9 Best Cat Food For Cats That Throw Up A Lot

I don’t think “cat yack,” as our family calls it, can be completely avoided if you’re a cat owner. It happens from time to time, whether it’s due to hairballs, digestive issues, or simply your kitty eating too fast. But sometimes that “time to time” becomes every day — or several times a day — and that’s no fun for either you or your cat. Fortunately, there are many cat foods that are specially formulated for cats that are vomiting frequently, and they work surprisingly well. If you are concerned regarding your cat’s eating habits and digestive health — or you’re sick and tired of cleaning cat yack out of your carpet — you’ve come to the right place. First you’ll discover the best food options that can almost magically make your cat stop vomiting. Then, at the end of the post, you’ll learn more about why your cat might be throwing up all the time, what to do about it, and when it’s time to see your vet. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  

Royal Canin Digestive Care Dry Cat FoodHill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food, Adult, Sensitive Stomach & Skin, Chicken & Rice RecipePurina ONE Natural Dry Cat Food, Sensitive Skin & Stomach Formula

 

But First — How to Clean Cat Vomit From Your Carpet

If your cat is throwing up often, and you’re unfortunate enough for them to be doing it on carpet, you’re probably spending a lot of time cleaning it up. And worse, if you’re like me, you’re wondering if the carpet ever really gets completely clean. This is the product we currently have in our house for cleaning cat accidents. I bought it because of the positive reviews and because it claims that only enzyme-based cleaners (as opposed to chemical solutions) can completely remove 100% of organic matter, such as urine, feces, or vomit, including the odor. Also, it contains essential oils to give it a nice smell!

Pet Stain & Odor Miracle – Enzyme Cleaner

So is cleaning up the cat yack a sweet-smelling joy for me now? Ha – hardly! I still hate cleaning pet stains from the carpet, but this product works, and it does has a pleasant smell.  

Royal Canin Digestive Care Dry Cat Food

Royal Canin Digestive Care Dry Cat Food

This recipe works wonders in reducing vomiting in cats. The magic ingredient in this formula is the fermentable fiber that produces gut flora and ultimately increases healthy digestion and decreases your cat’s chances of throwing up food. First Five Ingredients: Brewer’s rice, wheat gluten, chicken meal, chicken fat, soy protein isolate Special Diet Features:

• High in vitamins
• Promotes intestinal flora
• Supports healthy digestion
• Contains highly digestible proteins
• Contains prebiotics & psyllium seed husk to promote balanced intestinal flora and regulate intestinal transit
• Ring-shaped kibbles promote slower eating and chewing
• 100% Complete & balanced nutrition

Amazon reviewer James Sean Esterbrook points out that this food is expensive — but if I were him, I’d be willing to shell out the dough for it too:

This product is a miracle. Our cat has always had the most vile disgusting diarrhea. I’m talking paint the litter box, up the wall liquid poop about 7 times a day. It also stunk so bad you could smell it 2 stories up. I have had and worked with animals my whole life and she was by far the nastiest creature I have ever crossed paths with. As bad as it was for us I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant for kitty either. That’s being said we had tried multiple foods ranging from low end all the way to holistic foods and everything labeled “sensitive” in between. Nothing touched the frequency or smell. I bought this one night in a whim … From that day forward our issues have been 100% solved.

Note that this Royal Canin product is for healthy adult cats. It has a special disc shape to help cats eat slower so they’re less likely to regurgitate. If you have a cat with a more challenging digestive issue than simply “eating too fast,” then you might want to try …  

Royal Canin Sensitive Digestion Dry Cat Food

Royal Canin Adult Cat Sensitive Digestion Dry Adult Cat Food

Unlike the Royal Canin Digestive Food listed above, which is geared more toward healthy cats who just tend to eat too fast, the Royal Canin Sensitive Digestion formula is specially designed for adult cats with digestive tract sensitivities. It supports optimal digestive health with probiotics and highly digestible proteins. It also has a unique kibble shape that makes the food more appealing to cats. First Five Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, rice flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), corn gluten meal Amazon reviewer ChezLars calls this a “Miracle Cat Food”:

