hair balls? or something else?

Hi everyone

sorry I havent been around for a while - the past 2 weeks have been frantic at work and I havent really had a chance to come on here. That will chance come this weekend (fingers crossed) and I will post an update on the dramas of Tipsy and Cedar.... but until then.... a question if I may...

Tipsy has had what I have thought to be a hair ball for the last 5 - 6 days. Its so horrible watching them to try and cough it up. He has been eating like normal and everything else seems fine.
I have tried a number of remedies to try and get the hair ball to pass but nothing seems to work.

However.... today he wasnt interested in his food - he has since eaten a little of it but I am beginning to wonder if I should take him to the vet. I have an appointment set for tomorrow morning - but think am I being too over protective?

Is there something else it could be? He isnt sneezing and doesnt seem to have watery eyes... although Cedar sneezes alot but thats about it. I dont think its cat flu...

any thoughts?

Thanks everyone - promise I will be back soon (just incase anyone missed Tipsy, Cedar and me )

I don't think you are being too cautious. If it's been a week and nothing has come up, there may be something else going on. Hairball is always our first guess, but he could have something stuck in his airway, or a cough, or possible asthma.

I have read that it is possible for a hairball to be so bad that it had to be surgically removed. So even if it is a hairball, if it has been five days and has reached the point the cat has lost interest in food, I don't think you are being too cautious at all!

Thanks for the replies. I took both cats to the vet this morning - may as well get them both checked out I thought. Tipsy was sneezing constantly this morning and even had what I would call a cough.

Anyway - its not hairballs and its not cat flu - Tipsy has a viral infection and therefore the reason he is 'gagging/ coughing' is because his throat is irritated and he doesnt understand.
Seems as if Cedar brought something from the shelter and they are passing it to and fro.... so they are now both on antibotics - should see a improvement over the weekend...

thanks again - just thought I would let you know what the outcome was

Tipsy seems to be sneezing ALOT tonight - and there seems to be watering eyes.... I hate this - I TRUST my vet 100% but I just hope its nothing more serious than what he said....
He said if no improvement by monday to give him a call - I just hate the not knowing - I guess I have to just trust him - Tipsy just sneezed all over my printer - hmmm interesting

It does sound like a kitty virus. It sounds like your vet is doing what any good vet would do. If no improvement by the end of the weekend, they may need to change antibiotics. Let us know how they are doing

Thanks again for your advice

Its now been over 2 weeks since all this was occuring. Both medications are finished - thankfully!!! (Tipsy is not a big fan of tablets at all!! ). They finished 10 days ago or so..

Cedar is fine - not a problem at all - but Tipsy is continuing to sneeze. I did take him back to the vet over a week ago but he just told me that Tipsy had to fight this sneezing himself and that we had to ride it out and that this could take 7-10 days or so - well its still going. Granted he is not sneezing nearly as much as he was but its still there.
On friday night I saw him vomitting 3 times - although it did have grass in it. I have heard that they eat grass when the want to vomit. Is this the case?
I did call the vet as I was a little worried, and he said not to worry about the vomitting considering he was eating grass - but the sneezing he said was a concern and to monitor it for the next few days.

I just dont want to keep running to the vet everytime there is something wrong - what I mean here - is OF COURSE I will go to the vet if I need to, but I dont want to go if I am just being overprotective and its something I need to ride out.

What do you think?

Have only just read about Tipsy and Cedar being a bit poorly. I don't think you are being over cautious at all. It seems a long while for Tipsy to be sneezing. If Tipsy is still sneezing by Monday I would go back to the vet Danielle. I do hope it is soon resolved. Please give them both a hug from me.

Cilla - Tipsy says THANKS for the hug

the poor boy hasnt been well pretty much since the day we brought Cedar home. It seems Cedar brought something home from the shelter and although it hasnt effected him much at all he certainly passed something on to Tipsy - its been a rollercoaster of a month.

But he is happy - he is still eating, drinking, playing - everything like normal - but he isnt 100%. At least I am lucky it's nothing serious like so many things I read on here.

But having said all that - he still isnt himself - and I want to do everything possible to bring him back to his old self. He has only sneezed twice today that I have heard - much better than a week ago when it was constant...

Anyway I will keep you updated

Thanks again for the hugs

Thanks Danielle, I will keep on visiting here to see how Tipsy is.

I took Tipsy back to the vet today as his sneezing is still there. Its strange though as today he has been quite good but the last 2 days he has been real bad - its up and down it seems.

Anyway off to the vet - they have given him medication called zithromax which is a newish medication which helps fight the strain of chlamydia bacteria. 1 tablet today and 1 in a weeks time and hopefully that should clear it all up.
This zithromax is given to what the vet calls the "tough cases" so I hope this works.

Tipsy is such a showoff, seriously!!! we struggle giving him tablets at home - and I mean STRUGGLE - but no he is fine at the vets - damn showoff he is

so fingers crossed - just thought I would post an update

its been 2 days since the last vet trip - and the sneezing seems to have gotton better - I havent heard 1 sneeze today (knock on wood)
lets hope this continues

That's great news Danielle, perhaps it has cleared up now. Fingers crossed.

took Tipsy back to the vet on Wednesday for his second and final dose of medication for the sneezing - he was doing so much better then.

but (and there always is a but isnt there....)

its not better - its still bad - he sneezes so often still - everything else is still okay - he eats, he drinks, he plays - everything else is normal...

is there anyone here that could offer some other advice into what I could discuss with my vet? its been over a month now poor little fella

thanks

Have you considered the possibility that part of the problem may be allergy? I know that Red Cat gets seasonal allergies, which cause sneezing and runny eyes. It is not a real bad allergy, though, so I really haven't pursued determining what he is allergic to. But if that came on about the same time a virus which caused sneezing did as well, I could see that it would be difficult to separate the two issues. Any other symptoms that might possibly indicate allergy, or any previous episodes of this?