Random cat behavior and cat vomiting symptoms

by Bill
(Duluth)

I have a question about some new cat behavior and cat vomiting symptoms I have seen from my seven year old, male, short haired orange tabby cat. I adopted him about five months ago. He seems to be very healthy, but there a few odd cat behaviors that have come up recently and I was wondering if you had any ideas.

It seems to me he has been spending more time under the bed than usual, and he does not want to play with any of his toys. He only likes one toy, and that is a toy that is attached to a wand and requires me to play with him. This is not a problem I just feel like he gets bored waiting for me to play with him all the time. He used to play with his other toys, but now he shows little to no interest.

My cat also dry heaved this morning, or at least I think he did. It was a clear liquid, with nothing in it. And last night I fed him and he was eating his food and he threw up all the food he had just eaten, and then continued to eat the remainder of the food. I am unsure if he was eating too fast or if the food I am feeding him may be too rich... I am feeding Orijen dry food, and I feed wet food once a day as well.

He also pees on the side of his litter box. He doesn’t go outside of the cat litter box, but on the walls of the inside. I do not know why he does this...

If you have any ideas about these behaviors I would greatly appreciate a response. He seems happy, and he purrs and loves attention. But the throwing up is something he has done more than just these times, but until now had never dry heaved.


Dear Bill,

Thank you for writing in with concern for your cat. The changes in his cat behavior, coupled with the cat vomiting episodes, can certainly indicate that your cat is not feeling well. Any time a cat is repeatedly vomiting, he should be seen by a veterinarian to rule out serious medical causes for these symptoms.

You didn’t mention your cat’s weight at all, both at the time you adopted him and how it compares to how much he weighs now. For cats that come out of a cat shelter situation that are thin and hungry, it is not uncommon to find that the cat will vomit from eating too quickly because they were starving and/or that they are afraid they will not get enough food.

Pay close attention to what your cat has eaten before his cat vomiting episodes. If he tends to vomit more after eating the dry food, you could feed more canned, which is healthier for him anyway, or vice versa if need be. The best thing to do for cats that eat too quickly is to offer smaller meals multiple times a day to reduce the frequency of vomiting. Elevating the cat food dishes to chin level also allows your cat to eat in a more natural position, and reduces the likelihood that cat vomiting episodes will follow.

In terms of the changes in cat behavior you have seen recently, again, if your cat has put on some weight since his rescue, this could be an explanation. It is also possible that your cat has finally gotten settled in to his new environment, is comfortable being more lazy, and has mellowed a bit. It may not be that he is bored, but rather, that he is comfortable. Getting a second cat could be an option to help provide some interaction and company for him, though, if you do believe he is bored.

If the cat litter box behavior you were describing is not new or different, which it sounds like it isn’t, then there is no reason to be concerned here. Your cat urinates in the position that feels most comfortable to him and does so simply because he wants to. At seven years old, this is likely a habit for him. Fortunately, though, he does go in his cat litter box!

So although it sounds like the cat litter box problem isn’t really a problem, any time a cat is repeatedly vomiting and you have seen marked changes in his behavior, bringing him to the vet for an exam is a wise choice. There are many, many causes of cat vomiting, and it is never smart to assume that the vomiting is a cat behavior problem, like the result of eating too quickly, instead of a medical problem.

All the best,
Dr. Neely