Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

What's this sticky, gummy stuff my cat coughed up? Is it serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 8 months and 5 days old | 10 lbs

My cat coughed this up what is it its stick and gummy texture

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on November 8th, 2019

The picture is a little blurry, and it's hard to tell what this is without seeing it in person. It may be some food that someone dropped on the floor. As long as Neiko is acting normally, I would not worry.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
Just wondering what this is, they don't get people food, and it looks like the food part is what my cat eats, now he is around 12 years old, and it looks like a meat texture
This looks like some kind of foreign material to me - it looks like it could be rubber. It does not look like any kind of parasite to me. If Duker is continuing to vomit (I’m assuming this is from vomit) I would recommend seeing a veterinarian. They might want to do some x-rays to make sure there is not evidence of an obstruction.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is coughing for sometime now. It is like he is going to produce a hairball but never does. It happens two or three times a day now. Otherwise this he is perfectly healthy. He eats, drinks, poops and plays normally.
He may indeed have hairballs. Treatment and prevention is as follows: As for preventing hair balls there are several things you can and should do: 1) brush/comb your cat regularly, removing any loose hair from its fur as well as mattes, before they get too big. 2) buy some hair ball remedy paste from either your vet or a pet shop and feed it to your cat according to the instructions on the tube. This helps prevent formation of hairballs. 3) Next time you buy dry food pick the type that specifies "Hair ball Prevention" on the bag. This should make you and your kitty happy! Should he be wheezing or keep coughing and not bring up a hairball he may be suffering from an upper respiratory infection or possibly have a foreign body such as a blade of grass or similar lodged somewhere in the upper respiratory tract which is irritating. You should then take your kitty to a veterinarian for an exam.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Why would my 1 year old cat be trying to cough something up? Just spit came out.
Hi, sometimes coughing up is secondary severe throat inflammation i.e. a cold, or to something lodged in the throat area (fish bone or a piece of thread for example). I would therefore recommend to have him checked over. Thank you for using Boop by Petco !
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My kitten threw up this object ? She seems to be fine has now. But was sneezing earlier .
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! It’s hard to tell what the object is from the pictures but it looks like digested food in the shape of the esophagus. It is not uncommon for cats to vomit randomly and occasionally. If Gizmo continues to eat and drink and doesn’t vomit, I would continue to monitor her. If she isn’t eating or drinking or she vomits again, I recommend taking her to a vet before she becomes dehydrated. Good luck and kisses to Gizmo!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat has excreted some mushy like poop. This is the third time he's doing so and he did with some kind of strange voice under my cot. I have attached photo of it. Last two times it was kind of orange in color and this time it's yellow. It looks lik
Since there is no smell of that, you are looking at a regurgitated hair ball. Cats groom themselves and ingest the loose hair. This will form a clump and then will be coughed out or leaves with feces. This is a normal process. The color comes from the food he is eating. You should buy some hair ball remedy and give that to him according to the instructions on the tube.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I think my cat vomited I can’t tell. Idk if it’s that or icecream
Hello, it does indeed look like vomit with some undigested food. If he continues to have some vomiting then I would recommend having him evaluated by his veterinarian especially if he vomits more than 4 times in one day. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Mochi threw out “hairball” sometimes. I want to check if this os real hairballs.
I can't tell from the photos but hair balls will have a lot of hair in them. If these are hairballs, you may try changing Mochi's diet to a food formulated to control hairballs. I think Royal Canin makes a very good product. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
my cat appears to be coughing..no apparent signs of a respiratory infection
Your kitty could be having a hair ball. Cats usually try to move a hair ball coughing and then regurgitate it. This does not always work, Get some hair ball remedy from a petshop or fro m your veterinarian and give it according to the instructions on the tube. This helps eliminate the hair via feces. if your kitty keeps coughing, or shows a discharge from the eyes or nose, or gets lethargic and appears ill, I encourage you to take her to a veterinarian for an exam.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat wants to throw something up but he’s having a hard time. He licked some coconut oil I gave him but that hasn’t helped bring it up. He ingested something when he was outside today. Sometimes he eats twigs and bugs. I’ve seen him eat a spider. I
If you are concerned there may be something stuck, I would recommend that you have Cheeky evaluated by a vet immediately. Sometimes they can eat a piece of string or fabric that gets caught around the base of the tongue. Other times, these types of symptoms can be caused by coughing/respiratory disease or nausea. A thorough exam with a vet should be able to clue you in to what could be going on with Cheeky.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat just threw up he has had hairballs before but I've never seen something like this and it makes me kinda nervous should I be worried ?
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Wow! I think that is a huge hairball or a wad of tissues or paper towels. You would need to put on gloves and pull it apart to tell for sure. I would hope based on the size that there likely isn't anymore. I would watch Cid and if he will not eat or continues to vomit he should be seen right away by your Vet. Save it in a baggie in case so the Vet can look at it. I wish you and Cid the best!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Food Cat Supplies Wet Cat Food Cat Hairball Control Cat Health & Wellness Cat Toys Canned Cat Food Cat Medicine Cat Laxatives Cat First Aid Petromalt Cat Health & Wellness Nutri-Vet Cat Health & Wellness NaturVet Cat Hairball Control Churu Hairball Cat Food HomeoPet Cat Hairball Control Tomlyn Cat Hairball Control Pet Honesty Cat Hairball Control Petromalt Cat Hairball Control Tomlyn Cat Health & Wellness Wellnergy Pets Cat Hairball Control
image
Have A Vet Question?

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

Book Now

Sponsored