Vomiting and diarrhoea in cats

Cats often vomit or develop diarrhoea, when should we treat? The reason for the vomiting or diarrhoea may be simple, such as a hairball, however the cause could be more serious. Whether the symptoms stop on their own, or whether your cat needs to see a vet, will depend on how he or she is in themselves and what the vomit or diarrhoea looks like.

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Did You Know That Some Hairballs Become Too Big for a Cat’s Digestive Tract and Cause Blockage that Can Be Life Threatening

Hairballs are the butt of many a cat joke, even though the telltale hack-hack-hacking may seem commonplace to most feline owners. Cats are fastidious self-groomers, so it’s this habit that causes hairballs -- swallowed loose fur that is not completely digested. The problem usually warrants no cause for alarm, but in some cases, hairballs become too big for a cat’s digestive tract and cause blockage that can be life-threatening. It’s important for any cat owner to know why hairballs form, why they’re so common and when they can be dangerous.

Harmful Hairballs

“Most cats will either vomit the hair or pass it in their stool,” explains Tami Groger, DVM, associate veterinarian at Bay Hill Cat Hospital in Orlando, Fla. The feline digestive system is designed to handle hairballs (called trichobezoars by doctors) but only up to a certain size. “We had a long-haired kitty who stopped eating for three days and just did not look comfortable,” recalls Bernadine Cruz, DVM, of Laguna Hills Animal Hospital in California. “Everything seemed normal, but when I [felt] her abdomen, there was something there under the rib cage. We took an X-ray and saw this big thing. We did surgery to remove one huge hairball -- at a cost of $2000.”

The kitty recovered fully, but the owner may still be recovering from that bill.

Another problem caused by hairballs is that sometimes their symptoms appear similar to respiratory problems, such as asthma, which also require a veterinarian’s attention. Keeping hairballs to a minimum will therefore help your veterinarian diagnose asthma more quickly, should your cat develop it.

All cats get hairballs, says Dr. Groger, but “they are more prevalent in the long-haired breeds -- Persians, Himalayans, Maine Coons and domestic long hairs.” She adds, however, that she has “seen problems with short-haired cats, as well.”

Hazardous Hairball Warning Signs     

Three key symptoms can distinguish a not-so-worrisome hairball from one that may require immediate medical attention. These are:

• Continued retching that does not culminate with the expulsion of a hairball

• Frequent diarrhea

• Loss of appetite following repeated hairball episodes

All three of these symptoms could mean that your cat’s throat, stomach or intestines are blocked by a hairball obstruction. If your cat exhibits any of these symptoms, schedule a visit to your veterinarian’s office as soon as possible.

How to Prevent Hairballs

The best defense against hairballs, dangerous or not, is to keep your cat from getting them in the first place or to make sure they can be digested. Here are some tips recommended by veterinarians.

Brush your kitty “You really need to get down to the skin to loosen some of the fur,” says Dr. Cruz, who recommends using a soft rubbery brush for the task. Follow up with gentle combing using a fine-tooth comb. Older cats especially need this care, she says, as their digestive systems slow down with age and they’re less able to get rid of hairballs.

Feed your cat a specially formulated hairball care food Look for foods with beet pulp, carbohydrate blends and a fruit and vegetable extract known as FOS, which promotes healthy stomach bacteria. This combination of ingredients not only helps reduce fur balls, but it also enhances your cat's ability to absorb nutrients, provides bulk to move food through the intestines, promotes colon health and reduces waste and litter box odors.

For repeat hackers, increase their fiber intake Increasing fiber in your cat’s diet can help. The fiber will help hold onto hair and aid it in passing through the digestive track. Dr. Cruz suggests adding bits of asparagus, small amounts of canned pumpkin or oat grass to your cat’s hairball care commercial diet.

Offer a little oil You might also add a very small amount -- around half a teaspoon -- of petroleum jelly, olive oil or butter to your cat’s food. This too will help push through fur in the digestive system.

Purchase a commercial hairball remedy Commercial hairball remedies often contain similar fiber and oil ingredients combined with flavor enhancers to tempt your cat. Look for them at your local pet store. Just be sure to follow the enclosed listed directions carefully.

Keep a clean house Don’t allow your kitty access to pieces of string or thread around the house. If ingested, these can get wrapped up with swallowed fur and cause an obstruction.

Hairballs are an unpleasant side effect of your kitty’s natural inclination to stay clean and beautiful. Our job as cat owners is to allow that self-grooming but take responsible steps to make sure it doesn’t result in a dangerous, albeit hairy, health hazard.




