my cat just threw up three hairballs?

Question

Should i be worried? Does it bother him when he throws up the way it bothers humans.

what does a hairball look like?

im asking what a hairball looks like because i want to MAKE SURE IT'S A HAIRBALL!

Yup they are hairballs!

Answer 1

Hello there
To make sure it is hairball get the thing apart with a stick or something so if it looks like hair then that's what it is. I have cats and I would say it is very normal for cats to produce hairballs. They will either throw it up or poop it. Usually this is the reason for cats to eat grass because it helps to clean the hair away. Even if you brush your cats they will produce hairballs anyway, like I said, it is normal. What you can do is to get that oil they have at the vet's office; it is like a mild laxative so it helps to get rid of hairball. Don't worry it is normal.

Answer 2

A lot depends on your definition of "a lot". If you are feeding your cat only the minimum, and the bowl is always empty, and your cat then gobbles down the food, your cat may upchuck. And some cat foods are very rich, and if eaten too fast will cause a stomach upset. If your cat is long haired, and you do not regularly brush your cat, your cat will get hairballs, and will probably upchuck them also. But even short haired cats can get hairballs, but usually they pass through without a problem. So if it is not related to food, any toss ups should be less than once a week normally, and sometimes not at all. Probably no different than children. So do it often, and some do it rarely.

Answer 3

Since cats spend so much time licking and cleaning themselves, they swallow a lot of hair. Hairballs, or 'fur balls' are quantities of hair that accumulate in the cat's stomach or small intestine. Normally, most of the hair that is swallowed is expelled through the cat's digestive system in her stool. Problems occur when hair that does not get excreted gathers in the cat's stomach or intestine and forms a dense ball or mat which cannot be passed. The ball is then vomited.

The signs of hairballs in cats, then, are related to the digestive system and include vomiting, loss of appetite, or constipation. Hairballs are actually one of the most common reasons that cats vomit. The 'hacking' you may notice when your cat is bringing up a hairball may be gagging or retching, as the cat tries to vomit the hairball. Hairballs do not cause respiratory symptoms.

While it is normal for a cat to have them occasionally, large numbers of hairballs are dangerous. Hairballs can block the intestinal tract, making it impossible for the cat to either vomit or eliminate. Twenty-five percent of all impactions (when something is 'stuck' in the digestive tract) diagnosed by veterinarians are due to hairballs. There have been cases where hairballs the size of baseballs were removed from the stomachs of cats.

Signs of a major hairball problem and possible impaction are retching, inability to defecate, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or a swollen abdomen. See your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat is impacted.

Products on the market that can help cats with a hairball problem are usually composed of non-digestible oil-type ingredients and are flavored so a cat will accept them readily. They work by lubricating the cat's digestive tract to help the hair pass more easily. If this is done routinely, large mats or balls never form. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations for use.

We do not suggest you use homemade products containing butter or oils, because they can bring about other digestive problems or be absorbed by the cat's system before they have a chance to work.

A high-fiber diet or fiber supplement may also help with a chronic hairball problem. The fiber can help move the excess hair through the cat's digestive system and into the litter pan. Whichever product you choose, use it on a regular basis, according to the manufacturer's recommendations, to prevent reoccurrence.

Answer 4

Well I own 2 cats and they have a lot of hairballs. Usually cats have hairballs because they have got something caught, or in most cases because they have eaten a furry animal or inhaled fur. Don't be worried this is common and normal for cats to have hairballs but if is starting to be a problem and the cat won't stop then get some hairball remedy or go to the vets. They usually look liquid and have grass or fur in them sometimes they are actual balls of hair or fur.

Answer 5

A hairball looks like the hair you pull off your hairbrush but wet. But if the vomit is liquidy and no signs of wet hair, you might have an upset stomach or that the cat ate some grass to force itself to vomit up the stuff that was bothering it's stomach.

But if it is not watery but the wet hair, this is what you need to do for your cat is to brush it along with giving it butter to lick and IAMs hairball control cat food.

My longhair cat eats IAMs hairball control cat food and he doesn't throw up hairballs too much anymore. We used to shave him but now he's doing fine.

Answer 6

So you ask what a hairball looks ike- but you say your cat threw them up three times. So.....wouldn't you know what it looks like?

Anyway-cats get hairballs from cleaning themselves. Cats with long hair have more problems. The hair they swallow gets stuck inside them. I am sure it causes pain to pass it one way or the other.

I would dab some Vasaline on my cats nose. He licks it off and then it would work as an aid for the hair to "slide" on out.

Answer 7

A hairball that a cat throws up looks like a wet, matted blob. It doesn't bother cats to throw up. Its normal to them.

Answer 8

It's not really anything to worry about, but you might want to try feeding him a food made to reduce hairballs or feed him hairball remedy treats.

Answer 9

hairball looks like a wad of gross hair, like from your bathroom drain.

it means the cat isn't getting brushed enough. cats groom themselves and swallow the hair. most will just pass thru them but when its excessive they will choke it back up.

get a good grooming brush and brush the cat a few times a week. the metal oval band with teeth is the best brush for deep cleaning of the hair.

Answer 10

i wouldnt at the moment cats are covered with hair and when they groom themselves it gets stuck in there throat but if it continues for more than a day or so i would call the vet