Finding cat vomit is usually easy – it isn’t invisible, so you can just look for it!  However, sometimes cats are crafty and will vomit in unexpected places.  As well, sometimes your cat will throw up a clear fluid.  It’s important to find cat vomit quickly as it is far easier to clean if you do.

Listen

Every cat owner has heard their kitty vomiting or coughing something up.  If you hear your cat vomiting, go try to find her immediately.  You can be there with a paper towel and some carpet cleaner and be done in no time.  I’ve also found that “burping” my cat, like you’d burp a baby, can help her to pass the episode without vomiting.  Just gently tap on her abdomen until she stops.

Smell

Cat vomit, particularly food that has been thrown up, has a very distinctive smell.  Unlike cat urine odor, cat vomit smells right away after your cat throws it up.  If you smell even the faintest hint of vomit, try to find the strongest source right away.

Know Your Cat

Both of my cats tend to vomit in the same place.  Whenever I get home, particularly if I’ve been gone a while, I do a quick check to see if these places are clean.  I do this almost subconsciously and even if I don’t smell anything.  If the vomit isn’t particularly fresh, you may not smell it right away, so a visual walkaround is essential.