Obi keeps throwing up hairballs.. : (

[goholistic]

 
Hi, GoHolistic.  I cannot speak for Obi, but I myself cannot tolerate Inulin.  It has devastating effects on my GI tract, and that is in the Go Clover.  I would worry about that.  It is a fiber I think - its in all human Fiber One products - and it is really irritating for me.  But thank you for the suggestion. 

I totally understand! There are other digestive enzyme products that do not contain inulin. I actually had Boo on a small amount inulin fiber for some time and he tolerated it fine, but every cat is different.

I'm only giving Caesar the Vet's Best tabs and they are helping him tremendously. I don't think he's vomited at all since starting them. I do not give the Vet's Best to Boo or Sebastian, however, because they contain dried chicken and chicken is off the table right now for those two. Its probably a very small amount, but still something to consider if your pet is on a special chicken-less and/or novel protein diet. Just a thought...if relatively large pieces of the Vet's Best tabs are swallowed whole, it could possibly instigate regurgitation. This has happened to my cats...not with Vet's Best but with other hard/powdery treats. Once I offered in much smaller pieces, or crushed, that solved the problem. 

  I'm certainly not pushing the Vet's Best. I just wanted to share my thoughts and experience with it.

I do agree with @AbbyNTim, though. One change at a time! 

 

[worriedsomuch]

 
Would you like to commiserate over a cup of coffee?  I have mine here right now.

I totally get your frustration.  I personally will probably not repeat the Vet's Best.  And I have not repeated it; when I gave it to Obi, I had also given him a different flavor of the food I had been feeding him (it was duck); and I thought perhaps it was the change, or the vet's best, or both, but when there is an immediate vomit, and it is not like he ate too fast and it came back up, which does happen, then I am not inclined to chance it again.

People on this wonderful site say it is a bad season for shedding/hairballs.  Yes, my Obii went for over a week with no hairballs, I thought I had the problem more or less under control; then he vomited hair twice in three days.  It is so frustrating!  I get it.

I am giving him the slippery elm syrup that many recommend here.  It is easy to make.  In addition, he gets a probiotic and a half capsule of egg yolk lecithin twice a day.  he still has  hairball issues. He is also on 2.5 mg of predinisolone.  I am trying to look at him as a total cat; he is 15, has always vomited a lot of hairballs, has a good appetite, is not losing weight.  Yes, I could do more testing, get an ultrasound, but I dont think it would change much in terms of treatment.

What are you doing for your baby?

I prefer tea but I definitely can commiserate 

It definitely is frustrating and unnerving. I lost my dear boy last year to probable lymphoma and I wonder sometimes if the fact that he had more frequent hairballs was a sign of what was to come. 

It's really hard. At this point I am going to give EYL a try and maybe go to just regular SEB. I've tried cooked egg yolks and a novel protein diet but no dice. I can't get her to eat any of that. She hates the duck, venison and rabbit and I've tried many brands. I've mixed it with her old food and she refuses to eat. Grace has allergies, like Obi, and overgrooms herself too. I'm not sure if her allergies are now manifesting as GI problems or if it's just the fact that she eats all that hair. Also, Grace had a similar issue with duck too, like Obi. She gagged after eating it. I think it was too rich for her.

As far as what I've tried with Grace is to first get her on a grain free diet. It was extremely hard just to do that, to find brands she'd eat. She's particular about flavors and consistency. I also gave the Vet's Best but it's just not helping her. The vet wants to put her on an allergy med now which I am going to try out. I spoke to Vet's Best company reps again last night and they said to up the dose again. I have raised it just a tad again to see what happens, if she can handle it but if anything happens again, I might just forget it all together.

 
I totally understand! There are other digestive enzyme products that do not contain inulin. I actually had Boo on a small amount inulin fiber for some time and he tolerated it fine, but every cat is different.

I'm only giving Caesar the Vet's Best tabs and they are helping him tremendously. I don't think he's vomited at all since starting them. I do not give the Vet's Best to Boo or Sebastian, however, because they contain dried chicken and chicken is off the table right now for those two. Its probably a very small amount, but still something to consider if your pet is on a special chicken-less and/or novel protein diet. Just a thought...if relatively large pieces of the Vet's Best tabs are swallowed whole, it could possibly instigate regurgitation. This has happened to my cats...not with Vet's Best but with other hard/powdery treats. Once I offered in much smaller pieces, or crushed, that solved the problem. 

