Will a cat throw up?

puma

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My cat has been gagging a few times today...it's not normal for her to gag or cough up a hairball...She is medium haired and I brush her almost everyday. She keeps on gagging, though...I'm worried that she may not be able to get whatever it is that she ate up...do cats usually struggle with throwing up? It's almost as if she'll gag and then swallow a lot to get whatever is on it's way up back down.
I'm very nervous that's she's having trouble throwing up...any suggestions?
 

salemwitchchild

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If it's a hairball you can give her some treatment to help it pass. Even with regular brushing they can get hairballs.
 

katkisses

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Still sounds like hairballs, give her some hairball medicine and see if that helps, if it's not better in 4 hours, go to the vet...
 

buzbyjlc10

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I agree it sounds like a hairball... Oliver is a DSH and I brush him frequently, but he still gets hairballs... basically I classify them into 2 categories: sometimes he ends up honking like a goose for a bit, then he's fine (all I can figure is the hair is caught in his windpipe and he's getting it up an into his tummy) and other times he starts heaving like he's about to puke and that's when he actually throws up a hairball... I give him grass on a regular basis and he's gotten too fussy attempting to get hairball gel in him, so I don't mind cleaning the occasional hairball
 
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puma

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I've heard that grass will make a cat throw up...so is that what all the grass in the pet store is for? Basically to help relieve your cat of the hairballs??
 

diego

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Originally Posted by Puma

I've heard that grass will make a cat throw up...so is that what all the grass in the pet store is for? Basically to help relieve your cat of the hairballs??
My understanding is cats eat grass to throw up for any number of reasons.
Upset stomach, hairballs etc. Bonus is that grass is very inexpensive.

Hope it is just a hairball and nothing serious.
 

beandip

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I have 2 cats that get hairballs on occasion. I have seen them "come up" and I find them on the floor but I have never witnessed any gagging. They just come up. I guess some cats gag, but I haven't seen it in any of my gang of 8.

Beandip gagged for a little while off and on when he had some sort of virus. The vet explained that there was mucous draining into his throat, irritating it. So I guess what I'm saying is there are other possible reasons for gagging.
 

buzbyjlc10

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Cats can eat grass to enduce vomitting, but not always - Ollie eats it all the time and very rarely throws up after (btw, my dog is a grazer too and never throws up afterwards)... it is a needed natural digestive aid... humans eat leafy greens to fill this need, cats seek out grass... so if your cat likes the grass (some don't for whatever reason) it's good to offer it to them... I just buy the oat grass seeds and grow pots myself - cheaper that way... speaking of, I need to bring the latest sprouted pot up to Oliver
 
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