Hairball problem?

My 4-year old kitty has thrown up 3 times today. This morning it was last
night's food. A couple of hours later it was a clear, thick liquid. Just a
few minutes ago it was 2 lumps of brown stuff that looked like matted hair.
Since this is July 4th, my vet isn't in but hopefully will be tomorrow. I
give her the Purina hairball treats once a week according to the directions
but I know that's not the cure-all for hairballs. Is there anything else I
can give her until I can get her into the vet?

She hasn't drank any water all day from what I can tell and she hasn't eaten
any food. She hides for a couple of hours after she's thrown up then is her
usual affectionate self until she throws up again. So, I'm thinking this is
not an emergency vet situation. However, if my vet doesn't have his usual
Saturday hours tomorrow, then I'll take her to the emergency vet.

Thanks for any help or advice.

After the last bout a little while ago - of throwing up the hair masses, see
if she now acts fine, including eating & everything. If so, that was her
problem: a hairball that needed to come up, & finally did.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

"Kris" wrote in message
...
My 4-year old kitty has thrown up 3 times today. This morning it was last
night's food. A couple of hours later it was a clear, thick liquid. Just
a
few minutes ago it was 2 lumps of brown stuff that looked like matted
hair.
Since this is July 4th, my vet isn't in but hopefully will be tomorrow. I
give her the Purina hairball treats once a week according to the
directions
but I know that's not the cure-all for hairballs. Is there anything else
I
can give her until I can get her into the vet?

She hasn't drank any water all day from what I can tell and she hasn't
eaten
any food. She hides for a couple of hours after she's thrown up then is
her
usual affectionate self until she throws up again. So, I'm thinking this
is
not an emergency vet situation. However, if my vet doesn't have his usual
Saturday hours tomorrow, then I'll take her to the emergency vet.

Thanks for any help or advice.

After the last bout a little while ago - of throwing up the hair masses, see
if she now acts fine, including eating & everything. If so, that was her
problem: a hairball that needed to come up, & finally did.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

"Kris" wrote in message
...
My 4-year old kitty has thrown up 3 times today. This morning it was last
night's food. A couple of hours later it was a clear, thick liquid. Just
a
few minutes ago it was 2 lumps of brown stuff that looked like matted
hair.
Since this is July 4th, my vet isn't in but hopefully will be tomorrow. I
give her the Purina hairball treats once a week according to the
directions
but I know that's not the cure-all for hairballs. Is there anything else
I
can give her until I can get her into the vet?

She hasn't drank any water all day from what I can tell and she hasn't
eaten
any food. She hides for a couple of hours after she's thrown up then is
her
usual affectionate self until she throws up again. So, I'm thinking this
is
not an emergency vet situation. However, if my vet doesn't have his usual
Saturday hours tomorrow, then I'll take her to the emergency vet.

Thanks for any help or advice.

My five-year-old cat was vomiting with increasing regularity a few months
ago. I started him on Petromalt, a flavored petroleum jelly hairball remedy,
and this seems to have cleared up the problem completely. Pet stores,
Targets, Wal-Marts etc. all have a variety of these petroleum jelly-based
"medicines." My cat doesn't like the flavor (of course), so I rubbed it onto
his paw, per the directions. I did two weeks of a one-inch ribbon each day.
I saw results immediately. He vomited only once in that first two weeks, it
was only a bit of spittle, and his feces look fine. Now I give him a
3/4-inch ribbon twice a week. I brush him down once a day, too. He seems
completely cured.

The Internet has reports that Vaseline petroleum jelly works just as well,
typically suggesting one put a dollop on the cat's nose. I see one site also
states pats of butter work, too. See
http://home.stny.rr.com/carmon/Vomit.htm . The mechanism appears to be
simply lubricating the fur the kitty has swallowed so it passes more readily
through its "plumbing."

Please post an update. :-)

"Kris" wrote
My 4-year old kitty has thrown up 3 times today. This morning it was last
night's food. A couple of hours later it was a clear, thick liquid. Just
a
few minutes ago it was 2 lumps of brown stuff that looked like matted
hair.
Since this is July 4th, my vet isn't in but hopefully will be tomorrow. I
give her the Purina hairball treats once a week according to the
directions
but I know that's not the cure-all for hairballs. Is there anything else
I
can give her until I can get her into the vet?