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National Hairball Awareness Day - April 24, 2015

Hairball Awareness Day is a time to consider the grooming challenges of our purr-fectly aristocratic pets. Being beautiful and regal comes naturally to felines, but lots of personal grooming is required to maintain that exquisite superior look. Newborn kittens are groomed within inches of their lives by enthusiastic mother cats, and personal hygiene becomes an ingrained part of the cat’s daily routine ranking above everything except food. Ferocious grooming causes ingestion of fur, and sooner or later, in a most unbecoming way, the haughty, dignified feline will hack up a hairball.

Hairball Awareness Day is an invitation to be aware and to practice preventative measures to help kitty through this nasty process. Practice regular grooming with a pet brush to reduce the amount of ingested fur, and offer a vet-recommended diet for hairball prevention. Be aware that occasional hairballs are to be expected, but frequent hairballs could indicate a problem.



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Would You Consider Using Holistic Natural Remedies On Your Pet?

Holistic health and natural remedies are things we commonly turn to when we don’t want to (or can’t) go to the doctor, and more people are relying on them for their furry family members now, too.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on costly prescription medications for your dog or cat, you can rely on natural remedies for some of the most common pet ailments. There are many things that can help ease your pets’ discomfort from pet food to people food and healthy treats to tinctures. Whether it’s fleas, dry skin, minor abrasions, upper respiratory infections, Fluffy’s hairballs or plain old stress, here are some tried and true natural remedies for your fur baby’s problems.

No More Fleas, Please!
When the fleas are biting and Sparky is scratching, get rid of those pesky pests by rubbing him down in citrus juice. Lemon, lime or orange rinds work great, so make the most of your fruit and have a nice tall glass of lemonade while you relax in the shade with your flea-free friend. Prefer essential oils? No problem! Rosemary, peppermint, and pennyroyal are great for itching associated with fleas. As a preventative, add a mixture of brewer’s yeast and a bit of garlic to your dog’s dry food. Fleas hate it! (Do NOT give garlic to your kitty though.)

Soothe Skin
Does your fur baby have irritated, itchy skin? It’s tea time! Just make chamomile tea as you normally would, pour it into a spray bottle, and store it in the fridge. The next time you see your cat or dog scratching, spray the cool brew directly onto his skin for immediate results. For even better results, add some vitamin E to the mixture! If your favorite little fur ball just can’t get relief, try an oatmeal paste using

If your favorite little fur ball just can’t get relief, try an oatmeal paste using oatmeal and water. Mix it up and apply directly to the affected area for 10 minutes to relieve Rover quickly. For cats, invest in a humidifier and switch to grain-free wet food, as dry kibble can actually cause dry skin.

Scrapes and Scratches
Accidents happen. Whether it’s a territorial scuff or playing too rough, toenails can cause all kinds of cuts, scrapes and scratches. The best thing to do for your dog or cat is to make sure the affected area is clean and free of dirty fur. You can use a simple saline solution for this. Either squirt some of your favorite contact lens cleaner directly onto the wound or mix up your own. This will wash away debris and encourage healing. Keep an eye on the wound for infection and take your furry friend to the vet if you see inflammation or pus.

From Meow to Achoo!
If your kitty is prone to upper respiratory infections and tends to have bouts with sneezing, runny eyes or any symptoms associated with feline herpes, they might respond well to L-lysine therapy. While this is a lifelong disease, the symptoms can be treated by just adding some lysine to her food. Because it’s a vitamin given in small doses, it won’t hurt your other cats if they all share food.

Hairballs Be Gone
Coconut oil is an amazing cure-all for humans and it can help with getting rid of Fluffy’s hairballs. While shaving your cat is technically an option, it might cause unnecessary tension between you and your favorite feline (We’re also joking here). Try the coconut oil first. Just half a teaspoon per day for a week should do the trick! Canned pumpkin can help, too, as well as olive oil.

Serenity Now!
Is your pet stressed? Whether it’s stress from a recent move, travel, storm or illness, there are some great ways to calm her down. Like humans, dogs have been known to respond well to lavender, chamomile and valerian. Just put a few drops on a clean rag and leave it just out of reach from your pooch, letting her bask in the relaxing scent. Try spearmint or cardamom oil to help with car sickness.

Happy, Healthy Pets 
Now that you are armed with information and resources, you can help your pets (and your wallet) by easing their ailments from the comfort of your own home — and without any unnecessary chemicals. Not only does that create less stress for you, but Fluffy and Sparky will appreciate it as well!

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Hairballs in Cats

There's nothing quite like the glorious feeling of stepping out of your warm bed onto a cold, squishy, slimy hairball! Perhaps we should feel flattered that our beloved feline companion has left a piece of herself as a special gift for us, but frankly, most of us would rather bond with our cats another way!

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