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Hairballs!!

post #1 of 6
9/13/02 at 9:16am
Thread Starter 
Recently one of my cats, I don't know which one, since we have 2 has been throwing up hairballs. This is the second time in a month this has happened and I'm worried. I read in one of the threads that I could buy something to put on their paws and they will lick it off? Does anyone know what I am talking about? Also, we are in the process of switching them over to adult food, so I don't know if this caused them to have an upset stomach. Should I buy the stuff to put on their paws, or should I start buying hairball remedy food?
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post #2 of 6
9/13/02 at 9:31am
There are several products you can get from you vet. Laxatone is one of them, and it is quite sticky and stains so try not to get any on you. The cat will normally shake the paw it is applied to, and it flies everywhere, so you might just want to put some on her whiskers- just a little at a time.

You can also groom your cat daily, and add some corn oil to her dry kibble, just a little bit. Fish oil is better, but it is hard to find and fairly expensive to boot.

Good luck.
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post #3 of 6
9/13/02 at 11:26am
There are all kinds of Hairball Remedy that you can find at pet supply stores and even Wal Mart or the supermarket. Basically they are petroleum jelly with kitty enticing flavors, like Malt, Salmon and Tuna. They are laxatives to help the hairballs pass through the other end.

Trent has hairballs, a lot. He has a bit of a sensitive tummy and is just prone to them, as well as having fairly long hair and a penchant for eating any and all hair he has left on the kitty tree, floor, etc. I've tried the hairball remedies (he hates them!!), brushing every day, and he just has hairballs. Basically, I just wanted to let you know that for some cats this is just a part of life as a cat.
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post #4 of 6
9/14/02 at 7:04am
Are you sure it's hairballs? Only reason I ask is because it's common for people to think that when a cat vomits, the cause is a hairball. Make sure there's actually clumps of hair in it. For that, the best thing I have found is of course regular brushing, unless the brushing stresses the cat out. When you have a stressed cat, they shed more and lick more. If you want to just stick to the food, find a food that has a high amount of essential fatty acids. It's the same as giving them the laxatives and hairball formulas.
If you notice vomit without the hair, it may just be that one or both is eating too fast, or they don't tolerate that particular brand of food. About a year ago, I had the peasure of speaking with an internal medicine vet who specializes in cats. We were on the subject of 4 of my cats vomiting on a regular basis. I was informed that infact it is NOT normal for cats to vomit on a regular basis and if they are, it should be addressed and solved.
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post #5 of 6
9/16/02 at 3:36pm
Feeding your cat a diet with natural oils can also be helpful. This helps them pass the hairballs more easily. I sell a product called Kitty Oats that are Avena Sativa Oat seeds that are grown into Oats that contain oil. Growing a Kitty Oats garden may help give your kitty the oil needed for their digestive tract and it helps their coat too I can send you a free sample if you are interested in trying them out. Email me at Questions@KittyOats.Com if you would like to try them.
Ginger
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post #6 of 6
9/20/02 at 4:31pm
hi,
my cat rarely has hairballs, thank goodness (she spits little bits of hair here and there instead!LOL)
but when she did, i tired Petromalt, and she hated it, she wouldn't touch it...

i didn't know about putting it on her paw back then, so i asked my vet about it, and she said that the petroleum based products were too thick and could cause health problems (i forget but i think it was respiratory problems?) and to instead put a little margerine or butter on her paw (or just let her lick it off your finger, as most cats like it- of course MINE doesn't!!LOL)

i also grow cat grass and this seems to help, you can either buy it in the pet store (the seeds and soil) or i get a pk of oat seeds from a seed catalog...

the vet also said to be careful not to give too much oil, as it can cause respiratory problems also ( i guess they can inhale a small amount?)


there are also hairball formula cat foods and cat treats, i don't know much about these though

hope this helps!
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