Author Topic: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?  (Read 5011 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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All three are shedding heavily. Jennie gets combed and brushed a lot, she loves it and has a brushing ritual at bed time with what used to be my boar's hair bristle brush I bought when I had long hair. Queen Eva gets combed every time I am in the bathroom... erm..sitting down, she has a little ritual of getting combed, and lots of fur is in the comb. Since I drink a lot of water, she gets lots of combings when I am home.

Mazy only allows combing when she is very relaxed on my chest, when I lie down to read on the couch. At that usually no more than five or six strokes of the comb at a time.  But it's better than nothing.

 Queen Eva even had a hairball day last week (twice in 24 hours puking up fur, once with food and once without).  I think in all her life she's only brought up one other, and that was years ago.

Jennie doesn't bring them up at all, usually, with a very rare exception.

I've increased Mazy's nightly vet's-best from one fourth to a half tablet (she gets it with her middle of the night meal). I started that a few days ago and she's pooping more, sometimes, twice a day, and the bulk of it is fur.  Her regurgitation pattern  is every 7-10 days now, instead of every 10-14 days. Last one there was fur in it (unusual) which is when I increased her V-B.

I have also increased Jennie and Queen Eva from 1/2 capsule of Egg Yolk Lecithin every other morning, to 1/2 capsule every morning.

Offline Pookie

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2015, 12:45:24 PM »
I'm still combing Pookie each night, but he never liked it so I never got more than a few strokes.  Now, it depends on how he's feeling -- it may be a few very light strokes, which don't get much fur, or he may let me go longer.  I am still adding the egg yolk lecithin to his food, but he's not always eating all of his food.  He gets 1 capsule twice a day.  But he has had a couple of small hairballs this past week, including last night, which also had blood.   :(  I don't know what else to do.
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Offline Lola

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2015, 10:30:37 AM »
With the cats, shedding seems to have only increased a small amount.  Lacy Dog... massive shedding going on! 
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2015, 06:19:17 AM »
Mazy cat is still really struggling with ingested fur. She can't pass it quickly enough (because of poor motility) and she can't bring it up on it's own, for some reason, she has to wait until she eats, then bring up the food and the fur.  It's stressful for both of us, but I don't know what else to do.  She's already getting the EYL twice a day (full capsules) and 1/2 to 1 whole Vet's-Best daily.

I am reluctant to increase the V-B any more because of the psyllium, it makes such large stool.

Queen Eva has responded favorably to the increase of the EYL from every other day to every day (1/2 capsule).  No more fur coming up for her. Jennie never had any problems, but she is getting the EYL half capsule daily also.

I feel so bad for Mazy cat.

Offline Pookie

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2015, 03:14:42 PM »
grouphug

I'm so sorry.  I wish I could think of something that would help, but the only thing that comes to mind is adding a touch of plain psyllium to her food, and it sounds like that would increase her stool even more.   :(
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2015, 05:10:47 AM »
You've helped Mazy cat more than I can every express already.  Yeah, I don't want to up the psyllium even further. Plus, you know it's a motility problem with her, and I am starting to wonder if the pysllium may slow things down even more.  Sort of double edged sword there.

I wonder if I can get marshmallow by itself and just give her the SEB and marshmallow.  Of course those are mucilage/anti-inflammatory rather than helping with hairballs.

I don't know I guess we just have to suffer through it, but it's hard on both of us..

Offline DeeDee

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2015, 10:46:45 AM »
YYeah, I don't want to up the psyllium even further. Plus, you know it's a motility problem with her, and I am starting to wonder if the pysllium may slow things down even more.



Have you ever taken Metamucil? (That's the only things doctors will suggest when you're pregnant.) Try drinking it every day for a week and see what happens to you. That might better help you decide about what you want to do with her. Truthfully, all it's doing is keeping it glued together IF the hair makes it to her intestines.


I wonder if I can get marshmallow by itself and just give her the SEB and marshmallow.  Of course those are mucilage/anti-inflammatory rather than helping with hairballs.


They even sell it by the pound and in liquid form: http://www.vitacost.com/productResults.aspx?NttSR=1&ss=1&ddlCategories=0&ntk=products&N=1006689&Ntt=marshmallow

Edit: Thought of something. If cats with bad motility have problems with Psyllium, what about giving them Benefiber instead? I'm not sure what wheat dextrin is though, so that might not be a good alternative. http://www.benefiber.com/fiber-faqs/
« Last Edit: April 30, 2015, 11:26:26 AM by DeeDee »
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Offline Pookie

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2015, 09:25:45 PM »
I wonder if I can get marshmallow by itself and just give her the SEB and marshmallow.  Of course those are mucilage/anti-inflammatory rather than helping with hairballs.

That's not a bad idea.  If added fiber isn't helping to move things along, then maybe she does need more "lubrication."  I wouldn't be surprised if you can get marshmallow by itself at a health food store.  It might be worth a try.   fingerscrossed

grouphug to you and Mazy Cat
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Offline Lola

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2015, 01:18:53 PM »
Is Miralax an option to help "push" the fur through faster?
« Last Edit: May 01, 2015, 01:20:28 PM by Lola »
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Offline Pookie

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2015, 05:09:27 PM »
Is Miralax an option to help "push" the fur through faster?

I checked my "Natural Remedies" for cats book, and it is mentioned as an option, but does MC want Mazy to have that much fiber in addition to the Vet's Best?
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Offline Pookie

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2015, 01:47:25 PM »
How's Mazy doing?  Did you decide to give the marshmallow or increase that and the SEB?
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Offline Lola

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Re: How is hairball season going and what are you doing to combat it?
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2015, 10:57:19 PM »
Yeah, where is our update?!  ;)
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