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My 15-year-old cat is vomiting, not eating, drinking more. Why?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Male | neutered | 12.5 lbs

Hi! My cat has been throwing up for about a week, has not been eating all of his food (which he has always devoured), been drinking much more water and been more distant. We have already had him tested for diabetes previously, so we know it is not that. He has a sensitive stomach, so we did not think much of the vomiting. Keep in mind he is about 15 years old, but is still rather active. Please let me know any advice or ideas about what is happening.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on August 26th, 2020

Hi there. There are quite a few different things that could cause decreased appetite, vomiting, and increased water intake in an older cat like this, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine him and run some tests. Some possibilities would include chronic liver or kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or a GI problem such as inflammatory bowel disease or chronic pancreatitis, or even some type of cancer. I would recommend taking Rascal to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. Your veterinarian can do blood work, x-rays, or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment options are available.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on August 16th, 2017

    Hi! Thanks for letting us help you today! Sorry to hear that Moeder is not feeling well. The symptoms that she displays can be associated with a variety of diseases such as chronic kidney disease, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, foreign body ingestion, among many others. For this reason, I highly recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian so that further diagnostics can be performed based on examination. Treatment recommendations will be offered based on findings. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

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