Why Does My Cat Insist on Throwing Up on the Rug?

Early morning is my favorite time of day. I love burrowing under the covers for a few extra minutes after I wake up, listening to the city stirring outside my window and looking forward to the day ahead. But too often lately, my peaceful reverie is interrupted by the sound of a cat puking. And my first thought when I hear that dreaded retching sound? Please, don’t let them be throwing up on a rug.

Usually, though, they are. Surrounded by plenty of easy-to-clean hardwood and tile, my cats prefer to cough up hairballs, small pools of frothy bile, and even recently scarfed down, super-stinky wet food onto the nearest area rug. I got a new bath mat recently, and the very next morning, I stepped into the bathroom to find a puddle of vomit right in the center, as if one of my cats had decided it needed to be christened. Another time, I walked into the living room and saw Wilbur sitting at the edge of the rug, hunched over it, like it was a toilet bowl. Why, Wilbur? Why?

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It turns out, my cats aren’t just messing with me. (At least, they probably aren’t.) Here’s what a cat behaviorist and a veterinarian had to say about this less-than-charming, but apparently quite common, feline habit.

First things first: Why is your cat throwing up?

Before we get to the why-the-rug question, it’s important to consider whether the vomiting itself is of concern. “There are many possible reasons a cat might vomit, ranging from gastritis, ingestion of a foreign object, or pancreatitis, to less serious causes like a hairball,” says Dr. Preston Turano, a veterinary advisor at ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. “If your cat is vomiting frequently or a couple of times a week, it’s best to consult your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.”

Of course, as loving cat parents, we’re more concerned with our pets’ well-being than with the rug we carefully chose to coordinate with our sofa and accent wall color. (Insert “that rug really tied the room together” joke here.) And also, scrubbing vomit stains out of the rug gets tiring — especially when you have three healthy cats who just happen to have sensitive stomachs.

But seriously, why the rug?

As for why my cat might have chosen to throw up on my new bath mat, rather than the surrounding tile floor, Dr. Turano provides a surprisingly practical reason. “Cats often choose to vomit on rugs or carpets because these surfaces provide better traction and stability,” he says. This makes sense, and explains why my kitties might avoid the slippery hardwood floors as well, when their stomachs start to churn.

Dr. Turano notes, too, that my cats aren’t trying to ruin my morning by making a mess of my rugs. “Vomiting is uncomfortable and typically involves intense abdominal contractions and retching,” he reminds me. Ugh. My poor babies. No wonder they seek out the grippiness of a rug under their sweet little paws!

A cat behaviorist weighs in

The traction theory makes sense, but it doesn’t explain the time I caught Wilbur sitting at the edge of the rug with his haunches over the hardwood. When I asked cat behaviorist Stephen Quandt about it, he said that the vomiting-on-the-rug question is a frequent topic that comes up (so to speak) with clients — and he has his own theory.

“I’ve spoken with numerous cats on this subject, including my own, and they have explained that they go for the carpet because they want to make a lasting impression,” he says. “They want that vomitus to hang around — and what better way than embedding it in the fibers of your carpet?” He adds that in his experience, cats will even choose a wool carpet over a synthetic one, the better to make their mark. “Stains are harder to get out from natural fabrics,” he explains. 

Quandt has an idea about the bath mat incident, as well. “Bath mats are in small rooms, so there is a coziness factor and lots of privacy when hurling,” he says. “Also, if your cat is feeling generous, they might go on the bath mat because they know you can toss it directly into the shower to pre-rinse it before laundry day. Small favors, right?”

How to keep the cleanup to a minimum

If your cats also regularly throw up on your rugs — or anywhere, really — there are a few ways to try and save yourself some time on your hands and knees, cleaning it up. The first thing, and probably what I need to do, is to spend more time brushing them. Hairballs are a major vomit trigger, and Dr. Turano emphasizes the importance of regular brushing sessions to decrease vomit frequency.

On a more practical level, you can also try putting a yoga mat down near your cat’s favorite puking spot, so they have a secure spot that’s also easy to clean. And speaking of easy to clean, you can consider getting washable rugs. (I just ordered a couple of new ones from Ruggable, during their Black Friday sale. We’ll see how the cats like them.) Beyond that, stocking up on stain remover can’t hurt. 

And remember: If your cat is throwing up more than once a week, make an appointment with your vet. Because no matter how messy they are, we still want our cats to celebrate as many birthdays as possible.