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Old June 1st 07, 04:00 PM posted to alt.cats,alt.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.cats.health+behav,rec.pets.cats.misc
Ivor Jones
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Posts: 16
Default What should I do when my cat does this?

"Garret Swayne" wrote in message
hlink.net
You know how sometimes cats get into a respiratory
spasming thing like they're trying to clear something
from their throat (a hairball or something??) I don't
know what to call it. It's very rhythmic, and it appears
to be involuntary, like they're choking on something and
they're trying to expel it. Every cat I've ever had goes
through this from time to time. They're obviously in
distress. I want to help and I'm thinking maybe I should
slap them on the back to help "dislodge" anything that's
stuck there, but I don't know if that would help or hurt.


No..! Don't do that..! See below.

I'd love to know what's going on and what I can do about
it, but it never occurred to me until now to go online to
a cat interest group and ask! So I'm asking. Does anyone know what
that spasming is
called, what causes it, and what we humans can do to help
our little furry friends get over their episode?
-Garret Swayne
garret at garretswayne dot com


They're almost certainly doing exactly what you suggest, i.e. trying to
cough up a furball. It's more common obviously in longhaired cats (you
don't say if yours is a longhair) but all cats will do it from time to
time.

Does it happen very frequently, or is it a once in a while thing..? If
you're really concerned, then see your vet, but I doubt it's anything
serious from what you describe.


Ivor