  I'm certainly not pushing the Vet's Best. I just wanted to share my thoughts and experience with it.

You are lucky that the Vet's Best is working for you. I wish! I do make the pieces as small as possible. The company told me that sometimes the digestive enzymes in it can make cats nauseous so maybe Grace just can't handle them

 

[myrnafaye]

Worried:

I worry too.  But, Obi seems fine other than the frequent hairball.  I use the Swanson EYL powdered capsules; I just dump half a cap into Obi's food, and mix it up good, along with his probiotic in the morning, and the SLB.  

I think OBI feels better since starting the SLB.  You might try that.  I think it coats his GI tract better, and I see more hair is passing in his stool.

I totally get the frustration about allergy, overgrooming, doubt - My vet and I have discussed the possibility of a benedryl type drug but...we have not done so yet.  I think before I do that, I want to have his CBC repeated.

You might try the swanson EYL, too.

I have two foods that my cats LOVED.  I started with Evo's limited ingredients - but then I switched to Nature's Variety Rabbit.  YOur cat hates rabbit?? oh my.  What protein WILL he eat?

 

[oneandahalfcats]

HI @myrnafaye and @WorriedSoMuch : If I can make one other suggestion at this point, it would be to start documentating when your kitties are throwing hairballs and note which foods (and combination of supplements) that you are feeding when this happens. I recall @stephanietx mentioning once that certain foods can sometimes instigate hairballs (or maybe she meant hacking), and I am inclined to agree. I was feeding Max more chicken at one point, and he was having several episodes of hacking as if trying to bring up a hairball. Since switching to more rabbit, turkey, Max's hacking is much less frequent.

In addition, and especially in the case of your kitty @WorriedSoMuch, sometimes its not the protein in a food that causes problems with allergies and food intolerances, but certain filler ingredients, synthetic vitamins, etc., so I would suggest discussing this with your vet and consider looking at limited ingredient foods, if you have not already.

 

[myrnafaye]

 I agree, Oneandahalf.  I switched to a food that has no guar     gum, agar agar or carageenan.  It is tough to find those foods!  so many have additives, including grains, which I eliminated a long time ago, why does a cat need "crackers"?

It is frustrating though, that one can do all the "right" things, and the cat still throws up hairballs.  As I have said, three vets think Obi has allergies and is overgrooming; in the meantime, I dont see him grooming himself any more than is usual for him, except at the onset of all this, there seemed to be less hair on the lower part of his belly.  Again, I dont see him doing this, and for all I know, he could be grooming our other cat, Mittens.  I think that it is possible that some cats just dont handle  hairballs.  Period.  I would like to hear what others think so we dont all drive ourselves crazy because there may be a connection between hairballs  and lymphoma, and that, to me, is also a "chicken-egg" issue.

 

[oneandahalfcats]

Yes, the mutual grooming could be a possibility. My Max and Thomas mutual groom a few times a day, besides doing their individual routine. Thank goodness they are both short-haired! LOL.

 

[worriedsomuch]

 
Worried:

I worry too.  But, Obi seems fine other than the frequent hairball.  I use the Swanson EYL powdered capsules; I just dump half a cap into Obi's food, and mix it up good, along with his probiotic in the morning, and the SLB.  

I think OBI feels better since starting the SLB.  You might try that.  I think it coats his GI tract better, and I see more hair is passing in his stool.

I totally get the frustration about allergy, overgrooming, doubt - My vet and I have discussed the possibility of a benedryl type drug but...we have not done so yet.  I think before I do that, I want to have his CBC repeated.

You might try the swanson EYL, too.

I have two foods that my cats LOVED.  I started with Evo's limited ingredients - but then I switched to Nature's Variety Rabbit.  YOur cat hates rabbit?? oh my.  What protein WILL he eat?

I am concerned about adding probiotics because aren't there digestive enzymes often in those? If she already has issues with enzymes (potentially) then I am worried, she will be sick. I am going to get the EYL though, however and give it a shot. I just don't like the part of being in "limbo" and not being clear about what is going on.

My cat does not like Nature's Variety in general and forget about Evo. She turns her nose up at that stuff. That is excellent you've limited the ingredients so much and at least you've seen some improvement. Unfortunately Grace will only eat the usual proteins or the known "allergens" which are turkey, chicken, and beef.  The small bit of dry she gets is a LI brand of BB. Some of the wet varieties she gets are carageenan free but I know a couple aren't.

