Hair Balls and Trip to Vet

crt

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Kabou has been very picky about her wet food for the last couple of months. She has gone through these periods before, but not for as long. I attributed it to hairballs and ran it past my vet about a month ago. She agreed that unless there were other symptoms, hairballs were probably the cause. During this time period, she has vomited maybe once or twice, and only one hairball has come up. I give her laxatone, sometimes daily, during shedding season.

I came home last night, fed both cats, then Kabou proceeded to vomit. She vomited 6 times, the last time producing a large hairball. I expected her to feel better after getting it up, but I don't think she is. She kept to herself last night and avoided my other cat Brandon. She obviously did not feel well. Once she started acting hungry last evening, I gave her small amounts of boiled chicken and she kept it down. When I got up this morning, she still wasn't herself. No energy and no playing which is so not like her. She ate some of her canned food. I am taking her to the vet this afternoon just to make sure there is nothing else going on or other hairballs she can't get up.

For those of you whose kitties get hairballs, do these symptoms sound familiar? I hate to run to the vet every time I am paranoid, but I can't help worrying. Thanks
 

sharky

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Has the vet taken blood urine and an xray to rule out things>>??
 

kittiesx2

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We have the same problem with my cat Diesel. He's a persian mix and tends to get frequent hairballs even with daily brushing
It'a really frustrating. He had a hairball when he came to my home at 12 weeks and we spent over $200 at the Vet trying to figure out the problem. They sent us home with Laxatone and Metoclopramide(an anti-nausea med) and were talking about doing surgery when he finally passed the hairball. He had basically the same thing happen about a week ago. He started vomiting clear liquid a couple of times a day became lethargic and cut back on his eating (very wierd for him, he loves his food!) I started the Laxatone again and the anti-nausea meds and he coughed up a huge hairball the next day. After that his appetite came back and he's eating well and much more active

I hope that someone has some ideas of how to make him more comfortable. How to keep the hairballs at bay?
 

sharky

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what food are you feeding??? brand and wet or dry or both??
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by kittiesx2

We have the same problem with my cat Diesel.
He's a persian mix and tends to get frequent hairballs even with daily brushing
It'a really frustrating. He had a hairball when he came to my home at 12 weeks and we spent over $200 at the Vet trying to figure out the problem. They sent us home with Laxatone and Metoclopramide(an anti-nausea med) and were talking about doing surgery when he finally passed the hairball. He had basically the same thing happen about a week ago. He started vomiting clear liquid a couple of times a day became lethargic and cut back on his eating (very wierd for him, he loves his food!) I started the Laxatone again and the anti-nausea meds and he coughed up a huge hairball the next day. After that his appetite came back and he's eating well and much more active

I hope that someone has some ideas of how to make him more comfortable. How to keep the hairballs at bay?
Persi has never had a hairball despite his long hair that is really now growing in high gear. I do not mean to be picky here, but combing is different than brushing and I comb him most vigorously every day, removing handfulls of fur. I have had many short haired cats in the past and they all had hair balls from time to time but to be honest, I never brushed or combed them like I do with Persi. So, in my case anyway, I think this is the answer. And here is why: We just took a five day trip and my sister in law took care of the cats while we were away. I have been saving Persi's fur that I comb out and asked her to do the same. When we came back, I looked at the amount of hair that she had removed in five days and found it to be equal to about one day's worth of combing when I do it. My other sister in law tells me I am combing him too hard but since he does not complain and does not have hair balls I will continue using my method.
 
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crt

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Sharky, I'm taking her to the vet this afternoon and will have whatever tests done that the vet recommends. I definitely want an x-ray done. Do hairballs show up in x-rays? I'm hoping they do because my gut tells me that is what the problem is. She eats primarily canned food....natural balance turkey,chicken and liver, Eagle Pac chicken & lamb, there's a fish one she sometimes likes, and whatever other quality canned food she will eat. I've pretty much tried them all. She does seem to have a sensitive stomach.........she throws up Wysong and some of the richer foods. She eats a small amount of Nutro indoor dry.

kittiesx2, sounds like you deal with the same problems. Kabou has fairly long hair and is constantly grooming. Thanks for your input.

I'll let you know what I find out after the vet visit. Thanks to you both!
 

