Obi keeps throwing up hairballs.. : (

[oneandahalfcats]

I wouldn't change anything, but keep doing what you are doing. It could be that eating the rose caused him to vomit and with it, the hairball. If Obi is doing fine food-wise, then he shouldn't be needing more Pred.

 

[myrnafaye]

Yes, he has been doing great.  Really great.  Active, alert, interested in eating, moving around - I can tell he feels better than he did, but he did throw up a lot - and a huge hairball in there...you know it just gets scary sometimes.  but, that was a couple of hours ago, I think, and he is hanging out wanting more food.

 

[denice]

I know with IBD anyway even when it is well controlled there will be the occasional roller coaster.  My IBD kitty occasionally has constipation issues during shedding season, so far so good this year but it isn't over yet.  He also, just out of the blue for no apparent reason, look like he doesn't feel well.  He'll be in the meatloaf position a lot and won't eat as much as he normally does.  It usually only lasts a day or two and then he's fine again.

 

[myrnafaye]

Damn!

That sounds like Obi was a couple weeks ago.  "Meatloaf position"!! that is a hoot, I assume you mean the crouch.  and yea, those fluctuations in mood, where they just get quiet, not as active or involved. 

Obi does not have diarrhea, so I have been reluctant to say he has IBD.  ....

 

[myrnafaye]

MOre updating:  I found he somehow got at that darn rose plant again.  Ate another leaf, threw it up.  So now  I am afraid we are into the hamster wheel of vomit, feed, vomit.  I dont know whether to feed him this morning or not.  I think I am going to wait as long as I can, feed him right before I leave for work,10 AM, a smaller amount; feed him again at 4, and again at 10 or 11.  I cant believe he got at that rose again - my bad, I realize t his, but I thought it was secure in the foyer with the door shut.  It is outside now on my front porch.    Done deal.

 

[goholistic]

So glad to hear Obi is doing well! Except for the darn rose plant interfering, of course. 

  I can't keep any plants in my house...it's a guaranteed annihilation with vomit shortly to follow.

 

[myrnafaye]

Well, I have had cats who seemed to instinctively know what was OK an not OK to eat.  However, they also did not have Obi's sensitive tummy, so if they ate some greens and threw up, it was no big deal.  The plant is now on the front porch, outside, and will be gone later today.  He is very enthusiastic about his food, and I think he likes getting more meals even if they are smaller.  The things we do for our cats!!

 

[cocheezie]

Check your house for dried flowers and plants as well. The former owners of my diabetic cat had no plants in the house and the cat was strictly indoors. One day, I guess he was so desperate to eat something green, he started chewing on a dried eucalyptus display. Fortunately, he threw up immediately and there were no lasting effects. The owners saw the eucalyptus leaf in the vomit, and rid the house of dried arrangements.

 

[myrnafaye]

Nope, Silk flowers but no dried flowers...

 

[peaches08]

Actually, it's the yolks.

And here is an article pulling all the information together as to why the yolks and lecithin help prevent hairballs: http://catcentric.org/care-and-health/hairballs-species-appropriate-treatment/

Of course, it IS currently shedding season. And it seems to be an unusual one. Last year, the lecithin and egg yolks stopped hairballs here entirely. This year, we're having an issue in ... four of the nine cats. I've added Vet's Best Hairball Relief to the arsenal, and that is helping greatly. It does have some psyllium in it - it also has slippery elm bark powder, marshmallow, and ... I don't remember everything else. Most importantly, they LIKE it. I break the tablets in half, they eat them, and then I feed them their meals with extra water added to them. Without additional water, psyllium can be constipating.

OK, it's time to poop or get off the pot...I need to do something about hairballs.  I thought the season was over, but it isn't.  Plus the boys groom each other a lot.

As you may remember, I'm paranoid and add more water to my cats' food but I can add even more.  Furthermore, my cats won't complain about more water so that's a non-issue.  What I am concerned about is when to give these tablets?  Do I give it with food?  Is nutrient absorption affected?  None of my cats take any medications (knock on wood).

Oh, and they already get egg yolks in their food.  Hence I'm looking at my other options.

 

[myrnafaye]

I started giving OBI slippery elm syrup.  He seems much more comfortable now.  And also, I went to three small meals a day instead of two, to place less of a load on his GI system.  That seems to be working better.  You might try that.  There seems to be no down side to either of these measures.

 

[onemeow]

I have a kitty that never gets hairball down that way normally and so I started pysllium husk and have been using it for a long time (over 2years) and my kitty never had a single hairball since. I use 1/4tsp soaked in 1tbs of water (3X daily) until it gels up before adding to wet food. On days he didn't get PH, I gave slippery elm.

