Hairball Help!!

Can someone please give me some advice? I have a long hair, male, 1-1/2 year old Maine Coon and he puked up a hairball the night before last and ever since, he has been periodically making these retching noises like he's trying to get something outta his throat, or like he's trying to cough up a hairball. Only nothing comes up and he seems like when he breathes there may be a light wheeze. He is eating ok and has played but I sense this is bothering him and of course I worry myself sick over everything with my babies. I bought some Laxostat at Petco and he hates it but I'm trying to give him relief. I was recently laid off so a vet trip is a scary thought... with little money I'll doubt they'll even see him!? Any ideas or suggestions? I've had a few cat owners tell me it sounds like a hairball trying to get out. How long does it normally take and what works best? Please help!! I don't want to waste time trying things that don't work....Dexter needs relief!!

Hi,my vet told me to try putting four drops of fish oil in my cat's food ,I put it in breakfast and dinner for my cat.it has made her have very few hairball incidence happen(became a couple times a week) &made her hair much healthier,softer and thicker.also not as much shedding.hope this helps you. I started with a 89¢bottle of 15 capsules at Wal-Mart,to see how they would work. 1 capsule will do for 3-4 feedings.poke a little hole in the capsule with a safety pin,set remains of pill in a bottle cap or small holder to use next feeding. My cat was 7 when it started getting worse for her.

Is this what is sounds like?  If he's wheezing he may have Feline Asthma.

Thanks I appreciate the responses...it came on outta nowhere, but its not wheezing in sounds wise, its more like he is struggling to cough something up and then it doesn't happen...but it looks like his breath out moves his body just a tad... he has appetite, is interested in play, and is doing normal routines...makes me think a hairball blockage that he's having a hard time getting up? He's never shown signs of breathing difficulties, but he licks nonstop and has thrown up hairballs a lot lately, that's why my thought went to hairball issue. We does it and scrunches his head down like he is really trying to gag or cough up something? How long can it take if it is a hairball? I had trouble giving him Laxostat so someone said they'd used a half teaspoon of butter in some tuna, he ate all of it!! So I've been on look out for hairy poop because it makes them pass it through instead of puking the hairball. Thank u so much I will keep a close eye and try to listen for unusual breaths... have a feeling I'm gonna have to make a vet visit soon! Thanks again!

Feeding them a raw egg yolk a couple of times a week is supposed to very good to help hairballs go out the back end rather that the front .  Some cats will eat egg yolks just plain, others need to have them mixed into their food .  And if the STILL won't eat them, you could try using Egg Yolk Lecithin.  Mine don't like egg yolks, but two of them LOVE the Egg Yolk Lecithin.  They come running when I shake the bottle .  They think it's a treat and get anxious when they have to wait for me to open up the capsule and dig it out for them

My boy cat recently had something similar. Turned out he has 'allergies' and his tonsils were swollen. He does have hairballs so I am giving him a finger full of vaseline daily (he loves the stuff). As for the 'allergies'.....they put him on a round of antibiotics for a week and it cleared up. I thought it was asthma and was so scared. The vet fee is worth finding out. Its not a good feeling for your cat to be coughing like that and not getting a result. Borrow some money from family, take it out of a credit card. A pet is an investment and family....and remember, the longer this goes on, the costlier the medicine to treat because whatever it is could get worse.

Good luck and I hope your precious friend finds relief soon!!!