… I have an 18 year old Exotic Shorthair who has been struggling to keep food down for the past several months. She has been seen by several vets several times and they all say she is fine, bloodwork, vitals, etc. all look good/normal. I have tried 5 or 6 other cat foods over the past few weeks, and this is literally the ONLY cat food she has been able to keep down, that she will even attempt to eat. She literally wouldn’t even touch the other foods I bought her (I donated them to Petco) … It’s been a few weeks now, and she is still eating this food, she is not really getting sick anymore (throwing up) … and seems back to normal as she can be for her age. I don’t know what it is about this food (protein makeup, shape, size, texture, smell, etc.) that is sitting well with her, but it is WORTH it! If your cat has been more sensitive to foods lately and you are looking for a solution, definitely try this catfood!! I now have it on Amazon Subscription to be delivered every month …

 

Hill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food — Sensitive Stomach & Skin

Hill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food — Sensitive Stomach & Skin

If your cat is prone to throwing up, this formula from Hill’s Science Diet is the dietary change he needs to take care of the problem for good. The secret lies in the comprehensive ingredients in the recipe that helps to improve your cat’s digestive health and reduce vomiting. As an extra benefit, it prevents against skin irritation (which one of my cats has issue with). However, this food isn’t recommended for pregnant or nursing cats, as it doesn’t provide enough calories for their unique needs. According to their product page on Amazon, corn gluten meal is added to this food because it’s a highly digestible source of vegetable protein. It contains amino acids, methionine, and cystine to complement other protein sources. It’s also low in phosphorus, which is important for urinary health. First Five Ingredients: Chicken, brewer’s rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, chicken fat Special Diet Features:

• Contains added immune system support
• Veterinarian recommended
• Optimal digestive health formula with prebiotic Fiber
• Promotes a lustrous coat
• Nourishes a cat’s skin
• No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
• No chicken by-product meal
• Clinically proven antioxidants

Amazon reviewer Katilicus said this cat food was great for both sensitive stomach issue and for treating hairballs:

My 4 year old cat … has an incredibly sensitive stomach … We tried limited ingredient foods, and grain free, but none would keep her stomach in check for more than a couple of weeks. Her issues always came back. Eventually, her vet recommended we try this science diet sensitive stomach, and it has been an absolute miracle. We don’t have a cat getting sick anymore on a daily basis, or nearly as many hairballs (now its once in a blue moon) … She has been on this food for 6 months now, and I am happy to say that my cat is thriving again! The odor is minimal, and smells like a generic cat food (no fishy or otherwise strong odors). The pieces are small enough for her to chew easily, She had no issue from day one with the flavor, and was able to eat it easily from the start.

 

Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Recipe Dry Cat Food

Halo Indoor Dry Cat Food, Grain Free, Chicken & Chicken Liver

This recipe is specifically designed to support your cat’s digestive and overall health. It contains no rendered meat meals or by-products and is made entirely from healthy, natural, wholesome ingredients. The formula helps speed up a cat’s metabolism (predominantly adult cats) with ingredients such as Fiber, antioxidants, and highly digestible proteins. First Five Ingredients: Chicken, potato protein, dried peas, dried potatoes, tapioca Special Diet Features

• Specially formulated to help support a cat’s digestive health
• Highly digestible
• Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• No artificial additives

Amazon reviewer M says that Halo Holistic Cat Food kept her kitten’s “angry little tummy happy”:

This food is awesome. When I adopted my kitty, she was underweight, so much so that the rescue assumed she was an older kitten. Well, she wasn’t. She was fully grown, just half starved. She had terrible digestive issues for the first few weeks I had her and couldn’t seem to keep anything down. I was so worried because she was so skinny already and she was vomiting constantly and having bloody diarrhea. We went to the vet over and over, but treating her various parasites and infections didn’t fully clear it up. She improved, but still wasn’t gaining weight. She didn’t eat much and still vomited some. We tried every cat food under the sun and this is what she finally liked and kept down consistently. …