But do use psyllium husk sparingly, over dosage can lead to constipation and never give it straight, soak into water till it gels up first before adding into wet food.

 

[myrnafaye]

I was using metameucil, adding it to water.  It made my cat's stool large and soft.  Then from a link on this site, I saw what normal stool should look like, and someone else educated me about megacolon.  That is why I stopped the metameucil and started on slippery elm..but all our kitties are different...

 

[onemeow]

I h I use 1/4tsp soaked in 1tbs of water (3X daily) until it gels up before adding to wet food.

But do use psyllium husk sparingly, over dosage can lead to constipation and never give it straight, soak into water till it gels up first before adding into wet food.

Correction. My one scoop is 1/8tsp, so I have been giving 1/8tsp, 3X daily.

 

[onemeow]

I was using metameucil, adding it to water.  It made my cat's stool large and soft.  Then from a link on this site, I saw what normal stool should look like, and someone else educated me about megacolon.  That is why I stopped the metameucil and started on slippery elm..but all our kitties are different...

Since you mentioned megacolon, I googled and apparently the cause of megacolon isn't a high fibre diet, but a high fibre diet is used to treat megacolon. Anyway, I aren't vet or nutritionist, I just based on my own experience and what I read.

http://www.cat-world.com.au/megacolon-in-cats
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/nutritio...dietary-management-of-megacolon-in-cats-30472

But of course, you decide what is best for your own kitty. If you have reservations about using metamecil, then its ok if you decide you don't want to use it. Personally, I wouldn't want my kitty to be vomitting all the time, it can't be comfortable, or to be blocked one day with his own fur, especially when you mentioned its a HUGE hairball.

 

[myrnafaye]

I know a lot of people use psyllium, but as I understand it, there is some psyllium in slippery elm, or something like it.  All I can say is t hat since I started Obi on slippery elm, his demeanor is much improved, I think the SLB is very soothing to his digestive tract.  I dont know anything about megacolon, other than what people have commented on.  Obi has a sensitive gut at t his point.  

 

[abbyntim]

The use of psyllium is controversial. It's a mostly soluble fiber, but can also bulk and contribute to large stools. Megacolon is a condition where the colon stretches and and loses its ability to properly function. It is thought that large stools over a period of time, especially ones that sit in the colon for a while and dry out and lead to constipation, can contribute to megacolon. Fiber is used to treat constipation but its use is controversial and many people believe a low-residue diet is best. See http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/constipated-cats/.

That being said, some cats can benefit from a small amount of fiber. As I mentioned, psyllium is a mostly soluble fiber that can bulk a little. I've been using this with success with my cat, though I have tweaked the dose to make sure his stools don't bulk. Right now, he gets 1/16 tsp or less a few times a week mixed with A LOT of water. Fiber without water can cause constipation. I have found that psyllium really "scrubs" out both of my cats, as I have never seen so much hair in their stools since starting them on psyllium. But I am very careful to monitor the amount to make sure their stools don't get bigger.

Slippery elm is also a soluble fiber, but I am told it does not bulk as much. We recently started using a tiny, tiny amount of slippery elm a few days a week, as well; not on the same days as the psyllium. I am using this to soothe the digestive tract of my cat with the sensitive stomach and to provide beneficial fiber to feed intestinal bacteria. See http://www.felineconstipation.org/gutbacteriaandfi.html. I am hoping this will provide additional digestive support so I can eventually taper the use of both fibers, as my cat had a couple of bad constipation episodes and the idea of larger stools makes me nervous.

 

[myrnafaye]

Obi tossed another hairball today.  Last time wasThursday night.  The "good" news is that it was just hair, no food.  The bad news is that I am doing everything I can think of and he still throws hair.  He is otherwise fine.  Do I:  increase is SLB?  he is getting 1/4 tsp twice a day.  Increase his pred?  he is getting 2.5 mg once a day.  (I hate to increase his pred when he is otherwise fine, good appetite, happy demeanor, etc.)  Any other suggestions?  This is important too because I will be leaving for a couple of days this week and next.  Hubby will be here but taking care of cats is new to him.  

 

[oneandahalfcats]

I would increase the SEB to 1/2 tsp first, and see how he does. How are his BMs. Are they normal size and regular?

 

[myrnafaye]

Yes, his stools are fine, especially since I now know what a normal stool looks and smells like.  Much better.

I am giving him 1/4 tsp twice a day, do you mean I should increase to 1/2 tsp twice a day or once a day?   Thank you so much for your help.