How to Make a Cat Vomit

Before teaching you the best technique to make your cat throw up, you should know that it is not advisable to make a cat vomit. The best thing you can do is call your local veterinarian for guidance as forcing them to vomit may cause the situation to be worse than before. Be very careful and try to contact your veterinarian before trying to make your cat vomit. This is to be used only as a last resort if they are truly in danger.

Vomiting should only be done when you are very sure of what the cat has eaten. In this sense, it is only recommended in cases where they have eaten a plant that is toxic for cats (such as the poinsettia, ivy or lilies among others), or any kind of plant that you are sure has had recent contact with pesticides or artificial fertilizers.

On the other hand, you should not make your cat throw up when:

• It's been 2 hours or more since the cat has ingested the poison.
• The cat has ingested a sharp object that could pierce their stomach or esophagus: needles, small pieces of metal, chopsticks, among other sharp objects.
• The cat has taken tranquilizers or other medication.
• Your cat has swallowed flammable substances, alkaline, acidic, corrosive or petroleum compounds: chlorine, fuel oils, gasoline, car maintenance products, household cleaners, some poisons, etc.).
• The cat is unconscious or semi-unconscious.

This is very important, because if you induce vomiting for cats in situations where this is contraindicated you could produce an internal wound, generate second degree burns, etc. In other words, by making your cat vomit you may cause them more harm than good. It's very important to call your veterinarian before trying this. This is only meant as a very last resort. Even then, you'll need to take them to the veterinarian after inducing vomiting.

Before you make a cat vomit you must make sure that the product they have ingested and that you are trying to expel is not within the ones mentioned above. The best thing to do is to call the emergency veterinarian for advice on your performance.

Other tips before vomiting:

• Never attempt to make a cat vomit if they are fainting, if they are not able to swallow, has convulsed or is suffering an epileptic attack.
• There is no point in making a cat throw up if 2 hours have passed since the substance was ingested, since it will already be in the small intestine and it will not be possible to remove from there.
• Never try to make them vomit if what he has been ingested is a sharp object.
• With regard to tranquilizers, among its effects is to avoid vomiting, so if this is what the cat has swallowed the only thing you can do is to take the cat to the veterinarian.
• Never use milk, water with vinegar, alcohol, ether or any other substance (other than those recommended below) to induce vomiting in the cat.
• When the cat vomits, clean the surface immediately, to prevent the cat from swallowing the substance again (it is more common than you think).

Whether you make your cat vomit or not, you should go to the vet so that they can assess your cat's condition. Even if you have managed to expel most of the product ingested, many poisons are lethal in small doses.

Warning: hydrogen peroxide is a toxic substance but is actually useful to induce vomiting. So when given to your cat, you should carefully follow the instructions when it comes to the recommended dose.

Recommended dose: 5 milliliters (0.169 US fl oz) per 2.5 kilograms of weight (5.5 lbs). For a 5 kg (11 lbs) cat, which is the average weight of domestic cats, it will be enough to give 10 milliliters (0.33 US fl oz), which is about two teaspoons. Use only 3% peroxide, otherwise the result could be lethal.

Administration: ideally, you should use a small syringe; if you do not have one at home, use a small spoon. Take the milliliters of hydrogen peroxide according to the cat's weight. Hold the cat by their legs or wrap them in a towel and only leave their head outside. Position the syringe toward the cheek, between the teeth, and slowly let out a milliliter at a time, letting the cat swallow; remember not to point it at the throat directly, because the sensation will startle the feline.

If you have a teaspoon instead of a syringe, follow the same procedure, dropping the liquid between the teeth at the sides of the snout.

When you are finished with the contents of the syringe, wait between 10 and 15 minutes until your cat vomits on their own. If it does not, repeat the operation for up to 3 doses.

Whether the cat throws up after these doses or not, you must take them to the vet for a checkup. If you manage to make them vomit, you can go with your usual specialist to evaluate the cat's general health. If they do not, the cat will need immediate and urgent medical attention.

Warning: it is not advisable to include salt in the cat's diet, however it is one of the most recommended mineral salts when it comes to inducing vomit for cats, both domestically and at the veterinarian. This is a good alternative if you're asking yourself how to make a cat throw up without hydrogen peroxide.

Recommended Dosage: you will need to mix between 1 and 3 teaspoons of salt per 250 ml of water. Then you should blend the mixture and absorb it into a syringe, small or large, depending on the size of the cat.

Administration: you must empty the solution of salt water with pressure in your cat's throat. At the beginning you will notice salivation, discomfort and an attempt to vomit. If nothing happens, it is best to repeat the process after 10 minutes up to a maximum of 2 doses.

After vomiting it will be essential to go to the veterinarian to rule out intoxication or damage of any kind in the cat's internal organs. We must emphasise that these methods may cause more harm than good. Before trying contact your veterinarian for guidance. Each cat is different and may react differently due to the issue they are experiencing.

Apart from making a cat vomit there are some products that will allow us to prevent the toxic body from being absorbed and passed into the blood:

• Activated charcoal: among its qualities is the ability to absorb impurities, poisons and toxic substances, making it perfect to give in cases of intoxication. It is a black powder, quite fine, that can be found in health food stores and other types of drugstores. It is also possible to find it in the form of capsules, sold in pharmacies. We recommend offering 1 gram of activated charcoal per kg of cat weight.
• Enema: Enemas are liquids that are introduced through the rectal tract and help the animal to evacuate easily.
• Laxatives: Laxatives ease intestinal transit and as a result can avoid the absorption of a part of the toxic product that the cat could have taken. Although there are many types we recommend using sodium sulfate, using 1 gram per kg of cat weight.

Do not forget that these are first aid tips that you should only use in an emergency. In any case, if you notice that your cat has been intoxicated you should call your veterinarian to follow their directions and go to the veterinary center as soon as possible.

Learn more about understanding a cat's vomit by reading our articles about what does it mean when a cat vomits yellow or what does it mean when a cat vomits white foam.

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Make a Cat Vomit, we recommend you visit our First aid category.