Can someone explain to me the whole hairball thing with cats?

[nadine_mn]

I mean I get the basics - cat grooms, fur collects in stomach, etc

I had a cat for 17 yrs - domestic short hair - maybe heard him hock up a hairball 2-3 times. I mean he vomited over the years - usually after eating too fast - stuff came up like it went down. He wasn't really a big groomer - just treated us to a show of the leg in the air butt cleaning for dinner theater. But his coat was sleek and shiny - so maybe he was a secret groomer.


Now I have a short hair kitty who we adopted from a rescue a week ago. The vet said that his fur was thin in spots probably due to stress grooming. And even though he really has been adjusting pretty darn well, he grooms a lot more that our other cat did (probably normal).

And then the hairball "stuff" - I think that is what it was - came up. I did some googling and it was an accurate description

So I need help - how often is normal? do you use hairball remedy? Any tips?

Our first cat was so doglike and was never around other cats. Our new kitty has been around lots of other cats and is demonstrating what would be expected cat behavior. We are almost like first time cat owners - learning a whole bunch of fun stuff

[Freddie]

1. Try changing his food

A lot of over-grooming is itchiness. Cats get skin problems if they are sensitive to an ingredient in food. My late Maine Coon, Ricky, used to get scabs and vomit fairly often. Switched his dry food to Purina One for Sensitive Systems which cleared up both things.

[Nictuku]

2. Petromalt

My beloved Binki used to have that problem a lot. I found the best thing that worked to help dissolve the hairballs was Petromalt (he loved it and ate it willingly)

I found some on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Petromalt-Flavored-Hairball-Treatment-4-4-Ounce/dp/B000255UYY

[nadine_mn]

10. how often did he have them

I will try this and see if it helps!

[Nictuku]

16. Pretty much daily

.... seems to have gotten worse when he was older.

[shenmue]

3. Thx for adopshin

[nadine_mn]

7. because he is adorable - here he is with new toy

He had to leave his favorite toy at the foster home for other kitties to play with

So of course - we had to get him his very own - and he is not letting it go

[url=https://flic.kr/p/TPaXoY][img][/img][/url]

[shenmue]

9. Squeeeeeeee

[rurallib]

13. we got one of those for our cats

they turned up their noses.

Cats!

[Bayard]

4. Vaseline

My guys hate it about as much as the malt-flavored stuff, and its way cheaper. I just dab it on their paws. It also give them something to do for the next hour.

I'm assuming your new kitty does not have fleas?

[nadine_mn]

5. No fleas - he had a complete work up at the vet and is healthy

But the first months of the year were spent in a couple of different rescues and sanctuaries - so that is why she thinks he was stress grooming.

Here he is at the vet

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Ua8nU9][img][/img][/url]

[Bayard]

17. Oh, he's a Groucho kitty!

I love those!

[politicat]

6. There's a difference between vomiting, regurgitating, and hairballs, too.

We use the words interchangeably for humans because we don't get many hairballs, and when our digestive systems push the eject button, we only really have one mode. But cats have at least three, maybe more, per the specialist vet we worked with for our last feline owner.

When cats eat too fast, they regurgitate. This is kind of like acid reflux in us, in that the food comes up pretty easily and usually mostly undigested. It's the chunky vomit, and while it sucks to step in with bare feet, it's not usually a problem for the kitties. It's the equivalent of eating one too many jalapeño poppers and regretting it a couple hours later.

Then there's vomiting, when the kitties heave and really struggle and they bring up a thin liquid. That's extremely worrying, and often means something wrong, because it means they're somewhat to very dehydrated and their stomach acid has turned too acid. If that's happening, get the kitty to the vet for bloodwork (especially for kidney issues) and sub-q fluid.

Then they have hairballs, which are clearly lumps of hair, surrounded with the digestive goo. Those can be easy or hard to get out. The hairball treatments help a lot if kitty will take them. If not, supplementing their food with a daily teaspoon or two of mashed sardines in oil (if kitty likes fish) will also help.

