Terra the Cat has been spitting up all night. Thoughts?

[thefishyone]

Terra seems to be trying to hack up a hairball unsuccessfully. She also does this a few times a week. I’m not certain about how often is normal for a cat to wharf up a hairball. Is this normal, or should I be worried?

Asking for advice from cat parents who also deal with hairballs. If this is abnormal or no one knows, I will call Terra’s vet in the morning.

 

[Alldara]

A hairball once every week or two weeks is normal.
If she can't get it out, it may be time to call your vet and ask when/if she should come in.

Minimizing Hairballs in Cats | ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Trichobezoars in Cats

 

[Maurey]

Hairballs aren’t normal — in a healthy digestive system, fur will pass with the stool. If she’s still struggling to pass it in the morning, or she’s not eating well, I’d see a vet to be safe.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Some cats shed and/or groom more than others, which can lead to more frequent hairballs. If you are pretty sure this is Terra's issue, you can try giving her a dab of butter/margarine for her to lick off your finger or from her paw for a few days in a row and see if that helps pass the hair. This tactic, or a few drops of olive oil in her food, can be done as 'maintenance' every 2-3 days.

Daily brushings can also help a lot to reduce hairballs. Feeby was not coughing up hairballs very often but has essentially stopped now that she gets a daily brushing.

 

[thefishyone]

I’ve never brushed Terra in the 11 years I’ve had her, so that might be a good idea. You brush your cat once a day. Is there a particular brush you’d recommend?

 

[Alldara]

I’ve never brushed Terra in the 11 years I’ve had her, so that might be a good idea. You brush your cat once a day. Is there a particular brush you’d recommend?

It depends on her hair what will work best for her. It will certainly reduce hairballs.

I find the silicone glove ones work well for short hair. I think it would pull too much on a long haired cat. Pet Grooming Glove Hair Remover Brush Gentle Deshedding Efficient Pet Mitt Pet Massage Gloves Left & Right Hand Draw Dog Cat Horse Long Short Fur (1 Pair Left & Right Hand) | Walmart Canada

I use something like this indoors as it catches the hair: Wahl Dog Slicker Brush - Small | Walmart Canada


if I get the chance to take them out, I use a horse deshedder brush.

 

[Alldara]

thefishyone she might not like it at first. Go slow and just show her the brush a lot, do a couple of strokes. Consider providing a treat or two.

Each cat is different.

 

[thefishyone]

So I did a bit of observation and talked with her vet, and it would seem that these aren’t hairballs but lactose intolerance. Terra LOOOOOVES vanilla ice cream, and could tolerate small amounts of it in you and early adulthood, but now she’s middle aged and it now upsets her stomach.

I often allow Terra to sample small amounts of cat safe people foof, and used to be able to eat ice cream in small amounts. Now it seems I will have to train her to not eat it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Can you try lactose free ice cream? There are a number of brands that carry it. Worth a shot to see if Terra likes it!!

 

[lisahe]

I hope that taking ice cream off Terra's snack menu will do the trick!

If that doesn't work, check with your vet about asthma, which can also look a lot like an unsuccessful attempt to hack up a hairball. One of our cats has mild asthma and it's very treatable with an inhaler.

 

[thefishyone]

After speaking with hee vet, he agreed it waa likely lactose intolerance. I learned from Jackson Galaxy that it’s not enough to tell a cat “you can’t do this.” You also have to tell them “but you CAN do this.”

An odd quirk to Terra’s taste in food is that her meals have to have a good, satisfying crunch. When I took away the ice cream and gave her Feline Greenies instead, she actually preferred the greenies!

When she realized that she couldn’t have both, she let out a meow of anguish and despair (drama queen), then went upstairs. When I was done with my snack, I found her, told what a good cat she was, and offered her more greenies, which she happily accepted.