Why is My 8 Week Old Kitten Throwing Up? (When to Call Vet)

Young kittens come with various challenges. You will spend every minute of your waking day worrying about them. One such worry is when they vomit. Here are some possible reasons why your 8 week old kitten has started throwing up, and when you should call a vet.

Why is my 8 week old kitten throwing up? Your 8 week old kitten could be throwing up for reasons including stress, diet, worms, teething, or illness. You should call a vet if the sickness is combined with lethargy, not wanting to play, and unusual behavior.

Otherwise, it’s actually very normal for 8 week old kittens to be sick. They are still developing, have weak stomachs, and are growing at a quick rate as well as being exposed to different environments and tastes constantly.

Please Note: I am not a professional vet. The text in this article is based on my experience of kitten ownership, advice I received from a vet, and my own research.

Why is my 8 week old kitten being sick

There are many reasons why 8 week old kittens are sick and throw up. These can include:

1. Stress

Kittens can often be sick due to stress. They are being exposed to so many new and different things, and it’s possibly related to being rehomed and leaving the mother cat.

2. Teething

Kitten will start teething between the ages of 2 and 4 weeks. They will want to chew everything in sight, and this alone can cause sickness and throwing up if they eat something that disagrees with them.

For example, kittens will even try and lick at their owners, even the ear wax of us humans. This might have made your kitten poorly.

3. Eaten something

One of the things you will notice with your kitten is they can be very curious. Kittens love figuring out new things, whether their hunting skills are growing, or they want to explore new things.

why is my 8 week old kitten being sick — 8 week old kittens are so curious that they will try and eat anything which can then make them throw up (Credit https://pixabay.com/photos/cat-flower-kitten-stone-pet-2536662/)

Just like a toddler will put everything in the mouth, kittens do the same thing.

This can mean accidentally swallowing something they shouldn’t. When this happens, a kitten’s natural reflex is to vomit and try to get it out.

If you notice your 8 week old kitten is vomiting, check to see if there is any foreign object coming out – it could be something like grass, or something more solid.

If they continue to vomit after every meal, it might indicate that the object is stuck.

Kittens of this age will also try to eat houseplants. Whist the plants might not be toxic, they won’t be able to digest them, so could be puking back up plant matter.

4. An infection

Another reason why your 8 week old kitten is throwing up is a viral infection. Since most kittens do not get their vaccines until they get to eight weeks, it is easy for them to pick up infections from other cats.

Vets can perform a blood test to see if your kitten is sick and administer any vaccine they need.

5. Worms

Kittens are susceptible to worms. In such a situation, it helps if you can take necessary action early enough. If the kitten has not been dewormed before, take them to the vet and have them dewormed.

You might have to do this a couple of times, so they are worm-free.

6. You changed their diet too fast

Another reason your 8 week old kitten might be vomiting is you are giving it food it has never eaten before. If you notice the kitten keeps vomiting as soon as it eats and not any other time, then you need to think about getting it on a new diet.

It will go a long way to help you figure out a diet plan that works for the kitten.

Is it normal for kittens to vomit?

While it might seem like a cause of alarm, don’t panic just yet. Occasional vomiting and sickness is not that unusual. Kittens tend to be sick more than older cats.

If your 8 week old kitten is being sick, monitor them to see if they present any other symptoms. Lethargy, a lack of interest in play, and simply not being themselves is when you should consult a vet.

Otherwise, ensure they say hydrated at all times – but don’t over water them. If you notice they are not eating either and have diarrhea too, that indicates illness that requires professional advice.

What should I do if my kitten vomits?

Here are some of the things you can do when you notice your kitten vomiting:

If the 8 week old kitten has been vomiting regularly for more than 24 hours, call a vet.
If they cannot hold water or food down for two consecutive mealtimes, call a vet.
If the kitten is lethargic, refuses to play, and is acting strange, call a vet.
If the sickness is related to diet, talk to their former owners about the food they were previously on. Switching back to their previous diet might help stop the vomiting.
Keep the kitten hydrated. Vomiting will leave the kitten so dehydrated.

Conclusion

Getting a young kitten can be fun, yet occasionally stressful.

When they are sick, you can’t help but worry… but it is normally brief, and nothing to be concerned about.

But your 8 week old kitten is acting strange as well as vomiting, please do contact your vet, even if it’s to put your mind at rest.

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