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Originally Posted by Persi

Persi has never had a hairball despite his long hair that is really now growing in high gear. I do not mean to be picky here, but combing is different than brushing and I comb him most vigorously every day, removing handfulls of fur. I have had many short haired cats in the past and they all had hair balls from time to time but to be honest, I never brushed or combed them like I do with Persi. So, in my case anyway, I think this is the answer. And here is why: We just took a five day trip and my sister in law took care of the cats while we were away. I have been saving Persi's fur that I comb out and asked her to do the same. When we came back, I looked at the amount of hair that she had removed in five days and found it to be equal to about one day's worth of combing when I do it. My other sister in law tells me I am combing him too hard but since he does not complain and does not have hair balls I will continue using my method.
Just curious.. what are you doing with the fur you save?

Alley had hairballs regularly, even with grooming and hairball treatments, but once she coughed them up, she didn't seem "sick" after, so it wouldn't hurt to get your kitty checked out, just to rule out other problems.

Lots of luck, please keep us posted.
 

kittiesx2

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maybe better grooming is the answer?
I used to comb him but he wouldn't hold still for it. I bought a slicker and he absolutely HATED that
Then I tried a Zoom Groom. He Loves it and I get HUGE piles of hair off of him everyday. The first time that I used it it literally got more hair that I had gotten in a month of brushing with other brushes! I brush for 5-10 minutes a day and do a about a 20 minute groom every week-end with the Zoom-groom and slicker (for tangles) .
Except for the week-end sessions he still does have some loose hair so I guess I need to up the daily grooming time. I'll try it and see if that helps



Crt.... I hope that Kabou's visit goes well
Let us know what you find out.

Oh yeah, Diesel's hairball didn't show up on x-ray
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by PaulaS

Just curious.. what are you doing with the fur you save?
Alley had hairballs regularly, even with grooming and hairball treatments, but once she coughed them up, she didn't seem "sick" after, so it wouldn't hurt to get your kitty checked out, just to rule out other problems.

Lots of luck, please keep us posted.
I have not decided for sure but a tailor told me she could make anything I wanted, including a full length coat. I had posted that I was doing this before and got various ideas of what I could do with it so for right now I am just saving it. It just seems that I could make something as a tribute to my cat out of all that fur I am removing every day, perhaps a tapestry of some type. Neiman-Marcus had a Himalayan cat coat in their Christmas catalog one year for $75,000. I am generally AGAINST fur coats of any type but nobody is being hurt in any way by me saving his fur.
 

alleygirl

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Originally Posted by Persi

I have not decided for sure but a tailor told me she could make anything I wanted, including a full length coat. I had posted that I was doing this before and got various ideas of what I could do with it so for right now I am just saving it. It just seems that I could make something as a tribute to my cat out of all that fur I am removing every day, perhaps a tapestry of some type. Neiman-Marcus had a Himalayan cat coat in their Christmas catalog one year for $75,000. I am generally AGAINST fur coats of any type but nobody is being hurt in any way by me saving his fur.
That's great! I had no idea you could do anything like that. I look forward to seeing what you come up with someday.
 

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I Would suggest trying to introduce Hills science plan-hairball control biscuits, i agree with getting a more effective comb or if you can afford a good groomer to have a go once a month aswell. At the moment i have two shorthairs but one was constantly getting hairballs and coughing but not getting them out. since he's been eating the hairball control biscuits we've had no problems. I also believe that a dry food diet is far better for hairball sufferers as it gives the cat more substance to bind the fur and pass it normally. Good luck with your kitty.xxx
 
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crt

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Thanks to all of you for your replies. I took Kabou to the vet on Friday, but she found nothing to indicate that x-rays or blood tests were necessary at that time. She said to bring her back on Monday if she wasn't acting better. And, of course, she was better by Saturday and even coughed up a couple more hairballs. So, as I suspected, hairballs were the culprit.

The posts about combing and brushing were very helpful. In fact, before reading them, I visited my favorite mom and pop boarding, grooming, cat food establishment and they recommended using a comb as well! They said to use the comb first, then follow up with the zoom groom. I bought a good comb from them, used it and Kabou was okay with it. It took out lots of hair and it didn't fly all over the place like it usually does with the zoom groom. They also suggested a bath twice a year to help with shedding/hairball issues. I'm going to have to think about it. Kabou's temperature spikes to 103 when I take her to the vet because she is so stressed, so I am hesitant to take her to a groomer. Maybe I can slowly get her used to water and can bathe her myself............ Thanks again for your responses.
 
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