 

Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Natural Adult Dry Cat Food

Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Natural Adult Dry Cat Food

This dry cat food from Blue Buffalo is an excellent option for preventing vomiting in cats. The great taste and LifeSource pieces throughout the kibble make cats chew their food more thoroughly, making it possible and easier for cats with sensitive stomachs to digest and reducing vomiting. Be aware that the main ingredient in this food is chicken, so skip this one if your cat is like one of mine and is allergic to chicken. First Five Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, whole ground brown rice, oatmeal, whole ground barley Special Diet Features:

• No soy
• No corn
• No wheat
• Contains LifeSource Bits for added nutrition
• Supports a healthy immune system
• Rich in antioxidants, vital minerals, & essential vitamins
• Helps to maintain a healthy weight
• Made with high-quality proteins
• Specially formulated with FOS prebiotic to promote nutrient absorption and supports a cat’s digestive health

Amazon reviewer Hannah said switching to this food made an incredible difference for her cat (who you can see a photo of here):

We have a rescue kitty that was a finicky eater. she had been a stray for 4 years and in that time developed a taste for Meow Mix and only that. She refused to eat anything else. It got to the point, though, that she was vomiting on a daily basis, so we knew we had to make a change. We spent 2 weeks transitioning her to this food and even when she was eating 50% Blue Buffalo and 50% Meow Mix, the vomiting was greatly reduced. It’s been about 2 months now and in that period, she’s thrown up exactly twice. The difference is night and day. We went from daily vomiting episodes to almost no vomiting episodes. Incredible. Her coat is shinier and healthier, and she is eating less of the Blue Buffalo than she was of meow mix, because it’s much more nutritious. She’s maintaining a healthy weight and she’s much more energetic and playful …

 

Purina ONE Natural Dry Cat Food

Purina ONE Natural Dry Cat Food

This recipe promotes intestinal health by containing essential minerals and vitamins, highly digestible ingredients, and high-quality proteins. Vets recommend this formula for cats that suffer from excessive vomiting as it supports a cat’s sensitive digestive system. This is one of the lowest-priced foods on this list, so check it out if you’re either on budget on not desperate enough for more drastic measures. However, as if often the case, you get what you pay for, so be aware that Purina One contains both gluten and soy, as well as some artificial coloring. First Five Ingredients: Turkey, chicken by-product meal, rice flour, corn gluten meal, soybean meal Special Diet Features:

• Contains high-quality Protein
• Contains antioxidants
• Easily digestible formula to help nourish sensitive systems
• Contains added minerals, vitamins, & nutrients
• No fillers
• No artificial flavors or preservatives
• Veterinarian recommended
• Prebiotic-rich formula

Amazon reviewer B. Klotzek wrote a rather amusing review of their experience with this cat food:

We rescued what we thought was a black, pregnant cat. Turns out, that HE is a neutered male cat with stomach issues. We originally thought that being pregnant, the cat was becoming grain sensitive or one of the many other reasons we read about online. Until we brought HIM to the vet to find out that we are dumb. (Hey, I wasn’t going to spend a bunch of time looking at the cats rear end and he wasn’t pleased with that idea either) Anyhoo, that being said, he would still throw up pretty much every food we tried with him until someone suggested trying this. This works great for him, he isn’t throwing up, and he seems to like this food. So happy ending! My carpet, on the other hand did not have the same happy ending…:-(

 

Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free

Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free

This recipe is excellent for cats with sensitive stomachs because it contains limited ingredients. You won’t find chicken, beef, corn, wheat, soy, dairy or eggs in this food. The magic ingredient in this recipe is — wait for it — pumpkin, to add with digestion. First Five Ingredients: Deboned turkey, turkey meal, tapioca starch, peas, pea protein Special Diet Features:

• • No poultry by-product meals
  • No wheat
  • No soy
  • No corn
  • No artificial flavors or preservatives
  • No grain
  • No eggs
  • No dairy
  • No beef
  • No chicken

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• ontains pumpkin & pea fiber to promote gentle digestion
• Contains vital nutrients, vitamins, & antioxidants to support overall health
• Made with high-quality Protein

Amazon reviewer C. Buttitta says this food literally saved her cat’s life:

11 years of constant diarrhea, endless vet visits, pills, fancy foods, expensive blood tests. My poor cat was miserable and barely making it to the box. There was even talk of re-homing or putting her to sleep. Finally our new vet suggested a chicken allergy. it’s next to impossible to find an affordable chicken free cat food. as I have 3 cats I’m not buying multiple kinds of food. Within a week of trying blue basics she was like an energetic kitten again. All of her digestive issues are gone. All 3 cats love it …

 

Halo Sensitive Stomach Dry Cat Food, Seafood Medley

Halo Sensitive Stomach Dry Cat Food, Seafood Medley

This recipe is specially formulated for cats that need additional dietary care. All the meat used in Halo’s products is antibiotic-free, and they only use non-factory farm animal products, making it an all-around healthy choice for cats with sensitive stomachs. First Five Ingredients: Whitefish, salmon, dried egg product, oat groats, dried peas Special Diet Features: • Made with natural, MSC-certified, whole seafood • Promotes healthy digestion • Rich in omega oils • Non-GMO vegetables • No fish meal • No fillers • No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives  

Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe Natural Dry Cat Food

Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe with Real Chicken Natural Dry Cat Food,

If you’re looking for a cat food that’s 100% grain-free, check out Instint Original. This dry cat food is made with 81% real animal ingredients and nutritious oils and 19% vegetables, fruits and other wholesome ingredients. The #1 ingredient is not just chicken, but responsibly sourced cage free chicken. Each piece of kibble is coated in freeze dried raw food to increase both the nutrition and the taste, a plus if an all-natural raw diet appeals to you, but the hassle of storage and preparation … not so much. First Five Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas Amazon reviewer The Purple Onion shared a fantastic side benefit from this food that they weren’t expecting:

I first bought this food when one of my cats had a bout of Hoerner’s Syndrome – due to the dizziness he was nauseous and didn’t want to eat anything. I bought so many different kinds of food trying to get him to eat, and this was the one that did it. I got the kibble and the canned, and he loved them both and we were able to keep up his weight until he recovered. In the meantime, I couldn’t keep my other diabetic cat out of this food. He wasn’t eating his prescription food very well, so I let him try the Nature’s Variety, and low and behold after about a month he started having low blood sugars and we had to decrease his insulin. In a few months he was off insulin completely, after needing it twice a day for over ten years …

 

✅ Why Does My Cat Throw Up All the Time?

If your cat suffers from regular vomiting, one cause could simply be dehydration. Many cat owners think that if their cats eat wet cat food, they receive sufficient hydration. While there is a lot of moisture in wet food, it is vital to allow your cat to have access to clean water at all times. The water helps the digestion process, therefore ensuring your cat won’t throw up his food frequently. According to Pets WebMD, it’s a common mis-conception that vomiting on a regular basis is “just what cats do.” They say that if your cat is throwing up more than once a week, or even consistently every few weeks, you should see your vet. Some of the possible reasons your cat might be vomiting regularly include:

• Eating too much
• Eating too fast
• Reacting to a recent change in diet
• Eating something non-edible (like a piece of string)
• Hairballs

Some of the more serious causes of regular vomiting include:

• Food allergies (one of our cats has to eat cat food made with rabbit due to an allergy)
• Poisoning</li
• Intestinal parasites
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Cancer

Video – Why Do Cats Vomit? A Vet Explains How to Help