 
HI @myrnafaye and @WorriedSoMuch : If I can make one other suggestion at this point, it would be to start documentating when your kitties are throwing hairballs and note which foods (and combination of supplements) that you are feeding when this happens. I recall @stephanietx mentioning once that certain foods can sometimes instigate hairballs (or maybe she meant hacking), and I am inclined to agree. I was feeding Max more chicken at one point, and he was having several episodes of hacking as if trying to bring up a hairball. Since switching to more rabbit, turkey, Max's hacking is much less frequent.

In addition, and especially in the case of your kitty @WorriedSoMuch, sometimes its not the protein in a food that causes problems with allergies and food intolerances, but certain filler ingredients, synthetic vitamins, etc., so I would suggest discussing this with your vet and consider looking at limited ingredient foods, if you have not already.

I am trying to document what they ate the night before as it is usually always in the wee hours that this occurs so it would be the last time they ate for the night. One time it was Sheba food with chunks so I have been avoiding chunks for now. It wasn't even that chunky though, more like small morsels. The hardest part is not always knowing who exactly puked the hairball too as sometimes I give my cats different flavors since one likes one but the other dislikes it. I find trying to do a LI diet extremely hard, not that I don't want to. I mean it is a goal, ideally a novel protein, but she is SO finicky! It's like if I did that, she'd end up starved.

 I think that it is possible that some cats just dont handle  hairballs.  Period.  I would like to hear what others think so we dont all drive ourselves crazy because there may be a connection between hairballs  and lymphoma, and that, to me, is also a "chicken-egg" issue.

I'd be inclined to say this is true sometimes. Grace used to never get hairballs though, like maybe she had 4-5 her whole life by the time she was 5. Now she has had more this year alone than her whole life. I am of the belief that unfortunately there *is* a connection between hairballs and lymphoma. My dear Tito groomed excessively his whole life. I mean he was a kitten with bald patches on his arms. He was diagnosed as OCD basically. No one thought it was allergies. He didn't seem to have any anyway. He didn't vomit often, mostly regurgitated because he ate with a lot of speed. I used to joke he'd eat the plate. He got hairballs. I'd say maybe once monthly, sometimes less, sometimes more depending on the season. However, it was around March of 2013 that I noticed he would get one at least once a week. They also seemed to really gag him, like he looked like it took a lot out of him if that makes sense.

By May, it was probably several times a week. I was stupid and naive. He was okay otherwise (or so I thought). He had a hearty appetite, playful, loving, good bloodwork, hadn't lost weight. He'd been checked by a vet for his HCM and was thought to be okay. By the time he was in crisis, he still had good bloodwork and had lost mere ounces. His only early symptoms were hairballs and some morning nausea. It's hard not to reconcile that those were signs right there. Now Grace has these EXACT signs so I'm very frightened. I'm not trying to scare anyone but it's just unfortunately how it happened.

I know from reading @LDG's story about her cat that he too started out with a hairball issue and then later was diagnosed with lymphoma. Plus if you read those articles, they say hairballs are never normal and any vomiting of any kind is time for concern. So it's extremely hard to be in this position. Sorry for hijacking the thread but I needed to vent. I just feel like things are never going to improve. The thought of losing another cat this summer is unbearable. Also, the thought that this time I didn't go everything in my power to stop it hurts even more.

 

[myrnafaye]

I know that there is a pattern of thought that hairballs are never normal.  However, I have been cleaning up hairballs all the years I have had cats, and I dont know if any have had lymphoma.  Most have lived long and healthy lives (except for my Kiku who had asthma) and if they did have lymphoma, it was not till late in life and was never diagnosed.  I get that some thinking is that hairballs mean trouble, but that is not ALWAYS the case.  Obi is on a bit of predisone, as far as I know has not lost weight, etc.  I will take him in for more bloodwork.  I think we can make ourselves crazy about hairballs, and for just as many experts who say they are not normal, there are those who say they are.  If you go to the Cornell Feline Health center's website, they have an article on hairballs.  I have had a consult with one of their vets. 

 

[worriedsomuch]

Oh I have cleaned up my share of hairballs too. I had a long haired Maine Coon who died just shy of 13 from CKD. It was quite sudden, but he got hairballs and he definitely did not have lymphoma. Luckily Tito did have a long life, 14 years but I wish it was much longer. It wasn't even definitive that he had lymphoma as he was too sick to diagnose it and I had to make the very awful decision to let him go since he was so very sick. The vet was pretty certain by palpation of his stomach that 'something" was wrong with his intestines. I go through a roller coaster of guilt, regret, and did I do the right thing? It aches so much at times.