She hasn't drank any water all day from what I can tell and she hasn't
eaten
any food. She hides for a couple of hours after she's thrown up then is
her
usual affectionate self until she throws up again. So, I'm thinking this
is
not an emergency vet situation. However, if my vet doesn't have his usual
Saturday hours tomorrow, then I'll take her to the emergency vet.

Thanks for any help or advice.

"Caliban" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
My five-year-old cat was vomiting with increasing regularity a few months
ago. I started him on Petromalt, a flavored petroleum jelly hairball
remedy,
and this seems to have cleared up the problem completely. Pet stores,
Targets, Wal-Marts etc. all have a variety of these petroleum jelly-based
"medicines." My cat doesn't like the flavor (of course), so I rubbed it
onto
his paw, per the directions. I did two weeks of a one-inch ribbon each
day.
I saw results immediately. He vomited only once in that first two weeks,
it
was only a bit of spittle, and his feces look fine. Now I give him a
3/4-inch ribbon twice a week. I brush him down once a day, too. He seems
completely cured.

The Internet has reports that Vaseline petroleum jelly works just as well,
typically suggesting one put a dollop on the cat's nose.

The hairball remedies Petromalt and Laxatone (basically the same thing as
Petromalt) - are both just petroleum jelly (Vaseline), with flavor added.
If you have the molasses flavored kind that you cat doesn't like, try & see
if you can find the fish-flavored variety, in case that's a bigger hit w/
him.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon


I see one site also
states pats of butter work, too. See
http://home.stny.rr.com/carmon/Vomit.htm . The mechanism appears to be
simply lubricating the fur the kitty has swallowed so it passes more
readily
through its "plumbing."

Please post an update. :-)

Hi Cathy,

As it happens, my cat's first tube of hairball remedy was the molasses (I
think) flavored Petromalt. His second tube is Hartz's salmon flavored one.
My cat is not keen on either, but it's not a big problem. At least the drops
he shakes off his paw clean up easily from the carpet.

After this second tube runs out, I am thinking of trying the butter or maybe
giving him helpings of canned tuna fish in oil (people version) a few times
a week.

He was on dried food (Iams mostly) for almost all his life, so perhaps the
fur he consumed didn't pass because of insufficient oil in his diet. Diet
variety perhaps helps ensure oil, too? I will have to check the labels of
the various cat foods and treats designed to prevent hair balls and see if
they work mostly by adding oil to the diet.

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote
"Caliban" wrote
snip
The Internet has reports that Vaseline petroleum jelly works just as
well,
typically suggesting one put a dollop on the cat's nose.

The hairball remedies Petromalt and Laxatone (basically the same thing as
Petromalt) - are both just petroleum jelly (Vaseline), with flavor added.
If you have the molasses flavored kind that you cat doesn't like, try &
see
if you can find the fish-flavored variety, in case that's a bigger hit w/
him.

I see one site also
states pats of butter work, too. See
http://home.stny.rr.com/carmon/Vomit.htm . The mechanism appears to be
simply lubricating the fur the kitty has swallowed so it passes more
readily
through its "plumbing."

Hi Cathy,

As it happens, my cat's first tube of hairball remedy was the molasses (I
think) flavored Petromalt. His second tube is Hartz's salmon flavored one.
My cat is not keen on either, but it's not a big problem. At least the drops
he shakes off his paw clean up easily from the carpet.

After this second tube runs out, I am thinking of trying the butter or maybe
giving him helpings of canned tuna fish in oil (people version) a few times
a week.

He was on dried food (Iams mostly) for almost all his life, so perhaps the
fur he consumed didn't pass because of insufficient oil in his diet. Diet
variety perhaps helps ensure oil, too? I will have to check the labels of
the various cat foods and treats designed to prevent hair balls and see if
they work mostly by adding oil to the diet.

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote
"Caliban" wrote
snip
The Internet has reports that Vaseline petroleum jelly works just as
well,
typically suggesting one put a dollop on the cat's nose.

The hairball remedies Petromalt and Laxatone (basically the same thing as
Petromalt) - are both just petroleum jelly (Vaseline), with flavor added.
If you have the molasses flavored kind that you cat doesn't like, try &
see
if you can find the fish-flavored variety, in case that's a bigger hit w/
him.

I see one site also
states pats of butter work, too. See
http://home.stny.rr.com/carmon/Vomit.htm . The mechanism appears to be
simply lubricating the fur the kitty has swallowed so it passes more
readily
through its "plumbing."

