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My cat is vomiting, not eating, and lethargic. Is it an emergency?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 years and 3 months old | 7 lbs

Moe became ill 2 days ago. First he vomited a grayish hairball log, he's a black cat, then he started to vomit liquid only, not eating moving slowly very lethargic..my vet is closed 9/7/20 I'm very worried..

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on September 7th, 2020

Poor Moe! From what you're describing here, I'm afraid he sounds quite sick. Vomiting, not eating, and acting lethargic are always very concerning symptoms, especially since he's been sick for 2-3 days now and seems to be getting worse. Unfortunately, these are very vague symptoms that could be caused by almost any kind of illness, so it's hard to say what might be wrong without being able to examine him and run some tests. I do think that this sounds like a serious, potentially life-threatening problem that shouldn't wait until tomorrow, so I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic today to be seen. If you're not sure where to go, try calling your regular vet's office - their voicemail message should have contact information for your nearest ER or an on-call doctor for emergencies.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 28th, 2019

    Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. I'm sorry Jasper isn't doing well! It could be a hairball, but it could be something more serious like a GI illness, foreign body, or pancreatitis. I do think it's worth having him seen by a vet now, and I do recommend it. I hope this helps!

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