I do agree we can make ourselves crazy with the "what ifs." Is Obi your only cat? At least you know it's him definitely then. I have to contend with the fact that it's either Grace or Meadow vomiting now. Meadow is a senior kitty as this point which is worrisome. Grace is just 6 but that doesn't mean she can't be ill. I definitely saw both of them with my own two eyes last week vomit but as for Sunday, I don't know who it was. I just wish I knew for certain.

That's good about the consult. I probably talk to my vet at least once or twice weekly. He doesn't believe Grace has lymphoma but doubt can be quite the little devil on the shoulder

 

[myrnafaye]

Worried:  No, Obi is NOT my only cat.  I have Mittens too, who is 6 and is a longer haired kitty.  But, see, Obi usually throws hairballs near the litter box. My vet thinks he is straining and that was when he suggested metameucil.  I stopped that when they made his stool very large and soft; the slippery elm seemed a more gentle approach.  Yes, I could add a small amount into his SLB...but then I feel like I have too many additives and wont know what is helping and what is not, especially as the thinking here is that it takes 4-6 weeks for a cat to get used to a new food.  So, I also dont know if Obi is grooming Mittens...My vet tells me that if Obi had something really serious, and I assume he means a cancer, that he would need increasing amount of pred, that he would be sick, hiding, not eating, etc.  I think - and maybe others will disagree with me - that if a cat is not acting unwell, we can spend thousands (which I dont have) and still come up empty handed or with only a hypothesis.  So, lets say Obi and you kitty have some IBD going on, slight.  How would we treat that, any different than what we are doing now?  probably not.  I guess if Obi has lymphoma, I would rather not know; it would just make me highly anxious and would interfere with my life with him and my life in general, because you cannot cure lymphoma, you can only treat it.  And at 15, I am not going to do extensive measures.  I give him a lot of love and attention, good food, and pray he lives a long and healthy life.   

 

[worriedsomuch]

 
Worried:  No, Obi is NOT my only cat.  I have Mittens too, who is 6 and is a longer haired kitty.  But, see, Obi usually throws hairballs near the litter box. My vet thinks he is straining and that was when he suggested metameucil.  I stopped that when they made his stool very large and soft; the slippery elm seemed a more gentle approach.  Yes, I could add a small amount into his SLB...but then I feel like I have too many additives and wont know what is helping and what is not, especially as the thinking here is that it takes 4-6 weeks for a cat to get used to a new food.  So, I also dont know if Obi is grooming Mittens...My vet tells me that if Obi had something really serious, and I assume he means a cancer, that he would need increasing amount of pred, that he would be sick, hiding, not eating, etc.  I think - and maybe others will disagree with me - that if a cat is not acting unwell, we can spend thousands (which I dont have) and still come up empty handed or with only a hypothesis.  So, lets say Obi and you kitty have some IBD going on, slight.  How would we treat that, any different than what we are doing now?  probably not.  I guess if Obi has lymphoma, I would rather not know; it would just make me highly anxious and would interfere with my life with him and my life in general, because you cannot cure lymphoma, you can only treat it.  And at 15, I am not going to do extensive measures.  I give him a lot of love and attention, good food, and pray he lives a long and healthy life.   

I'm sorry. I realized you had mentioned Mittens before. That actually makes sense that he could be vomiting due to constipation and straining. I've read that before about cats vomiting near the litterbox. Are your cats the same color? I find that the hairballs generally look the same color regardless of who threw up so I still can't tell for sure. Meadow is a deep brown/black color with a thick gray undercoat. Grace and her sister, Delilah, are gray. Do you notice that about hairball color? I know it's not my little ones as they do not vomit hairballs. Also, I know it's not Grace's sister as she rarely does too, so again either Meadow or Grace.

Also, your vet is correct. When Tito went into crisis, he wouldn't come out from hiding and he had stopped eating. Looking back in retrospect too, there were other subtle signs before all that, like I noticed he hid on occasion from my other 2 cats who were one at the time. I just assumed he didn't want to be bothered due to his age. He was 14 and they were essentially kittens. I think now that he didn't feel well even if his appetite was good then

I just wish I knew what the window was on lymphoma, like when you'd expect cats to go downhill. It seems they can have mild symptoms for months and then just rapidly decline. This was Tito's case. My vet said, since Grace has been having morning nausea and other symptoms for nearly 5 months that he would have expected something more to develop by now. However, all the hairball vomiting is new which is worrisome.

