Hairball

[Feliss]

I have 2 cats. I've come downstairs a few days over the past week and found sick. I can't tell which cat it's from, but both have been sick in front of me recently.

Myszka's poo can be quite soft sometimes. Mitsu's is normal as far as I can see.

I did some reading online, and thought it could be hair ball related. Myszka has longer hair than Mitsu, though he is a shorthair, and he also grooms Mitus a lot.

The last time I took Myszka to the vets when this happened, she said it could just be a tummy upset, and gave him an injection to stop him feeling sick.

Does anyone have any recommendations? If I'm still seeing sick over the wknd, I'll take him to the vets.

My own reading so far on things though is leading me in direction of raw diet...

[Velvet]

You can buy cat treats made by Whiskas specifically for hair balls. Just give each cat a few a day

We have one cat who is sick regularly. What happens is, she eats too much too fast & then it comes up again. I had her checked out at the vets & he said my diagnosis was spot on :) shes perfectly healthy!

What do you feed & are the meal times set or free fed?

[Shelley123]

sorry to hear about your problems, if it's fur makeing your cats sick, you should be able to see it in the vomit.
I can reccomend either laxapet or hairball paste by beaphar as a preventative. Tuppence will eat both with relish.

[Feliss]

They have dry food out 24/7, then some bits and pieces from our meal at dinner time, and also half a tin of encore after evening playtime.
We've started putting away the food at night time, as the sick was usually happening in the morning, and so far no sick.

Thanks for the recommendations! Will keep those in mind in case it comes back. Am also going to move to a raw diet: http://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/ makes sense to me that if you feed animals things they weren't designed for, they're likely to get effects from that.

[acatcalleddog]

They have dry food out 24/7, then some bits and pieces from our meal at dinner time, and also half a tin of encore after evening playtime.
We've started putting away the food at night time, as the sick was usually happening in the morning, and so far no sick.

Thanks for the recommendations! Will keep those in mind in case it comes back. Am also going to move to a raw diet: http://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/ makes sense to me that if you feed animals things they weren't designed for, they're likely to get effects from that.

If their poo is soft for more than 3 days or so, go to the vets.

Otherwise, perhaps try using one of the laxatives like Katalax if they are coughing up fur balls.

We have the same problem - but from the non-miaowing end. Our cat Bumble regularly does fur poos - just compacted fur left in cigar shapes on the carpet. Not smelly and easy to pick up, so no problem.

But we ourselves are wondering if we should buy those Whiskers treats with furball treatments in them. I couldn't see them at the supermarket but will try a pet shop.

[Velvet]

If their poo is soft for more than 3 days or so, go to the vets.

Otherwise, perhaps try using one of the laxatives like Katalax if they are coughing up fur balls.

We have the same problem - but from the non-miaowing end. Our cat Bumble regularly does fur poos - just compacted fur left in cigar shapes on the carpet. Not smelly and easy to pick up, so no problem.

But we ourselves are wondering if we should buy those Whiskers treats with furball treatments in them. I couldn't see them at the supermarket but will try a pet shop.

Jollye's & Pets at Home sell them & you could probably get them on eBay x

[angieh]

Re Nature's Menu ........ I tried my cats on this and they wouldn't touch it. Both my dogs eat RAW (Nature's Menu) and are very happy but I've always found cats are much more difficult to persuade a diet change. Good luck!

[acatcalleddog]

Thanks all!

Yes, it's difficult with cats - they rarely like any sort of medication and even if I smear it on Bumble's paw, he somehow manages to smear most of the Katalax off again onto something!

I think the problem is our centrally heated homes making cats groom themselves too much: it can all get very blocked up in there, esp for longer haired felines!

It can be serious too - a blockage that prevents them, passing stools can be fatal.

[angieh]

Pip, my very thick but short furred boy loves the Furminator! He will walk one way and turn around and come back for me to do his other side, we go on like that until he's had enough and I've got enough fur to make a good sized ball. I do believe we can help our darlings by getting them used to being groomed. Sadly, my other lovely Kizzy won't allow me to groom her, but she did not come to me as a kitten.