Could a change in feeding times cause hairballs?

[rubysmama]

I've been able to feed Ruby regularly at lunchtime the past few weeks and during this time she has vomited hairballs 3 times.   Prior to this she'd had 2 hairballs in the 7 months I've had her.  Yesterday was the first time I was around when she had a hairball and it was rather disturbing for me, probably more so than her, but now that it's rather frequent I need to figure out how to stop them.  She's around 3 years old.

She does have a sensitive stomach and I have prior posts about her vomiting clear liquid between meals, but the food change to just hypo-allergenic canned food solved that problem.

Prior to the new lunch time feeding, she was getting 1/4 can at 6 am and another 1/4 at 7:30 am, a few treats around 8 am, then nothing until at least 6 pm, when she got another 1/4 can and finally the last 1/4 around 8 pm and a few treats around 10 pm.   On weekends she did get a part of the canned food at lunch time,  and didn't have any hairball issues.   And since when I eat, she wants to eat, I started giving her part of the canned food at lunch time weekdays as well.

Because I read in another post that if a cat's stomach doesn't get completely empty between meals it can cause hairballs, and since the frequent hairballs started at the same time as her regular lunch feeding started, I can't help but wonder if it is just a coincidence or not.

I'm considering skipping her lunch feeding for a while to see if that makes a difference.   But she will still want food when I eat.  Would a few treats be better than a spoonful of wet food?

Any comments or suggestions would be great.

 

[emandjee]

I personally think it's the warm weather that is causing excess shedding for Ruby. My two DSH kittens have never had a hairball in their life until this month either (I acquired both of them last Oct). They're nearly both 1 year olds, and not very small anymore--both over 10 lbs. Anyway, their second hairball was huge! I'm not sure which one did it, as it happened overnight on both occasions, but I have suspected my male kitty because his appetite seemed to decrease until the hairball incident. Now he eats more normally! Since then, I've decided to take this more seriously.

On your point about food,  I feel a wet diet would help hairballs come out easier if needed. I can't imagine fur & kibble being easier to vomit than wet food + fur, and I think they'd do better with added moisture back into their tummies. I frequently add about a tablespoon of water to wet food anyway, so I know they're hydrated enough. I have also purchased some organic cat grass from the nicer grocery stores in my area for much, much cheaper and more quantity than you see those sold at a pet store. It's wheat grass (intended for humans, I think) but it's basically the same thing. You can also grow your own to save even more money.

Another thing I found helps is regular brushing. I use the Furminator for the most effective hair removal in a few minutes! I know my cats aren't pleased with it much, but as long as I catch them during their "sleepy" or more "relaxed" moments, it's still effective. That brush is on the expensive side, though...so I feel I should warn you about that. However, it's so much more worth it than other brushes I've bought, so I think its expense is worth it.

If all else fails, I think I'd try laxatone or vaseline. It's safe for cats, and the slick texture would make it easier for hairballs to come out.

I hope you have no more hairballs or at least decreased episodes of them in the future. Good luck! 

 

 

[zoneout]

And anyway why do cats have to swallow their hair?   You would think they`d be smart enough to spit it out.

 

[jennyr]

And anyway why do cats have to swallow their hair?   You would think they`d be smart enough to spit it out.

I believe they cannot spit things out because of the barbs on their tongues. They can projectile vomit because that comes from the muscles further down, but once something is in the mouth it has to be swallowed. These barbs all point one way, which is why you feel a rasping effect when a cat licks you.

 

[rubysmama]

Hi EmandJee:  It certainly could be the warmer weather causing Ruby's excessive shedding and hairballs and just a coincidence it coincided with the feeding schedule change. She certainly has been losing lots more fur in the past several months compared to the first 2 or 3 months I had her.  I'm going to try to brush her more and swiffer/vacuum the floors and see if that helps.  I have a furminator and it does do a good job.

Although she only gets wet food, except for treats, I sometimes add a bit of water to her dish when I feed her.   Does extra water help with hairballs?  Or just hydration?

What's the purpose of cat grass?  Does it help with digestion?  I always thought it induced vomiting.