We are not surprised if every now and then our feline friend has some digestive system problems and vomits, indeed it is normal that this can happen sporadically for very specific causes, such as the ingestion of grass or hairballs that irritate the digestive tract of the cat.
But many will be amazed (and even a little horrified) to see it as their own cat eats vomit which he produced himself, without batting an eye. Then why does he do it? Should we worry? Let’s find out together.
Why does the cat eat vomit?
To understand the reasons for this cat behavior it is important to make a premise: in most cases, saying that the cat eats vomit is not entirely correct, but rather we should talk about regurgitation.
We speak of vomiting in fact when the bolus has already reached the stomach, while the regurgitation comes from the esophagus. This clarification helps us to better explain the reasons that induce the cat to re-ingest the mush just expelled through the oral cavity.
So let’s see the most important differences between vomiting and regurgitation in cats and dogs:
- vomiting generates active, visible and violent abdominal contractions (retching), while regurgitation is a passive act that does not involve the muscles;
- vomiting is not temporally related to food intake, regurgitation is instead expelled shortly after ingestion;
- vomiting may contain digested or undigested food, while regurgitation may contain undigested food;
- vomiting has a fluid consistency with the presence of bile (yellow vomit), while in regurgitation it is not present;
- vomiting has an acidic Ph, regurgitation basic (and therefore more palatable for the cat);
- vomiting does not have a defined shape, while regurgitation typically has the “sausage” shape given by the esophagus (but not always).
Why does my cat vomit and then eat the vomited food?
Ingestion of a large volume of food ingested to hastilyor other gastrointestinal disorders can cause the cat to vomit shortly thereafter.
As we have seen, in most cases it is regurgitation and not vomiting, which has a consistency more similar to food since it has not yet undergone the action of gastric juices which make the pH of the food acidic and unpleasant.
So here are all the hypotheses about why the cat eats vomit.
1) Vomit is still palatable
Esophageal reflux induces the cat to put back the food that has not yet been digested, but has only undergone the moisturizing action of the saliva. The saliva of cats is practically devoid of digestive enzymes, so if the food has not yet reached the stomach, it will have settled in the esophagus and will be expelled with a chemical composition very similar to that of the food it has eaten.
In addition, it will be warmer and more digestible: not really a delicacy, but not to be thrown away either…
2) Because it’s his natural instinct
Let’s not forget that a cat who just vomited missed the opportunity to assimilate a meal. In nature, predators need to accumulate the right energies to hunt and eat, and food is certainly not served on the table.
So could it be their instinct that suggests them not to waste that meal, which all in all is still palatable and organoleptically nutritious? Probably yes!
3) Because it is easier to digest
The action of saliva does not involve real chemical changes in the food bolus but it certainly hydrates it, giving it a more fluid appearance and easily attacked by gastric juices once it reaches the stomach.
So what could have been a heavy meal for Puss is again ingested in a light form more digestible.
4) To be more “hygienic”
Some hypotheses suggest instead that it is for his instinct to clean the surrounding environment. Just as he loves polishing his fur, she also loves cleaning at home especially if in her passageways or in her kennel.
This could be another reason why the cat eats vomit.
Is it wrong if the cat eats its own vomit?
If it comes to sporadic episodes in which the cat eats vomit after vomiting, there is nothing to worry about. In most cases, the cat is more selective than the dog about what he eats, and even if here we are dealing with something that may appear disgusting to us, Micio knows that he cannot harm him too much.
However, if the cat always vomits after eating, or if it has diarrhea, it is more important to investigate the causes of the discomfort if the frequency of the episodes should increase and become dangerously abnormal.
The veterinarian will be able to suggest the most suitable diet for your cat’s needs if he confirms the diagnosis or, alternatively, investigate the case further. Although this behavior seems to be linked to behavioral disorders, such as the obsessive ingestion of inorganic material (pica), it is advisable to consult a specialist in the feline ethological branch as soon as possible.