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My cat is vomiting undigested food, but he goes straight to the food bowl again afterwards. What's going on?

My cat is vomiting undigested food, but he goes straight to the food bowl again afterwards. What's going on?

Updated On June 25th, 2016

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 7 years old

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

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This is a common occurrence if Alphonse eats his food too fast. Discontinue free feeding or grazing. Feed him at regularly scheduled mealtimes. Feed using a[ slow feeder bowl](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/harmony-pink-plastic-slow-feeder-dog-bowl) for dogs and cats or feed multiple small meals throughout the day. If the vomiting continues, see your vet for a complete exam.

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73Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    One reason cats throw up food right after eating is that they eat too fast. Your cat's esophagus is horizontal rather than vertical. Food can slap against the lower esophageal sphincter and cause regurgitation of whole, undigested food several minutes after it's consumed. Alphonse could also be vomiting from a GI disease, foreign body, or other illness. At this point, I'd recommend taking away his food for 12-24 hours and see if that stops the vomiting. If it does, I have a simple trick for getting him to eat slower. Take a mini muffin tin, and fill each cup with a bit of his food. That forces him to eat slower as he moves from cup to cup. If taking away the food doesn't stop his vomiting or if he becomes lethargic, develops diarrhea, and/or stops eating and drinking, take him to your vet right away.

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    65Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    I am assuming you are feeding dry food to Alphonse. Many cats eat dry food way too fast. The food then expands in the stomach as it absorbs moisture from the stomach. This in turn activates pressure receptors in the stomach which then tell the stomach to empty itself. This is why Alphonse goes back to the bowl...he is still hungry after that and maybe even a glutton! One way to avoid that is to feed canned food (1/2 a 3.5 oz can twice daily) or split up his daily dry food ration into at least 3 feeds.

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