Sudden Hairball Vomiting

[victry77]

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.

 

[christywing]

I would try brushing her every day to keep the shedding to a minimum and getting some anti-fur ball paste. You put it on their paws and they lick it off. It may just be as simple as that. *crosses fingers*.

Do you notice if she overgrooms herself or is chewing at herself at all?

 

[victry77]

Hi Christy, I don't actually believe in the anti-fur ball paste. An occasional hairball, fair enough, but when it starts getting frequent (esp in short haired cats) then I'm suspecting either GI issues or food allergies.

She's not overgrooming, but a couple of times I've noticed her sitting in a hunched position which could mean nausea.

 

[christywing]

I'd probably just speak with the vet and see what they have to say. There could be other issues. Maybe run a blood panel and go from there. Hope it's nothing serious and there's an easy solution. Please keep us updated!

 

[babiesmom5]

I would be concerned about vomiting hairballs more than two times per month. My Vet said that in Vet school years ago, it was generally accepted that cats threw hairballs...that's just what cats do. But Vets now realize the insidious nature of hairballs and how it can be a warning sign of a GI issue. The question is why is your cat having a problem moving swallowed hairs from the stomach through the rest of the digestive tract? The answer may be decreased digestive motility or something more serious.

I lost a beloved cat due to complications of IBD. His problems all started with vomiting hairballs. Hairballs are an extreme irritant to the GI tract. Over time, the intestines develop a thickened lining as a protective mechanism to the irritation. This slows down the transit and expulsion of the hairball in the normal route, through the stool...and cat throws up. Small bowel disease often results.

There is an excellent article in the July/August issue of CATSTER magazine entitled "Hairballs, Oh The Horror"!...what are they, what do they mean and what to do, page 63-64. You can read it at www.catster.com or get it on the newstand. It is well worth your time.

After reading this article, you will want to take Dora to your vet for a check-up. Don't ignore hairballs!