If possible, try to obtain a video of your cat’s hacking to bring with you to your visit. Cats who are hacking without producing any material may mistakenly be thought to have hairballs, but could actually have a cough and underlying respiratory disease, like feline asthma.įamilies should seek veterinary care if their cat is experiencing unproductive hacking. What should you do if you find your pet is exhibiting signs of having a hairball?įirst, pet parents should be sure that their cat is truly experiencing a hairball. Some cats will also respond well to over-the-counter diets marketed for hairball prevention or petroleum-based supplements designed to help hair move through the GI tract more readily. Long-haired cats may especially benefit from this. Helping cats groom with regular brushing or routine visits to a professional groomer can decrease hairballs for otherwise healthy cats. For some cats, this means that we need to treat an underlying condition that is causing overgrooming, such as itchy skin, or causing gastrointestinal symptoms, for example, inflammatory bowel disease. Hairballs usually occur either because cats are ingesting an excessive amount of hair or because their gastrointestinal tract is not moving hair through the body normally. This can cause severe illness and typically requires endoscopic or surgical intervention. But on rare occasions, hairballs may migrate from the stomach into the small intestines and cause gastrointestinal obstruction. Hairballs in otherwise healthy cats pose limited risks.
#CAT SOUNDS LIKE COUGHING SKIN#
We should pay attention to hairballs because they can be signs of other illnesses like skin or gastrointestinal diseases. Why is it important to prevent hairballs? What problems can they cause? In light of the annual awareness initiative, Juliet Caviness DVM’17, a Primary Care clinician and clinical instructor at UW Veterinary Care, answered some questions to clear up misconceptions. The definition seems simple enough, but hairballs can get a lot more complicated.
#CAT SOUNDS LIKE COUGHING HOW TO#
National Hairball Awareness Day, on April 29, aims to educate pet parents on how to prevent hairballs and ensure their animal’s health and happiness.Ī hairball is a collection of hair or fur that gathers in the stomach, often in a cylinder shape. Commonly a problem for cats, rabbits and even cattle, hairballs may be a symptom of more significant illnesses or cause issues themselves. Though famous felines from Garfield to Puss in Boots get them, hairballs are no joke.
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