Hairball help

Hi all. I am new to this site and new to owning a long haired cat. My cat is 6 months old now. I have had him for a month. He was recently neutered. He is up to date on all his shots. However, I have noticed twice in the past week that he has maked a coughing like sound while looking like he is uncomfortable. He only did it less then a minute but nothing came up. I think he may have a hairball. I have no experience with them so I am only guessing that this is the problem. He is eating and drinking well. He is using his litter box fine. I feed him Iams kitten. When he first came home I was feeding him canned food once a day but he got diaherria and the vet told me to only feed him dry. He has had nomal stool ever since. My question is what can I do for him right now? I must admit that I have have been busy the last few weeks and have not brushed him. I am plaining on getting a hair/lint brush to run over him and make sure I start brushing him daily again. I read about putting vaseline on his legs or paws to help out so I may try that in the mean time. I also read about feeding canned pumpkin and will try that also. Any other suggestions? If I don't see a hairball soon I will be making a vet appointment. Here is a photo I took of him today right after the coughing spell.

Oh my gosh is he gorgeous! You can give him a laxative a few times a week and you could feed him a hairball formula. If he keeps coughing with no hairball I would take him to the vet. It could be asthma, heart problem, or lung worms.

Things to aid hairball s

laxatone type( ie petrolum based vaseline is cheaper )... there are NON petrolum based "cat lube"

plain pumpkin .... squash... baby food squash( i use alot )

Extra brushing some love the furminator ....

What are you feeding ?? brand ???

Thanks for the replies. I am feeding Iams Kitten. When he first came home I was feeding one small can of wet a day it always gave him diarreha so the vet told me to only feed dry. He has normal stool now since feeding only dry. I went to our local TSC last night and purchased a hairball solution paste. He ate some of that. I only heard him one time yesterday make that retching/coughing noise. That was only the second time I had ever heard him do that. If he hacked anything up I have yet to discover it around the house. I brushed him really well yesterday and will do so on a regular bases. First time indoor cat so I am more than likely just paranoid. I will be looking at getting some canned pumpkin. If I hear him making that noise again I might just go ahead and call the vet.

omg, he is gorgeous!!

i use laxatone and it seems to work pretty well.