Question:
I have an orange and white, neutered male Tabby cat around 2-1/2 years old. I don't know his exact age, as I found him abandoned. I guessed his age at that time to be about 5 to 6 weeks old.He makes terrible guttural sounds as though he is trying to bring up a hairball. My veterinarian prescribed Laxatone, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all. I'm afraid that hairballs might be collecting in his stomach and might cause internal problems. I'm desperate with worry, so can you please help me?.
P.A., Aventura, FL Feb 12, 2006
Answer:
Even just a little fur in the esophagus or at the back of the cat's throat can trigger the gag reflex. Large furballs in the stomach don't cause this problem; instead, the cat loses condition and regurgitates food that the stomach cannot accommodate. Cats also regurgitate when they have a hypersensitivity to certain foods and when they have other health problems.An X-ray and manual palpitation of your cat's abdomen can allay your fears of a large accumulation of fur in his stomach, which might have to be removed surgically.My guess is that your cat has simply swallowed a bit of fur, and a regular grooming and 1 teaspoon of olive oil daily in his food should help correct the problem. Adding some natural roughage to his diet, such as chopped wheat grass or alfalfa sprouts, will help him pass the furballs through his digestive system. Stomach furballs are common in cats that groom excessively, a behavior indicative of a variety of health problems rather than being purely psychological, especially in cases of hy
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