Expert: Kate Tilmouth - 8/12/2009

Question
I can't get my cat into the vet for 24+ hours. I am worried sick. Please help us. Any information, suggestions or advice you can give me will be greatly, greatly, appreciated, I love "Sammy" like a son.
He's never been ill a day in his life. He will be 8yrs old in one week. He is normally very healthy, he is not overweight, I feed him a good diet with no table food except cooked plain chicken for a treat.  He is an indoor cat but does play outside (weather permitting) on a daily basis. But, I always have him leashed and in my yard when playing outdoors.  He's always eating grass, which I thought was okay, since he was a kitten.
Anyway... He has been vomiting for approx. 1 week. It's a yellow liquid that looks like it contains some type of fiber. (Resembles carpet fiber.) (I thought it was my roommates dog until I actually saw Sammy vomit 3 days ago.) He hasn't been eating, this is the third day. I don't know if he is drinking water because he will only drink cold water from the bathroom dripping tap... He is using his litterbox (I scoop it every night). Last night it looked like he only urinated in it, I saw no feces.
(I did check his feces for worms and found nothing.) He's lethargic and quiet.  Barely moving around the house, he is usually very active and vocal. Also, the few times I picked him up he lets out a terrible (I'm in pain) meow when I am touching his stomach.
My neighbor said it sounds like a hairball, and suggested I give him cod liver oil.  I have NOT done this.
Please help us.  If it won't be inconvenient for you, please call me (COLLECT IS FINE) at , or email me as soon as you can.  I am so worried, I love him so much. It's killing me to see him this way and feel so helpless.  Please help us. Thank-you so much.

Respectfully Submitted,

Debbie Gagnon
11 Golfview Ct.
North Liberty, IA  52317  

Answer
Hi Debbie
the symptoms does sound like a hairball problem. Often a clear liquid is vomited as they try to shift the hairball and the fibres could be some of the hair. Also often grass eating is a sign that the cat wants to make itself sick, again a sign of a hairball.

Normally hairballs can be shifted by the cat after a few days but there are times that they need help from a vet if the hair is too large to be able to be vomited up.

having said all of this, this is only a layman's opinion and the vets visit will be able to confirm the true cause of the vomiting etc.

Please don't worry too much, i know its hard but cats are very tough little guys.

See the vet and take it from there. If it is a hairball the vet will be able to advise as to how to treat it, also you can try to prevent it happening again by regular grooming of your cat to stop too much fur being digested.

i have a web page about cat hairballs which you may find of further interest here

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/hairballs.html

best wishes Kate
http;//www.our-happy-cat.com