Hairball question

Hello, i posted a week back about my 16 year old female cat having soft stool for 2 weeks. I originally thought it was caused by an antibiotic shot she was given as the soft stool began immediately after the shot. I took her to the vet after a week of soft stool and they gave her and antibiotic for her stomach and a peanut butter like paste. She was on that for a week and still soft stool.

Now i have noticed hair in the soft stool. I am wondering if she has a hairball in her stomach that could be causing the soft stool. I gave her Petromalt hairball remedy for 4 days straight and noticed a full hairball in her soft stool that last time she went but the stool was still soft.

Anyone know when i should be alarmed and take her back to the vet? She has had soft stool for about 3 weeks now.

Thanks!

As far as I know, hairballs don't cause soft stool, no. What they do cause is blockage.
Have you changed her diet recently? What is she eating?

I was wondering if a hairball blockage could be causing soft stool???

I did change her food but very slowly, the old food is still mixed with the new food 50/50. I feel like this started a day before i switched her food.

Her new food is Royal Canin Indoor Mature 27. Old Royal Canin Renal LP.

What was the reason to change her food. If it is not a medical reason, I think I would go back to the old food if she was not having problems eating that.

Her blood test was high for kidney symptoms once but been fine last 3 times. My vet said to switch her to a high protein diet as it's better for her than the Renal food.

Good News!

After nearly 3 weeks of soft stool, this morning she had a normal #2.
I hope this means she's over whatever caused the issue.

Thank you for all who replied

I did just want to chime in and mention that it sounds like the soft stool was helping pass out a hairball as you noticed some in the poop. That is a good sign that the hair was coming through the digestive track. Glad your kitty is doing better.

Originally Posted by missK

Her blood test was high for kidney symptoms once but been fine last 3 times. My vet said to switch her to a high protein diet as it's better for her than the Renal food.

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Weird... your cat is 16, shows high kidney values and your vet wants her on high protein? Weird IMHO. Don't know.... I would keep a very, very close eye on her blood value - and on her vet.

I've been taking her to the vet every 6 months for the past few years not that she's older. I will now go more often now that she is 16.

Yeah, i was a bit confused on the food. Her blood test is all fine except high calcium which the vet said could be a number of things. They said because her numbers have been fine to get her off the Renal LP and switch to high protein because it's better for her body. I still have a large bag of the Renal LP so i've been adding in a small amount of Royal Canine Indoor Mature to it.

Originally Posted by missK

I've been taking her to the vet every 6 months for the past few years not that she's older. I will now go more often now that she is 16.

Yeah, i was a bit confused on the food. Her blood test is all fine except high calcium which the vet said could be a number of things. They said because her numbers have been fine to get her off the Renal LP and switch to high protein because it's better for her body. I still have a large bag of the Renal LP so i've been adding in a small amount of Royal Canine Indoor Mature to it.

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But... but... but.... her numbers probably got better because of the Renal LP, right? I assume that she showed signs of trouble, thus she was put into the prescription in the first place? Prescription is necessary to maintain those numbers... If you put her in a regular diet, particularly a high protein diet - given she already has kidney problems and she is 16... IMHO she will go back to square one. She will go back to have kidney problems.... I don't know, in an older cat like that... I really would think twice when things are working... High protein diets are not really thought to be the best for that old of a cat...

Originally Posted by missK

Her blood test was high for kidney symptoms once but been fine last 3 times. My vet said to switch her to a high protein diet as it's better for her than the Renal food.

Click to expand...

Royal Canin Indoor Adult 27 is a very LOW protein food. Only 27%...
If she needs high protein, that is not the food to choose.

The small bag of the Indoor Mature that i mixed with the Renal LP has run out so i will continue with the Renal LP. I was just doing what the vet recommended and like you i was confused.

I thought the soft #2/hairball issue was over the last i posted but since then she has had normal #2 encased in a gunk like surrounding that has hair in it. This has been going on for 2 weeks now even after i gave her Petromalt. I brush her daily and do not understand because she's never had this issue before. I'm thinking it's time to head back to the vets. Not sure if this is an issue they can help with or is harmful to my cat.

Thanks for all the responses!