I completely understand about the money too. Sadly I know that even if my cats did have cancer, I would not be able to afford something like chemo. It upsets me a great deal to know this but I heard it can cost upwards of 6000 dollars. I think the chemo pill is cheaper so that would be an option I guess, although I don't want to think about it either. I think you are doing all the right things and what I would do presented with the same circumstances. Obi sounds like he is extremely loved and that you take excellent care of him. He sounds happy and you clearly are doing something right since he has made it this far

 

[myrnafaye]

Worried:  They are both black!  Mittens is a tuxedo kitty, so she has more white and has longer hair; usually, if you dont mind the graphic details, she tends to throw "clots", whereas Obi throws what often looks like stool, ugh, sorry.  but there are times I cannot tell.  Thank you for all the positive, affirming thoughts and comments.  I used to do some work at the vet school here, and I just think chemotherapy is ...not an option in most cases.  For many reasons.

Tomorrow night I am interviewing a potential new cat sitter.  She works in Oncology at the Vet School and has for a long time.  If possible, I will ask her what the window is on lymphoma, your     question; and what the signs are.  I think when cats dont feel well, we often notice - or at least I do, I have had cats for over 40 years - subtle shifts in their demeanor and personality.  Sometimes it is transient and may not mean anything - cats have their moods, they feel tired, etc.  But I get a "feel" for what is normal for my cats and am almost always right.  So how is Gracie's mood?  is she on pepcid for the morning stuff?  Obi gets 1/4 pepcid twice a day.  

 

[worriedsomuch]

I don't mind the details. Actually that's a good description of what I saw Sunday. It looked like very dark clots of hair, like globs of it, not hairball formed. I have seen Meadow and Grace throw up the formed ones so I still can't be sure for certain who it was. The hair color seemed more consistent with Meadow's color but I've seen her throw up ones that were lighter.

Is that Mittens in your avatar? He's adorable! He looks a lot like my Tito. He was a tuxedo too. Thanks so much for offering to ask your vet friend my question. I appreciate it.  I am usually keen on when something is off with my cats too but sometimes it's hard. Grace gets in moods sometimes where she hides. She can be skittish so if my neighbors are being noisy too, it can set her off. Meadow is a former feral so hiding is par for the course with her. She likes to spend a lot of time unseen. It's actually more surprising when she is hanging around out in the open. It brings a smile to my face though to see her being social. Grace's mood is good. She's playful, runs around, LOVES to birdwatch. She will be glued to the patio door for hours, running back and forth. She is itchy though, yesterday she was scratching her ears a lot. I haven't given her pepcid. I have been wavering back and forth on it. Some days she is just fine, going up to 8 or 9 hours without food, other times, 5-6 hours and she's acting sick. Does Obi get sick if he goes too long without food?

 

[myrnafaye]

That is indeed Mittens, my little girl kitty, on my avatar, is she the beauty queen or what?

Is Grace's scratching of her ears an allergy?

I personally do not hesitate to give my cats pepcid if they seem to have some mild digestive issues.  I dont think there is a down side to tying it, but check with your vet, how do you know Grace is nauseous in the AM, is that when she  vomits?  Obi does not ever go long without food.  I was feeding him twice a day, and now I feed both cats 3 smaller meals three times a day to try to ease his GI tract.  Sick, how?.   

 

[worriedsomuch]

Yes, she is a beauty queen!

How old is she?

Yes, Grace's scratching is allergies. This is how it all started, last summer. Shortly after Tito's death, I noticed she was scratching her ears a lot and flopping them over. Then I saw a small bald patch on her stomach that was red and irritated. I took her in where she was diagnosed with an ear infection and allergies. She was given drops and a steroid pill for a week which both helped a great deal. However, then she started to mysteriously twitch, which she still does. This is what brought me to TCS where I discovered other cats with similar tics and twitches. She had another ear infection around November which presented with her tilting her head. I was very frightened, thinking tumor or something. However, then with the drops again, she was fine. Then in January, she started with the morning nausea. It was usually the weekends when she'd go longer without food. Grace eats several small meals throughout the day, like every 4-5 hours so she is eating sometimes 5-6 times a day. When I'm at work, my mother comes in and feeds her around 11 or so since she lives in the area. She feeds everyone but Grace is the only one with this morning nausea issue. She doesn't throw up usually. She just gets "slurpy" as I call it. She licks her lips a lot and just looks genuinely queasy. Unfortunately the incidences have increased as well with her sometimes getting morning nausea during the week, sometimes when her tummy has only been empty just 5 hours.

