| Paw Colors | Points |
|---|---|
| Grey | 0-49 |
| Red | 50-149 |
| Orange | 150-299 |
| Green | 300-599 |
| Magenta | 600-1499 |
| Purple | 1500-4999 |
| Blue | 5000-9999 |
| Brown | 10000-24999 |
| Black | 25000+ |
Passing hair(balls) through the digestive track?
I have a domestic longhair. Lately I have noticed more and more hair being passed through her digestive track. It is actually part of her feces.
I know some cats cough up their hairballs. In our three years together, she has only ever coughed up a handful.
Is it normal and/or safe for her to be actually passing the hair she ingests??
Thank you for any help you can offer!
Keywords: digestion, hair in digestive track, hair in feces, hairballs, longhair
Answers to this question
2 Answers
1
i also have a domestic long hair and he rarely coughs up hairballs but he definitly passes them…i dont think its a problem hes been doing that for the past six years and never had any issues…but if u find out that it is bad let me know!
1
As we all know, cats are very clean animals. So clean that they lick their fur and bodies to rid themselves of dirt and loose hair. When a cat grooms hair passes through the gastrointestinal tract and exits in the cat’s feces. However, this hair can get lodged in the stomach or intestine where larger clumps of hair can build up. Generally this does not cause a problem and the cat will pass the hairball in its stool or vomit. If the hairball is not passed normally the hairball can actually create a blockage and cause a variety of problems including blockage of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine or colon. If not treated these problems can become serious. In severe cases surgery may be necessitated to remove the blockage. If you suspect your cat is having trouble passing a hairball consult your vet.
Symptoms to look for:
· Coughing
· Vomiting
· Weight loss or decreased appetite (if the hairball isn’t passed)
Treatment:
Most hairballs pass normally. If your cat is having trouble with a hairball consult your vet. Generally feeding your cat a bit of catnip, a bit of cat grass, fiber or a vet-approved laxative (usually petroleum based) will be enough to help your cat remove a hairball. However in more extreme cases surgery may be needed to remove the hairball. Also note that other illnesses which cause vomiting are often mistaken for a hairball problem. When a cat vomits, any hair which is already in the stomach will be expunged. This sometimes leads owners to think the vomiting is *just* from a hairball. If your cat has persistent vomiting or vomits often consult your vet, there may be another cause.
Source Link: http://www.petstyle.com/cat/health_well_article.aspx?id=1990§ion=Cat%20Health%20and%20Wellness
Comments to Answer
0
Thank you so much for this!! I do give her Laxatone occasionally, per doc's instructions... but she absolutely hates it and never ingests a full "dose". I will add some more catnip to her diet - I didn't even think of that as a natural fiber "laxative"! Thanks again!!
0
You're welcome. Another thought is to get some food for hairball relief.
0
Actually I do feed her a "dental health" prescription food from Royal Canin (I mix it with the regular skin care blend) - and I believe it has some element of hairball treatment! Maybe that, and the laxatone, are why she is successfully passing them. It's just... a little gross to see. :)
0
When we give our cat lactulose (which she hates) we add a little tuna juice or watered down cat food in a syringe. It makes it much more desirable!
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