Hairballs and constipation due to hairballs.

[Jem]

Has anyone ever noticed that coarser fur causes more issues with hairballs and constipation?
Bynx' fur is very shiny and he feels soft, he is healthy, not overweight and does not shed too much, but the shaft of the fur strand is coarse/stiff, sort of like a labrador dog (although not quite as stiff). When I brush him, practically nothing comes off on the brush, it's like he doesn't have any fuzzy undercoat. When I ball up the fur after brushing, it's maybe the size of a small grape. So for a cat who does not shed very much, I find it weird that he gets hairballs and is prone to constipation that is easily alleviated with hairball paste and treats.
Our other two don't have issues with this and their fur is not "coarse" like Bynx. So does the texture of the fur make a difference with hairball issues? Or is this something I should be concerned about (IBD or other gastro issues) for the future. My vet already knows about how he gets constipated from hairballs, but did not elaborate too much on it at the time of our visits. We were there for other reasons, but she did give us the hairball remedy saying it should be enough to keep things moving.

 

[Azazel]

First question I always ask when it comes to hairballs is... what are you feeding??

 

[Jem]

The cats are currently on (don't shoot!) the vet prescribed Hill's Gastrointestinal Biome food (dry). I'm just finishing the transition from the prior food which was vet prescribed RC Calm. The calm was FANTASTIC at helping to curb over grooming and herpes flair up one of my kitties had (Lily) and the herpes flair up that Bynx had at the time we adopted them about 9-10 months ago. They also suffered from (at the same time) a NASTY bacterial sinus infection that took multiple rounds of antibiotics, which we suspect they had developed a resistance to as the treatment started even before we got them from the shelter. It has since cleared (took 6 months), which is why they are on the Biome food. It is said to help rebuild their gut and immune system. I will be keeping them on this food for a period of time, but it's not necessarily going to be on going. The calm food worked so well that I'm giving this a shot as well.

Bynx also eats two wet food meals a day (morning and night) either FF or Whiskas (a variety of different proteins, chicken, turkey, whitefish etc...in pate form). He was very difficult to try and convince to eat wet food so his two servings a day is about all I can get out of him, and if I don't include a fish flavor once in a while he will start to refuse to eat the wet. He will also only eat a pate that has been further softened and mushed. Thankfully he shows no signs of any protein allergies, just hairballs.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I have a cat with very course fur, and he too is soft and shiny as a black diamond, but although he doesn't have hairball issues, he has constipation issues. When I brush Darko, I barely get any fur, unless I use the Zoom Groom, and then I get quite a bit, but he doesn't really like it, so I only use it infrequently, or when I notice lose fur on him when I'm petting him.

So, my other cat is so soft our Vet can't keep her hands off him and she always mentioned how soft he is, and he's the one who tosses up hairballs on occasion, but maybe it's from grooming his brother (although I don't see them do that too often)

Anyway, I feed both mine wet food, and Darko eats raw, so I suspect his issues are more with too much bone, even though I try to adjust for that, but he still has issues. So much so that I started feeding him one canned food meal per day with lots of filtered water in it to try to help him out

 

[Jem]

I have a cat with very course fur, and he too is soft and shiny as a black diamond, but although he doesn't have hairball issues, he has constipation issues

So do you think coarse fur is harder to pass, causing the constipation? Like it doesn't "mush up" nicely in the poop or something? Bynx's hairball issues are mostly constipation. There have been a few times when I've picked up a hairball that he thru up and (gross alert!) I felt and pulled it apart. The fur stays quite firm even when mixed with all the stomach fluids and such.

My Binx is also black, I'll say he's like a polished onyx gem, your kitty can be the diamond.
And I also have another cat who is the softest cat I have ever laid my hands on, people can't get enough of her and will repeat several times, "I can't believe how soft she is!" And she loves every minute of it! She doesn't get hairballs though, she hardly sheds either.

 

[Azazel]

I know you probably don't want to hear this, but I'd say the bigger culprit is the food, not the coarseness of the fur. Here are the ingredients of the dry food (and importantly, it's low in moisture):

Chicken, Brewers Rice, Chicken Fat, Pea Protein, Wheat Gluten, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Pecan Shells, Chicken Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Oats, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Liver Flavor, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Dried Citrus Pulp, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Pumpkin, Pressed Cranberries, Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), DL-Methionine, Taurine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Psyllium Seed Husk, Calcium Sulfate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Iodized Salt, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene.

I am not surprised that cats eating this food have hairballs.

 

[MissClouseau]

Your coarse hair hypothesis makes sense to me.

But also, my Hima doesn't shed much either that I see but it's because she licks off the hair before it has a chance to shed. She even has a long grooming session in the middle of the night sometimes, and goes back to sleep right away. (We sleep on the same bed. I wake up to her grooming sounds right near my face!) Also she gets small meals throughout the day anyway but still I believe she digests faster/slower depending on her activity level. They are more likely to get constipated or get hairballs if they are less physically active you know. There could also be grooming difference, or activity level difference between him and the other cats maybe?

 

[Jem]

There could also be grooming difference, or activity level difference between him and the other cats maybe?

Well if he were anymore active, I think I might go insane! lol!. EVERYTHING is a toy to him, he runs around the house often enough and plays well with both the other cats. He likes playing tag the most or chasing his wand toy. And although I don't see him 24/7 (work/sleep), I don't think he grooms excessively, no more than any other cat.