I have a 3 month old cat that has been battling a hairball for one week. It's pitiful. He hacks & coughs, but nothing comes up. He doesn't mew very much anymore (I think his throat may be raw from all the hacking). I haven't seen any blood, but I know its wearing him out. He's still eating.
What I've tried:
1. Petgold Hairball malt-flavored paste - for 5 days now (1/4 tsp a day according to package).
2. Wheatgrass - he nibbles on this a few times a day
3. Brushing him 2x a day (prevention)
I feel like he's suffering & I feel helpless. What else should I be doing? How long does it take for a hairball to come up? I'd appreciate any suggestions.
2006-08-08 15:14:39 · 17 answers · asked by Kimia 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
You can pick up some laxatone from your vet. I'm sure it's somewhat similar to the first paste you tried. You can also try giving more. We usually say to give about an inch of paste up to 3 times a day.
Try that and if it doesn't clear up in a day or two definately call your vet.
2006-08-08 15:28:02 · answer #1 · answered by Kate 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have had six cats in my house for over 14 years now. Only one has hairballs and she is a short-haired cat. I got her at six months and the hairball issue didn't start until she was two or three. It's really not an "issue" she just hacks them up a couple of times a week.
I just don't think kittens get hairballs and I may be wrong. You need to get your kitty some help right away. I strongly suspect something else is going on.
2006-08-08 16:02:58 · answer #2 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you've tried all of the over the counter remedies and nothing's worked then a trip to the vet would be the next step. if for nothing else, just to make sure it's not something else that's causing him to hack and cough all the time. once you do that, then try switching him to hairball control food...this will cut down the hairballs that he does get out.
2006-08-08 15:36:16 · answer #3 · answered by srevels2005 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a cat that had a hairball that none of the medicine would help, either. We had to save money to take him to the vet. I'm not sure what she did, but we've had no problem since.
2006-08-08 15:20:00 · answer #4 · answered by nezzy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I finally gave up on all the things you can buy that are suppose to help and, used my Granny's sure fire cure.. It worked like magic. I put a good dollop of butter unsalted on my cats paw. She licked it off and in a few hours up came the nasty hairball. I do this once a month and she hasn't had anymore problems.
2006-08-08 15:22:06 · answer #5 · answered by sponggie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if its been 5 days on an over the counter treatment didnt help then its probably time for the vet. you could try switching to hairball control food for prevention also so that this wont occur again.
2006-08-08 15:25:25 · answer #6 · answered by ChrissyLicious 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, I have had cats in my life and the way that they corrected it was by eating grass out of the yard. If nothing else has worked that you have tried, take the poor thing to the vet. They'll know what to do. Hope he gets better.
2006-08-08 15:25:49 · answer #7 · answered by williampetersen7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take your kitten to the vet. If it hasn't coughed it up in a week it is probably not a hairball.
2006-08-08 15:19:41 · answer #8 · answered by rltouhe 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you've tried all of that and he's still hacking, then you need to go to a vet. It's very possibly something else that's causing him to act like he has a furball (especially thi time of year). Better to rule out respiratory and FLV causes than to let him continue suffering if it's something that can be treated.
2006-08-08 15:18:40 · answer #9 · answered by yellow_jellybeans_rock 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would suggest the vet. As a preventive, I have used cod liver oil on the cats' food (just a small dribble) for years.
2006-08-08 15:24:03 · answer #10 · answered by lockesmith 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