"Caliban" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
My five-year-old cat was vomiting with increasing regularity a few months
ago. I started him on Petromalt, a flavored petroleum jelly hairball
remedy,
and this seems to have cleared up the problem completely. Pet stores,
Targets, Wal-Marts etc. all have a variety of these petroleum jelly-based
"medicines." My cat doesn't like the flavor (of course), so I rubbed it
onto
his paw, per the directions. I did two weeks of a one-inch ribbon each
day.
I saw results immediately. He vomited only once in that first two weeks,
it
was only a bit of spittle, and his feces look fine. Now I give him a
3/4-inch ribbon twice a week. I brush him down once a day, too. He seems
completely cured.

The Internet has reports that Vaseline petroleum jelly works just as well,
typically suggesting one put a dollop on the cat's nose.

The hairball remedies Petromalt and Laxatone (basically the same thing as
Petromalt) - are both just petroleum jelly (Vaseline), with flavor added.
If you have the molasses flavored kind that you cat doesn't like, try & see
if you can find the fish-flavored variety, in case that's a bigger hit w/
him.

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon


I see one site also
states pats of butter work, too. See
http://home.stny.rr.com/carmon/Vomit.htm . The mechanism appears to be
simply lubricating the fur the kitty has swallowed so it passes more
readily
through its "plumbing."

Please post an update. :-)

My five-year-old cat was vomiting with increasing regularity a few months
ago. I started him on Petromalt, a flavored petroleum jelly hairball remedy,
and this seems to have cleared up the problem completely. Pet stores,
Targets, Wal-Marts etc. all have a variety of these petroleum jelly-based
"medicines." My cat doesn't like the flavor (of course), so I rubbed it onto
his paw, per the directions. I did two weeks of a one-inch ribbon each day.
I saw results immediately. He vomited only once in that first two weeks, it
was only a bit of spittle, and his feces look fine. Now I give him a
3/4-inch ribbon twice a week. I brush him down once a day, too. He seems
completely cured.

The Internet has reports that Vaseline petroleum jelly works just as well,
typically suggesting one put a dollop on the cat's nose. I see one site also
states pats of butter work, too. See
http://home.stny.rr.com/carmon/Vomit.htm . The mechanism appears to be
simply lubricating the fur the kitty has swallowed so it passes more readily
through its "plumbing."

Please post an update. :-)

"Kris" wrote
My 4-year old kitty has thrown up 3 times today. This morning it was last
night's food. A couple of hours later it was a clear, thick liquid. Just
a
few minutes ago it was 2 lumps of brown stuff that looked like matted
hair.
Since this is July 4th, my vet isn't in but hopefully will be tomorrow. I
give her the Purina hairball treats once a week according to the
directions
but I know that's not the cure-all for hairballs. Is there anything else
I
can give her until I can get her into the vet?

She hasn't drank any water all day from what I can tell and she hasn't
eaten
any food. She hides for a couple of hours after she's thrown up then is
her
usual affectionate self until she throws up again. So, I'm thinking this
is
not an emergency vet situation. However, if my vet doesn't have his usual
Saturday hours tomorrow, then I'll take her to the emergency vet.

Thanks for any help or advice.

From: Laura R.

PawsForThought ) said,
Another product that works well is Catlube, made without
petroleum-based ingredients:

www.vetsbest.com/cats.html#catlube


You have used this? I'm curious as to why you use clarified butter
instead of this.

Thanks,

Laura

I used the Catlube with my last cat and it worked well. She seemed to like it
better than the petroleum based remedies.
You can also make your own slippery elm by adding 1 tsp slippery elm powder to
1/2 cup cold water. Stir well to mix it. Then bring slowly to a simmer,
stirring periodically until it thickens. Then cool and store in a glass jar;
it keeps 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Feed 1 tsp of the liquid 5 to 10 mins
before the meal, but it can also be mixed in with the food if the cat won't eat
it plain.

My present cats haven't had hairballs fortunately. I have the ghee in the
house and had read that it worked to keep the digestive tract lubricated so I
gave my cats some and they love it. I just put some on my finger and they lick
it off. It's not much though. Ghee (butter with all the milk solids removed)
is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine and it's quite interesting:
http://www.indiaoz.com.au/health/ayu...ood_ghee.shtml

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm