# Why do cats do this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-do-this/785786>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 3, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-do-this/785786 "2017-05-03T16:24:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-do-this/785786/21 "2017-05-04T20:34:46Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Often it’s eating too fast. Try a grain-free cat food, or a \* food designed for cats with delicate digestion\*.
> 
> Could be a hairball.

Or it’s just a barfy cat. We’ve tried every food there is and use hairball medication, and feed her small amounts of $50/bag grain-free EN kibble. We’ve had her thoroughly checked by the vet, including ultrasound, and they can find nothing physically wrong with her. And yet she continues to barf. Sometimes she’ll skip a day or two, but usually it’s once a day or more. Cat mystery.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-do-this/785786/22 "2017-05-04T20:45:31Z")

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If we hear the unmistakable sound of a cat “pumping” preparatory to throwing up, we will run in and try to place a piece of newspaper or something similarly sacrificial to catch the barf.

Unfortunately, the cat will _deliberately turn aside_ to avoid throwing up on the newspaper, instead preferring to throw up on the carpet.

The attitude afterwards is “Whew! I don’t know why you did that, but I almost threw up on the newspaper!”

Fortunately, most of the time Hestia throws up on the linoleum, tile, or the hardwood floor, al of which are easy to clean. When we’re unlucky she throws up on the carpet. If we’re REALLY unlucky she throws up on the bed, or on the edge of a window or table, thus managing to score hits on multiple surfaces and making it very hard to clean.

Even more fortunate, Hermes almost never actually throws up, despite some impressive “pumping” efforts.

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