. You can offer him smaller and more frequent meals or a food ball that dispenses food as he knocks the toy around if he eats really fast. As far as the licking obsessively, some cats do this secondary to stress or if they are itching a lot. If he doesn't do it constantly then I wouldn't be too concerned about it. If he continues to vomiting frequently I would talk to your vet about looking into it. Your vet will likely recommend blood work, a fecal to rule out parasites and giardia, possible abdominal x-rays or ultrasound, and a possible GI panel which will help to rule inflammatory bowel disease out. I hope this helps!

My cat licks plastic and throws up frequently. Are they linked?

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