If kitty is stress grooming or still has a thin coat, there's a good chance he's itchy. He could be sensitive to an allergen -- a lot of cats do not well handle corn in their kibble, and shelter food tends to be lowest common denominator unless kitty needs a special diet -- or is just still settling in, and getting some good fats into him will help. Cats are obligate carnivores who need good quality fats and proteins, and neither need nor much use the carbs used in dry food, so if it's possible to transition him to all wet food (and really, Friskies or Fancy Feast is perfectly fine), he'll be healthier over the long run. Not all cats will give up the kibble, but adding in wet food or high fat treats -- we successfully used ghee, butter, sardines in oil, tuna in oil, and I kid you not, no-bun, no condiment cheeseburgers -- should also help. The point is like fiber supplements for us, but in reverse. Most humans consume plenty of fat and not enough fiber, so we get irregular. Most cats get more fiber (hair) than they need, but not enough fat for their specific metabolism, and so get irregular and the eject button comes into play.

One other thing that can work to calm him and help him cope is to coat your hands lightly with oil (olive or coconut works best for both humans and kitties) and sit quietly with him and pet him. His fur and skin will absorb some of the oil, and he will get a break from whatever is making him anxious. It's also good bonding. You'll probably end up with some loose fur on your hands, so wash up after, but that's hair that's not going down his throat. Most shelter cats have some level of a traumatic shock reaction. They can't do talk therapy, but petting is equivalent for them.

[nadine_mn]

8. We have had him for a week - the grooming has reduced a lot

He is on a grain free diet - some freeze dried Nature's Variety Instinct (which he LOVES) and grain free wet.

He is super calm - amazingly so. We introduced him to a new home with 2 big dogs, and he hid for about an hour at the longest. Each day he gets closer to checking them out, but from the first night he has freely roamed the house and exploring. He spends hours sleeping on my chest or my face or my head.

He is a very confident kitty. But yes - I have seen the regurgitate with our previous cat and sadly before he passed he was doing a lot of the vomiting. But this was my first hairball vomit I think... and it was nasty.

I LOVE the idea of coconut oil and just giving him a little soothing rub - I will do that tonight after the dogs go to bed. He really just has an undercoat (soft downy fur) but in some places you can see his sleek shiny coat.

[politicat]

11. Oo--- grabby hands. He's so adorable!

My personal bet is he's just working the stress-grooming nasty out of his system, and his hairballs will settle down. He's also young, so like most teenagers, is dealing with hormonal variations.

We have had two who would cross glaciers for Petromalt, and one who wouldn't touch the stuff. It does help move the mail.

Thank you for feeding him well -- it sounds like he agrees, and he has a great home.

Those last years are so hard. We lost our last one to kidney disease almost two years ago (Spouse developed a dander allergy about 14 years ago. We had Madame for 24 years, so we're taking a kitty break for a few years to get his immune system to chill out) and yeah, the vomiting was the worst part. It was clear it hurt her so much and there was nothing we could do for her except sub-q (which she tolerated but disliked until she decided to stop tolerating it), getting her into a stem-cell study (which did help) and keeping her comfortable. Which we did, for about 5 years after diagnosis.

Madame was always so proud of her hairballs -- she sometimes brought them to Spouse to show off (ew) or danced around one, to make sure we noticed it.

[oldcynic]

12. as a servant of the god Cat for many years...

...I would say no more than a few hairballs per year. You gotta expect some, but start worrying if they keep doing it.
Cats also love veggies. My current, Mr. Peaches, MUST have his broccoli (cooked) every day or else I don't hear the end of it. I've had cats who wanted cantaloupe, cooked kale or pumpkin...not more than a couple tsps. If he throws a hairball, Mr. Peaches gets a tiny dab of bacon fat and it usually sets him right up. (Doesn't everybody keep a jar of lard in the fridge?)

[nadine_mn]

14. how did you find out Mr Peaches enjoys veggies?

Our dogs love sweet bell peppers, green beans (uncooked), squash, clementines, of course carrots, watermelon and cantaloupe. Usually I just let them sample, and they let me know by how serious the begging is.

Our first cat and I had a little routine at night - one of those soft wedges of spreadable cheese and crackers we would share. He licked the wrapper the first time and it was like heaven for him. So I always saved him a little bit and he could lick my butter knife. He also liked yogurt and would stick his whole head in my glass of milk if left unattended because I blinked. But he never seemed interested in veggies.

[oldcynic]

15. Goodness, gracious, gosh all mighty, I have no idea...

the animals probably told me long ago. You know how they do: poking in noses, staring intently, extending a helpless, sad, pitiful paw and tapping on you ... your story of the head in the glass reminded me of Mr. Peaches (14lbs) upended in the cat food crock with only his rear end sticking out. First time in his life he had shut up.
My dogs would pick cherries from the trees. Oh, so many stories...maybe DU should write a serial or blog or something networky about things pets do.

Remember there are things we eat that they cannot.