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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

At my wits end with furball vomiting

8 replies

largeprintagathachristie · 23/09/2019 18:12

Hello, any tips?

My lovely cat, a domestic shorthair, is having furball vomits around every third day. She was a rescue cat but is approximately 12 years old. I've had her for 10 of those years. The vomiting started four years ago and was also investigated then. It went away by itself but has come back - it seems to stay!

Vet has ruled out anything sinister; she's had a scan.
A steroid injection from the vet stopped the problem for around three/four weeks.
(all of the above was pricey)

Vet prescribed steroid pills. These involved "pilling the cat" stress for both parties and the furball vomits still happened; I couldn't even track a pattern.

Food is now hypoallergenic (also pricey). Stopping dry food seems to have helped a bit.

The cat is a thorough groomer but nothing unusual.
She definitely sheds. Loose fur flies up in the air if I run my hands over her. I've seen her sort of spitting out fur as she grooms.

She is completely unimpressed when I try to comb her; I've got a Furminator and it's amazing but I can never get in more than a couple of passes before she turns hissy and scratchy and outraged. (I didn't have her as a kitten to get her used to being combed).
I've been using damp hands to run over her fur to get off anything I can.

What am I missing? Any advice? Many thanks.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 23/09/2019 18:15

Furminators can be brutal. What about a zoom groom? I also give catnip and groom whilst they’re busy getting off their faces. Grin

VictoriaBun · 23/09/2019 18:16

Has your get not suggested Katalax ?
There are many different manufacturers of this type of paste you give your cats, but we find this is the best by far.
Apparently cats are supposed to enjoy the taste and take it from your finger but mine doesn't😄
We give it to ours twice a week, it's not cheap but find it helps lots.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/09/2019 18:16

My friend swears by hair ball paste for her cat. Zoom groom or a slicker brush works well as well. My cat loves being groomed with a slicker.

Allergictoironing · 23/09/2019 18:32

I use indoor dry food as my cats are indoor only, which is supplosed to be good for hairballs. I sometimes give them some anti-hairball dry food as well for a change. They are short haired but very "shed-y" & at certain times just walking about the house sends clouds of soft fur about, but thankfully I rarely get hairballs from them & I think that's helped by the food.

Mine are un-groomable, the very sight of something in my hand or a grooming glove & they hide away where I can't get to them.

largeprintagathachristie · 23/09/2019 18:52

Thanks for all the comments.

Will note the katalax paste. Forgot to say I'd been trying something similar called Defurr-um Hairball Remedy but perhaps not regularly enough to really gauge whether it was helping. Will add that in, in a more scientific fashion.

Yes, she is very suspicious of all grooming tools!

She was sick on my bed today and I'd just changed the bedding; sigh ....

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 23/09/2019 19:40

I was going to suggest zoom groom too.

Beamur · 23/09/2019 19:44

My cat is semi long haired. Lots of treats and small amounts of brushing and build up time. Mine likes two brushes one to rub against and the other one I try and brush with.

Toddlerteaplease · 24/09/2019 10:49

Persian food has stuff in to prevent hairballs. I've never had one from either of my pair.

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