Dog & cat health · Vet-reviewed guide

Cat Throwing Up Blood: Why It's an Emergency

Blood in a cat's vomit is one of those signs that shouldn't wait. It doesn't always mean the worst, but it always means a vet.

Quick answer: A cat throwing up blood is always a reason to call a vet, it is never considered normal, and it can be a true emergency. The blood may look like fresh red streaks or flecks, or like dark brown "coffee grounds" if it has been partly digested.

Causes range from stomach ulcers, a swallowed foreign object, and toxins to clotting problems and serious gut disease. Because a cat can hide how sick it is, and because blood loss can worsen quickly, any blood in the vomit should be treated as urgent even if your cat seems okay right now. There is one caveat: a single red speck can occasionally come from food dye or a small irritation in the mouth or throat from the force of vomiting, but you cannot safely tell that apart at home, so the rule stays simple: if you see blood, call a vet. This guide explains the causes and what to do.

Emergency: Vomiting blood, especially repeatedly, in large amounts, with dark "coffee-ground" material, or alongside weakness, pale gums, or a painful belly, is a medical emergency. Go to a vet or emergency clinic now.

What the blood can look like

Fresh blood appears as red streaks, flecks, or a pink tinge to the vomit. Partly digested blood looks dark brown or black, sometimes described as "coffee grounds," which usually means the bleeding is coming from the stomach.² Both need a vet.

Common causes

• Stomach ulcers or severe gastritis.
• A swallowed foreign object scratching or blocking the gut, often an emergency.
• Toxins or poisons, including certain plants, chemicals, and human medicines.
• Clotting disorders or rat-poison ingestion, which stop blood from clotting.
• Serious gut disease, including inflammatory disease and, in older cats, tumors.²

What to do

Call a vet or emergency clinic straight away, and describe what you saw, how much blood, what color, how many times, and whether your cat swallowed anything unusual.² If you suspect a poison, call the vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center before doing anything else, and do not try to make your cat vomit. Do not give any home remedy or human medicine. Keep your cat calm and warm on the way in.

Why it can't wait

Cats instinctively hide illness, so by the time blood appears the underlying problem may already be significant.¹ Some causes, like a foreign body or poisoning, get harder and more dangerous to treat with every hour. The safest assumption with blood in the vomit is that it is serious until a vet says otherwise. For the wider picture on cat vomiting, see our main guide.