Hi, I have two spayed female indoor cats, Minnie & Dora, both will be 6yrs old next month.
Last year Minnie was diagnosed with likely IBD via ultrasound and blood tests and is currently doing well on a low dose of steroid. I took her to the vets as she'd lost quite a bit of weight and was acting quite ravenous despite normally being a picky eater.
However, one of her main symptoms that I'd overlooked for a while was hairball vomiting. For something like 2/3 yrs previous she would go through bouts of bringing up a lot of hairballs. I thought this was a typical cat thing (my old cat used to do it and was never dx with GI issues). However, when I started reading stuff online, including this forum, I realised it wasn't normal. When I first mentioned it to the vet he was not concerned, despite her vomiting them rather than coughing them up. But since going on the meds the hairball voms have stopped.
However, this post is about my other cat Dora. I think up until last month she must have coughed up a total of about two hairballs in her life. However, this past month she has had a total of four. The first one she coughed up as per a normal hairball, but the subsequent ones have accompanied by a vomiting motion/contractions. Not hacking/wheezing.
It's seems rather bizarre that she could be exhibiting the same early symptoms as Minnie. I know having two cats with GI issues is probably not uncommon, but the same symptoms?
Dora does eat a fair bit of dried food (I know! I have tried getting her off but it's been such a battle, including with others in my household about it) and I have made a change in the past couple of months from Applaws dry to Lily's Kitchen.
Obviously, I will take her for a check up but just wondered if anyone has any advice/opinions. Thanks.
Last year Minnie was diagnosed with likely IBD via ultrasound and blood tests and is currently doing well on a low dose of steroid. I took her to the vets as she'd lost quite a bit of weight and was acting quite ravenous despite normally being a picky eater.
However, one of her main symptoms that I'd overlooked for a while was hairball vomiting. For something like 2/3 yrs previous she would go through bouts of bringing up a lot of hairballs. I thought this was a typical cat thing (my old cat used to do it and was never dx with GI issues). However, when I started reading stuff online, including this forum, I realised it wasn't normal. When I first mentioned it to the vet he was not concerned, despite her vomiting them rather than coughing them up. But since going on the meds the hairball voms have stopped.
However, this post is about my other cat Dora. I think up until last month she must have coughed up a total of about two hairballs in her life. However, this past month she has had a total of four. The first one she coughed up as per a normal hairball, but the subsequent ones have accompanied by a vomiting motion/contractions. Not hacking/wheezing.
It's seems rather bizarre that she could be exhibiting the same early symptoms as Minnie. I know having two cats with GI issues is probably not uncommon, but the same symptoms?
Dora does eat a fair bit of dried food (I know! I have tried getting her off but it's been such a battle, including with others in my household about it) and I have made a change in the past couple of months from Applaws dry to Lily's Kitchen.
Obviously, I will take her for a check up but just wondered if anyone has any advice/opinions. Thanks.
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