Cat gags without vomiting | This is what to do!

Cat gags without vomiting. You may have seen the video of cats smelling cheese or broccoli and then gagging. Cats are very sensitive and have a much better developed sense of smell than we do. So it is likely that the odour is perceived as strong and unappetising and causes nausea. Of course, this is nothing to worry about. 

But if your cat gags for no apparent reason, you should take a closer look.

What does gagging mean?

Gagging, also called nausea, is a reflex of the body to get rid of potentially dangerous substances. This is why many cats vomit after gagging. However, this does not have to be the case and depends entirely on the severity of the retching and the cause.

The most common reason for gagging is hair and hairballs. The cat is a very clean animal with a strong cleaning instinct. It licks up loose hairs during grooming. These cannot be digested and if there are too many, they irritate the stomach. Usually only some foamy liquid with the easily recognisable hairs is vomited. If your cat has a problem with hairballs, you can give it malt paste. This will cause the hair to be excreted more easily and not accumulate in the digestive tract. You can also brush your cat to remove loose hair from its coat.

Cat retches but does not vomit

Most of the time the reason for gagging is harmless, but there may be more to it. It can occur with problems in the digestive tract, but also with diseases of other organs. If your cat gags more often for no apparent reason or shows other symptoms such as coughing, you should seek veterinary advice as soon as possible.

It is an emergency if your cat shows so-called unproductive vomiting. This is when all the signs of true vomiting are present, i.e. abdominal clenching, retching and salivation, but no vomit comes out. Usually the cat will try this several times in a row at short intervals and the abdomen will seem painful. It can be caused by an intestinal obstruction, for example if your cat has swallowed a foreign body. Hair elastics, small toys or string are often the culprits.

Possible causes of gagging:

• licked up hair

• foreign objects in the stomach or intestines

• stuck blades of grass

• inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach (so-called gastritis)

Cat gags and coughs without vomiting

If your cat coughs, this is a sign of a respiratory problem. Heavy coughing sometimes causes retching with or without vomiting. There are several causes for this. Cats, like humans, can get asthma and therefore asthma attacks. It is usually triggered by an allergy or cigarette smoke.

Another reason is lung worms. The parasites migrate into the respiratory tract and trigger coughing and retching. Mice-eating free-rangers are particularly at risk of ingesting the worms. They are transmitted via prey animals.

Gagging with coughing or sneezing as an accompanying symptom can be caused by a foreign body in the throat or windpipe. It occasionally happens that a piece of cat grass gets lost and then causes trouble. In most cases, the cat cannot get rid of it on its own and it has to be removed endoscopically under anaesthesia. This is why vets advise against buying cat grass if cats have problems with hairballs.

Possible causes:

• asthma attack

• lungworm infestation

• oreign body in throat or trachea

More questions about the topic

Gagging is a symptom in cats that occurs in various forms and often in combination with other symptoms. Here you can find answers to more questions about this topic.

Cat keeps constantly retching without vomiting, what to do?

Constant gagging is a warning sign of a serious problem. It could be a foreign body stuck in the throat or even blocking the intestines. If your cat keeps gagging, you should visit a veterinary practice the same day. There your cat can be thoroughly examined and treated.

Cat is gagging without vomiting and does not eat, what to do?

If your cat is not eating and also gagging, a vet visit is advised to get to the bottom of the cause. Cats often hide it when they are unwell so as not to show weakness. What you can observe, however, is that they often stop eating.

Cat gags and is limp, what to do?

When a cat shows weakness, there is almost certainly something wrong! Limpness is an absolute warning signal and should always be taken seriously. There can be many problems behind it. If your cat is also gagging, you should visit a vet the same day.

Conclusion

Gagging is a common symptom in cats and can have many causes. Most of the time, it is caused by licked-up hair that is thrown up again. But there are also serious reasons. Especially if the gagging occurs without an obvious cause or is accompanied by other symptoms such as coughing, limpness and loss of appetite, you should contact a vet and have the problem clarified in time.

The confidu magazine is written by our veterinarians according to current scientific standards. The articles do not replace a veterinary diagnosis, but are intended to provide you with initial information on many topics related to your pet. If you have specific questions about your pet, our veterinarians will be happy to help you via the confidu app.