Young Cat Hairball Issues

[thefiresidecat]

my cat is a bit over a year old. I think this may be his first season with hairballs. he keeps coughing on occasion producing nothing. (he was a stray so he's been to the vet A LOT in the last few months and they say he's healthy) we've noticed he swallows after it sounds like he might have produced something. we've given him some hairball remedy treaters but these don't seem to be helping him pass it.

anyone ever encountered something like this? we've tried gel on his paws and he HATES that and doesn't seem to like the taste of it.

 

[maggiedemi]

What hairball treats have you tried? The only hairball paste that my cats will eat is Nutri-Vet from Tractor Supply.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi - you likely know about this, but just in case, is your litter dusty? Do you have chemicals and strong smelling cleaners, air fresheners, scented candles in the house? Even if these aren't the specific culprit, maybe eliminate any of them in case it is a URI that hasn't fully developed?

 

[thefiresidecat]

Hi - you likely know about this, but just in case, is your litter dusty? Do you have chemicals and strong smelling cleaners, air fresheners, scented candles in the house? Even if these aren't the specific culprit, maybe eliminate any of them in case it is a URI that hasn't fully developed?

nope nope and nope. I have chemical sensitivities myself. everything in the house is perfume free. we use vodka as a cleaner for the most part or vinegar or baking soda.

one of our cats is a carrier for the feline herpes virus but none of the other cats ever seem to have been effected by it and it certainly isn't presenting like that does. imo given the thickness of his fur and hte way it is currently coming off him and that I've not seen a hairball from him yet I have to think occams razor is hairballs

 

[thefiresidecat]

this is him. see what I mean it being suspicious we haven't had a hairball from him yet lol

 

[Furballsmom]

lordy what a gorgeous cat

 

[duckpond]

May want to check with the vet again. Im not sure what treatment he has had for parasites? Some do have a life cycle that involves the lungs. He may need longer term parasite treatment to break this life cycle. We have used a topical from the vet that is applied monthly. If you dont want to use it continually you can stop after 6 months or so and then see if the hacking comes back.

Another thing to check is the litter, if you are using a dusty, fragrance, or clay litter it can cause problems for some cats. I have one . Once we switched to a grass based litter his hacking went away. I like grass litter, there are a lot of them out there. i also like litter maid walnut litter that i get from walmart. both dust and fragrance free. Im trying a new coconut litter right now, i think i will like it, but only day 2 so im not ready to commit yet. No dust, so my problem cat is not hacking, thats a good thing

He is a beautiful boy! I have a big fluff too, and i have never known him to hack up a hairball.

 

[thefiresidecat]

how long does it take for this to manifest. he's been an indoor cat since december. we live in the pacific northwest.

 

[thefiresidecat]

May want to check with the vet again. Im not sure what treatment he has had for parasites? Some do have a life cycle that involves the lungs. He may need longer term parasite treatment to break this life cycle. We have used a topical from the vet that is applied monthly. If you dont want to use it continually you can stop after 6 months or so and then see if the hacking comes back.

Another thing to check is the litter, if you are using a dusty, fragrance, or clay litter it can cause problems for some cats. I have one . Once we switched to a grass based litter his hacking went away. I like grass litter, there are a lot of them out there. i also like litter maid walnut litter that i get from walmart. both dust and fragrance free. Im trying a new coconut litter right now, i think i will like it, but only day 2 so im not ready to commit yet. No dust, so my problem cat is not hacking, thats a good thing

He is a beautiful boy! I have a big fluff too, and i have never known him to hack up a hairball.

won't let me edit the other post I made, how long does it take for this to manifest, he's been an indoor cat since dec

 

[FlawlessImperfection]

this is him. see what I mean it being suspicious we haven't had a hairball from him yet lol

Oh my goodness lol! Maybe his manly attitude is what he’s having trouble keeping down, what a HAM!!

 

[duckpond]

won't let me edit the other post I made, how long does it take for this to manifest, he's been an indoor cat since dec

I dont know the exact time frame of the life cycle, you vet may have a better answer than i do. Sorry. It may not be the problem, but it is one of the very first things i would have checked.

 

[thefiresidecat]

Oh my goodness lol! Maybe his manly attitude is what he’s having trouble keeping down, what a HAM!!

lol yeah he really is. his nick name is belushi. lol