What causes a cat to throw up hairballs?
Hairballs: the scientific name for a hairball is a trichobezoar. It is caused by the ingestion of hair during grooming and is more common in longhaired cats. The cat will often vomit up the hairball, but the gastrointestinal obstruction can lead to concurrent diarrhea.
When does a cat vomiting need veterinary attention?
Occasional vomiting may be caused by: Cats often ingest hair while grooming. If it forms into clumps it may irritate the stomach, eventually being vomited up. If your cat vomits hairballs frequently your vet may suggest treatments or diets to reduce hair build-up and grooming your cat regularly to reduce the volume of hair ingested.
What’s the difference between cat poop and hairballs?
Hairballs are the same size and shape as poop. It’s easy for a new cat owner to mistake the two. Hairballs, however, have a different texture and color. If you were to try to “separate” your cat’s stool, it wouldn’t separate.
What does it look like when a cat vomits?
Cats vomit foam when the stomach and upper intestines are empty. A combination of bile and mucous give the vomit a foamy appearance. When you think about “normal” cat vomit, you probably envision something that looks more or less like undigested food.
How to treat a vomiting cat with a hairball?
1 Check your cat for pale or cold gums, listlessness, diarrhea, fever, or other unusual symptoms. 2 If possible, locate the food or item that caused the vomiting. 3 Remove food from trays for about 12 hours, but continue to provide water. 4 If the cat stops vomiting, try offering a teaspoon of his usual food.
When to take your cat to the vet for hairballs?
Most cats vomit 1-2 hairballs each month, with long-haired cats or those that groom excessively having hairballs more often. Very frequent hairballs or vomiting without hairballs could be signs of additional digestive trouble, including cancer, and pet owners should take their cats to the vet to be sure there are no underlying problems.
Occasional vomiting may be caused by: Cats often ingest hair while grooming. If it forms into clumps it may irritate the stomach, eventually being vomited up. If your cat vomits hairballs frequently your vet may suggest treatments or diets to reduce hair build-up and grooming your cat regularly to reduce the volume of hair ingested.
Is it normal for cats to vomit clear liquid?
Commonly, cats will vomit up clear liquid prior to a hairball. Although, a cat vomiting up clear liquid with a hairball occasionally can be normal and not a concern, it is important to note that hairballs should not be frequent, painful, or difficult for your cat to pass.