I wrote it in the other thread "Grace's Nausea" but Grace threw up clear liquid last night, on me!

There was no warning whatsoever. She is purring and kneading and then just gagged and clear spit came out. What is going on?

 

[myrnafaye]

What kind of drops was she given?  It would be helpful to know the name(s) of the medication.

Like I said, I would try a little pepcid first.  Cats can get acid reflux like people do, and pepcid is, as far as I know,  no-brainer.  I would try that first.  Then slippery elm bark syrup.   

 

[worriedsomuch]

She was on Tresaderm drops and prednisone. That was just temporary. She isn't on any medication now. She only takes the Vet's Best. I have upped the dosage again to 3/4 tab a day. Now she has this vomiting of spit. I'm not sure if there is a connection but I wonder.

 

[myrnafaye]

What do you do when nothing seems to be helping??  My new vet wanted me to increase Obi's Vet's Best.  I did, and he threw up hair three times this week.    She does not think he  has IBD or lymphoma, which is good - but damn those hairballs!  The vet is not in now til Tuesday, although I will call the clinic anyhow.  I am wondering if I would have better luck going back to a weak SEB, and adding metameucil in.  I know both those are in VB, but...any and all thoughts will be appreciated.  :  (

 

[oneandahalfcats]

 
What do you do when nothing seems to be helping??  My new vet wanted me to increase Obi's Vet's Best.  I did, and he threw up hair three times this week.    She does not think he  has IBD or lymphoma, which is good - but damn those hairballs!  The vet is not in now til Tuesday, although I will call the clinic anyhow.  I am wondering if I would have better luck going back to a weak SEB, and adding metameucil in.  I know both those are in VB, but...any and all thoughts will be appreciated.  :  (

Hi there .. Sorry to hear that the hairballs continue for Obi, but glad to hear that your vet doesn't suspect IBD or lymphoma. Are you still giving pred?

Interestingly, I found Vet's Best over the weekend, in of all places, where I purchase some of my cat's food. I obviously missed this in past visits. I was tempted to purchase some, but recall some of the problems others are having and I already use the ingredients that are in it, so didn't see the point. Plus there are digestive enzymes in there that my cats don't need. I am already giving some SEB with a bit of psyllium as Max has been having some issues with hairballs this year. I don't what the heck it is about this year, but it is the first time I have seen him throw one up? He had a spectacular BM yesterday, with a bit of hair I think and so the combination seems to be working. I am also giving Max some coconut oil to prevent hair from irritating and causing him to hack. I basically put a dolop on my fingers and let him lick what he wants from it. Nom Nom.

 

[ldg]

Did you ever use the slippery elm bark "syrup?" In my experience, the simmering activates / releases properties that make it more effective.

This year seems to have stimulated crazy shedding in so many cats, four of mine included.

I got Spooky's belly shaved when we were at the vet Friday. Cats groom their underside the most (as it's most easily accessible). I am counting on this to help.

For the three boys, I am giving one full tablet of Vet's Best on an empty stomach, 1/2 hour before a meal now. I am also giving them 2 teaspoons of the SEB syrup twice a day. I'd reduced the amount of Vet's Best and SEB syrup, but the hairballs became more frequent.

I make the syrup by simmering 1 teaspoon of SEB powder in 1 cup of water for about four minutes, stirring constantly once it starts simmering. It thickens as it cools and I store it in the fridge.

Three of mine also have a pica associated with the discomfort of the hairballs. I'm letting them munch a little grass several times a day. This has stopped the plastic chewing and litter munching.

We're on day 2 of no hairballs, no hacking, and no bile puking... :cross: So too early to tell, but so far so good, knock wood.

I am taking two of the boys in to get their bellies shaved. The third would need anesthesia, so hopefully this new approach will resolve the problem.

Oh! I am doing the same thing as OAAHC, letting them lick a small bit of fat from my finger, only I'm using chicken fat not coconut oil. The diet I feed is pretty low in fat, and others have mentioned their kitties' digestion is better when there's a medium amount of fat in the meal. There are cats with compromised GI systems that do better on a low fat diet. Mine don't seem to have trouble digesting fat, so I'm giving it a try. I'm just personally not convinced of the benefits of coconut oil for this purpose.