Cat advice

Sagz_2

Glad everything turned out ok Becci
x

Fire_Fox

SnowyOwl wrote: »

Is there confusion between hairball elimination and a coughing fit?

Furballs come from the stomach, not from the lungs! If your cat was coughing and wheezing that is from the lungs and she'd have held her head out flat. If your cat was trying to get rid of a hair ball through her mouth she'd make horrible sick noises - really exaggerated retching and she'd bend her back up and down with the effort. (It's alarming and not at all pleasant to watch I have to say.)

I'm guessing what it sounds and looks like depends on the cat, I've never heard or seen Noah do what you describe. This is written by a vet:

"If your cat has fur balls you may notice that it retches or coughs (retching can seem much like coughing but when a cat retches it tends to crouch low with its head extended and opens its mouth wide in an effort to vomit). The cat may manage to bring up some vomit which may consist of food or bile with or without hair or a hair ball."
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,26816.0.html

Fivefootsix

Hope your cat is okay now OP.
Just wondering, when you give the cats furball remedies, do they cough up the hairball or just it just disintegrate in other ways? Mine hasn't had one for a while so think I may be due one soon.

paddypaws101

You can get Catalax very cheaply from online vet pharmacies without prescription, and I have certainly bought it from my vet without a consultation ( obviously the cats are registered at the practice) Out of 4 cats only one of mine regularly has these 'coughing fits', he crouches down low and makes horrible hawking coughing noises. Luckily he rarely deposits anything interesting inside the house, but is is quite dramatic when it is happening.
However it sounds as if your cat is wheezing all the time, in which case I do think a vet visit is warranted asap

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

[Wonders about fancy medicines, as it had never occurred to me to try looking online]

I pay about 65p for a packet of malt treats at the local pet shop...

But then again, a similar human problem would lead to me eating 20p worth of dates/prunes rather than a fiver for fancy medication....

Becci

Paddypaws she did go to the vets yesterday the vet i saw was confident it was just a hairball her airways and chest is clear, i have some katalax coming tomorrow so will try that and if she is no better i will take her to the vets again! To all you that have had experience with katalax how long does it take for the cat to get rid of the hairball and is it pretty odvious when they do? thanks Becci

spike7451

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I'm guessing what it sounds and looks like depends on the cat, I've never heard or seen Noah do what you describe. This is written by a vet:

"If your cat has fur balls you may notice that it retches or coughs (retching can seem much like coughing but when a cat retches it tends to crouch low with its head extended and opens its mouth wide in an effort to vomit). The cat may manage to bring up some vomit which may consist of food or bile with or without hair or a hair ball."
http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,26816.0.html

I'd seen Orbit do it a few times & he'd bring to furry sick or a lump of fur,even felt it a few times when I got up in the morning & trod in it!..Daisy's done it once to my knowledge.

squiggle37

Glad yr cat is okay.

I gave Bisc katalax for a couple of days last week, didnt have any pewking in the house, i presume she did it outside but saying that she not been out much too cold for her, was expecting lots of number 2s in litter tray..nothing as yet, she is fine now tho.

Fire_Fox

Just been out and bought Defurrum treats for £1.90 and .... Noah will not eat them. I wouldn't mind, but I bought some Natures Menu treats and he won't eat those either, and he is greedy cat!!

Apricot

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Just been out and bought Defurrum treats for £1.90 and .... Noah will not eat them. I wouldn't mind, but I bought some Natures Menu treats and he won't eat those either, and he is greedy cat!!

:rotfl: Thats cats for you - they always do the opposite to what you would expect. Coco usually eats anything but he hates the natures menu treats too!