Expert: Ali - 12/12/2008

Question
My cat vomits at least once a week,and there is alot of hair in it,but i use hairball formula catfod and treats but she still vomits she also washes herself constantly   what could this be?

Answer
Lisa,

It sounds to me like you are likely seeing normal grooming habits in your cat, your kitty just happens to get fur balls a bit more frequently than other cats. To remedy this situation I would suggest that you make time to groom your cat daily with a de-shedding tool. I use one made by Bamboo, I found it in a local pet supply store for approximately $15 CAN. Do be careful when using the de-shedding tool because you can cause painful burns on your cat's skin if you press this tool too hard against her skin. I would expect that between a single long grooming session or several short ones that last around 30 minutes each day your cat should be vomiting less frequently. Not all cats are used to being groomed on a daily basis so it may take some time and patience to get your kitty comfortable with this new routine. You can work up to longer sessions by starting out with several 5 minute sessions each day. It's very important to keep the atmosphere as positive as possible so that your cat is eager to be brushed, you can accomplish this by feeding small treats, petting your cat, and of course praising her for being patient. Grooming shouldn't be a negative experience this will only make your cat anxious and that means that it will take longer for her to be calm and accept regular groomings. Talk to your cat, praise her for doing a good job at being still. You will find that your cat begins to enjoy grooming if you introduce it gently and during the time that you brush your kitty you can talk with her and use this quiet time to strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend. When you are finished brushing your cat you can make a point of playing with your cat using her favorite toy if she is a playful girl. You know your cat's personality and preferences better than I do, you'll know what works.

Adding a bit of fiber to your cat's diet could also help to make her fur balls less frequent. You can give your cat about a tablespoon of canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, this usually comes in large cans so I would recommend greasing your ice cube tray and freezing the rest in portion sized cubes) daily. You could also try other veggies chopped finely such as lettuce, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes or squash. Be sure to steam spinach and broccoli lightly and allow it to cool before serving it to your cat. Veggies like sweet potatoes or squash should be completely cooked and mashed before your cat gets any. I would strongly recommend that you not allow your cat to have anything that contains garlic or onions - they have been known to cause health problems in some cats. If you have a green thumb you could also grow cat grass in your house and allow your cat to have access to it as frequently as she needs to. You can give your cat commercially produced remedies for hair balls if you like, these products tend to have a petroleum jelly base and if your cat isn't fond of hair ball remedy then you can give her a small amount of unscented vaseline, around a teaspoon should suffice. My cats prefer about a teaspoon or two of margarine or butter, it usually does the trick in my household.