Removing cat vomit is a fact of life for cat owners, even if you’ve taken steps to prevent it.  Sometimes, your kitty just gets sick!  If your cat has vomited, you need to clean it up right away to prevent the odor from getting any worse.

Step-by-Step

To remove cat vomit from carpet, apply the following steps:

1. With a paper towel (or several), remove as much of the solid matter as you can, as gently as you can.  Don’t press or grind it into the carpet.
2. Use a cleaning solution to soak the area.
3. Let the solution stand for 5-10 minutes, or as specified by the manufacturer.
4. Blot the carpet to remove the cleaning solution.  Unless the manufacturer says otherwise, don’t allow it to air-dry.
5. If there is still vomit left, repeat the steps.  You may also want to use a vacuum cleaner or carpet cleaner to remove the remainder.

Some additional tips:

• For food vomit, it’s usually easier to let the vomit dry for a few minutes before attempting to clean it.  Once it has dried, you can usually pick most of it up with a paper towel.
• Never scrub carpet.  You will only grind the vomit into the carpet and make it harder to remove.
• For hairballs, usually you can pick the majority of them up with a paper towel.  A quick spot of cleaning solution will usually finish the job. 
• Most cleaning solution isn’t safe for cats to drink, so don’t allow your cats near the area that’s being cleaned.  Or, use a pet-safe carpet cleaning solution, but you may sacrifice some performance.
• When you’re done, spray a product like Pure Ayre in the area to eliminate any residual odors.  Pure Ayre also works great for eliminating odors from stinky litter boxes!