Cat question

[Not_Giving_Up]

Bear, my massive male (not fat, just big) has big trouble with hairballs. The last time this happened, he quit eating and grooming, and it was a $60 adventure to a vet with a $10 office visit. Anti-imflammatory shot seemed to clear him right up.

Here's the deal...He acts like he's going to hack it up, but never does. I can't afford a vet trip right now, I haven't worked in two weeks, and am still not cleared to go back. I've been shoving that hairball goop in a tube down him, but no results.

What do YOU use to help with hairballs???

[Solon]

1. Petroleum Jelly works...

But if not that, then try Bacon Grease, cats love that stuff, so do dogs, not too much though, may have the runs afterwards.

[Not_Giving_Up]

4. Hmmm

Well, the goop in the tube is malt flavored petroleum jelly...I don't have any bacon grease, or bacon for that matter.

[tammywammy]

2. Two things

Brush daily and PetroMalt. These two things work for me.

[Not_Giving_Up]

5. He's short haired

And is the only one of the three to have a problem. Dora grooms everybody else and she does fine. My goop in a tube is malt flavored petroleum jelly, and it's not working.

[tammywammy]

6. He'll still shed

I'd try brushing him for awhile.

The malt flavored stuff is what I was talking about.

Otherwise I don't know of anything else. Sorry, I hope your kitty gets better soon. :hug:

[Not_Giving_Up]

7. Yeah, but he seems to shed the least

It's funny...the girls shed a lot more than he does. I'll brush him if he wakes up before I go to bed.

Here's a pic of him, about a year ago...

[tammywammy]

8. huh

the picture isn't showing up (it's probably just my browser).

Yeah, I always think my shorthaired shed less, but it's really about the same. I can tell after I brush them.

Good luck figuring this out.

edited to add: I found this on a website for a hairball remedy
The occasional teaspoon of cod-liver oil, a knob of butter, or even a sardine or two in their oil, can certainly do the trick.

WARNING: feeding oil in larger quantities to cats can be dangerous. They build up in a layer under the skin and actually become rancid, leading to extreme illness and usually death.

[Not_Giving_Up]

9. Bummer

What browser are you using? Mine are all shorthair, but Scribbles has really thick fur year round.

[tammywammy]

11. It's FireFox

Some pictures are showing up, but none of the Boston ones are. It's weird.

And here's a webpage with a lot of ideas: http://www.katpuke.com/remedy-reviews.html

[Not_Giving_Up]

15. I'm using firefox

All pics are showing for me...weird. I'll check out the site.

[miss_kitty]

24. right click on the box and choose view image from the menu

If it's a pic working for everyone not using FF, that'll bring it up. then you can click back and it'll show up with the text.

[tammywammy]

26. I'd try that but

there's not even a box showing up. It just the posters text, but no box. And it's not every picture either. Weird is all I can say.

But thanks for trying. (And I don't mean that to sound sarcastic at all, really).

Edited to add: I fixed it! :woohoo: Somehow on the Internet Options, it was set to block pics from photobucket. I'm so proud of myself when I figure out things like this. :)

[hyphenate]

18. Two different colored eyes?

Pretty!

[Not_Giving_Up]

20. Actually, his eyes are yellow

The camera did that. I need new pics, but I need batteries for the damn camera!

[miss_kitty]

23. maybe he's grooming the girls?

mmmm extra fur! Bad kitty!

Handsome boy

[Not_Giving_Up]

25. Not that I've seen

I know Dora grooms everyone, including the humans. She wakes me up by giving my face a bath. Never seen Bear grooming them though.

Thank you! He has chosen my son as his human, but will associate with me if he happens to be gone.

[Droopy]

3. I wish I could help you

But our cat doesn't do just hairballs. When she gets to hacking, everything from the small intestine on up comes out. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does it's a mess. Here's to your cat getting better and soon.

[miss_kitty]

10. groom him daily

It's hard on his system to go through these cycles. It'll save you money by not having to go to the vet.

Also know this: If you put off going to the vet when the problem is small, if it's a problem that keeps getting bigger, cost goes up exponentially. That happened with my kitty. same thing. and it weakened her kidneys (Dehydration, unable to absorb water with all that fur). I turned a $40 vet trip into a $400 vet trip, made her suffer and gave my cat a chronic health problem that shortened her life. And cost more $$$ through the years. :(

[Not_Giving_Up]

12. He hates to be brushed

I've tried before, but I guess I'll make him suffer through it.

This has only happened once before, and it was scary, because we didn't know what it was. I know now, and am really trying to avoid a vet visit that I can't afford. I spent four days in the hospital, and have been home ever since, which means I'm not getting paid.

[miss_kitty]

21. Try a different combs

Those brushes can be too over stimulating. Ask at a big pet store. I got Sammy a rubber brush she loved.

maybe only do his back. Have treats for him before during and after the combing. Wipe him down with a dry-damp towel, if that's all he'll let you do. You don't want it to be so damp the it stimulates his desire to groom.

I hear ya-I was going to say I'd kill for those vet rates. when Sammy got sick, I had to finally get the money from my dad, cuz if I didn't have $40, I sure as hell didn't have $400. this was 1983 money. I use the same vet. I'm sure the $$$ amts would be $200/$2,000 today.

look here:
http://www.buypetsupply.com/shopping/Cat/Grooming/Grooming-Tools/53328.htm
there are other links on the page for other products

Good luck to you and your kitty.

[Not_Giving_Up]

27. I'll go tomorrow and try to find something he'll tolerate

If anything happens to this cat, my son will be devastated.

[miss_kitty]

28. maybe your son could help with the grooming?

I don't know how old he is, but if kitty thinks that's his boy, there might be an easier time of it with the grooming.

:)

[TreasonousBastard]

13. Sebastion stopped hacking hairballs...

when he ate some plastic that blocked him up.

Since then the Petromalt, or other similar gunk, has worked, athough in the beginning he had to got to the vet when he got really backed up.

You realize the the stuff doesn't make them hack hairballs-- it greases them up to they can mix the hairballs with the poop when they take a kittydump.

If he still craps, he's OK.

[Not_Giving_Up]

14. Yeah, that's how he passed the last one

I swear, I think he won't hack it up because he thinks he's going to get in trouble for making a mess. Before he was fixed, he was spraying everywhere, and was punished for it.

[hyphenate]

16. Nutri-cal

It's available at your vet's as well as at a lot of pet stores. It's in a tube, and it's got malt in it, which cats love. It also has some petrolatum in it which eases the esophagus for coughing up those ugly hairballs. It's about $8 a tube. Also, come of the cat grass that you can find at the pet stores. Greens help facilitate the upchucking of hairballs as well. And it's natural too.

[hyphenate]

17. You might also find it

under the brand name of Petro-malt.

[hyphenate]

19. Since the tubed stuff

isn't working, get him some kitty grass. It works beautifully.

Here's a website with info:

http://www.westcoastcat.com/scratchins/hairballs.html

[Not_Giving_Up]

22. I took him outside today on his harness

He loves to munch the grass, I'm hoping that it helps.

[MsConduct]

29. Oil from canned tuna or sardines. And yes, daily brushing

even if he is short-haired. Good luck!