Why isn't my cat eating after a hairball? Is it an emergency?

Aw poor Simba! I'm sorry to hear he's sick! It would be a good idea to have him checked out by a veterinarian to ensure he does not have an intestinal obstruction, infection, or other cause of vomiting and decreased appetite. He may need injections to stop his vomitng and fluids to rehydrate him. I'm concerned that 4 days of not eating can cause serious illness in a cat so the sooner he sees a veterinarian the better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Simba is feeling better soon!

Poor guy. It sounds like Simba could very well have inflammatory bowel disease if he is vomiting this much. The next best step here though to ensure we have not missed anything is some baseline bloodwork (check organ function and clues) and an abdominal ultrasound to look at the intestines for signs of inflammation. If inflammatory bowel disease is the most likely cause, then Simba will need to go on a prescription diet for best results. Some good options to consider are: Royal Canin Hypoallergenic Hydrolyzed protein, Hlil's Z/D Ultra or Royal Canin Selected protein PR. A short course of steroids should also be considered to help calm things down. Here is more information on inflammatory bowel disease in cats and the treatment options in detail --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=7393377 Another possible causes here is a hairball obstruction, so it is important to get Simba to your vet for radiographs of his stomach and look into this possible cause. If a hairball trichobezoar (hairball mass) is the cause, then it may need surgical removal. If it is not a severe case then your vet likely will try some stool softeners and hairball formula to see if this can resolve the issue. I hope that Simba does well moving forward and that you get a handle on her frequent vomiting episodes. Best of luck and take care.

I'm so sorry that Simba is not going well. You didn't mention how long ago he might have ingested the soap. We will see mostly GI signs (vomiting and diarrhea) with most soap ingestions, but some soaps have ingredients that cause damage to the lining of the GI tract and can require much more intensive treatment. I would recommend contacting a poison control center with the exact ingredients in the soap and see if they can tell you how worried you need to be about the soap ingestion. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control Since Simba is a kitten, he needs to be taken to a vet right away if he isn't eating or drinking. Kittens can get dehydrated very quickly, which can be very dangerous. Good luck!

Hi there. Many things can cause our cats to vomit. If you have changed foods, if he eats wild game, ingestion of toxic substances, hair balls, obstruction, having a bladder blockage, etc. it is good that he is lethargic-make sure he is also eating well. You can try fasting him for around 12-24 hours and seeing if he is keeping water down. If he continues to vomit and seem very uncomfortable throughout this time, you probably need to have him seen so that it does not continue. He will probably need x rays and bloodwork to see exactly what's going on. My best to you and Simba! I hope this helps

If Lilly has gone more than 24 hours without eating, she should be seen by the vet. For regular maintenance use, if Lilly has a tendency to get upset stomach from hairballs I recommend using a hairball supplement such as this one: Remedies_SMRT-_-Product_Listing_Ads-_-Smart_Shopping&kpid=go_6526132049_75197113101_383951179912_pla-709770020843_c&utm_config=tad0iunwp&utm_campaign=PTC_P_SUP_PLA-GG_FY19_SBU04_Cat_Supplements Remedies_SMRT&utm_source=google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0aOl6aeR6AIVSrzACh2xjgDAEAQYAiABEgLvL_D_BwE I also recommend brushing Lilly daily so she ingests less hair.

It sounds like poor Samba isn't feeling well, and he has to see a vet immediately. When a cat doesn't eat going on 72 hours, they develop a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. This absolutely needs to be avoided, which is why he has to see a vet right away. Anorexia is a very general sign of illness, and it could be caused by many things such as dental problems, GI obstruction, systemic illness, kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, infection, injury, or cancer for example. The vet can diagnose what is causing the anorexia and can treat him for it. Please take him into a vet now. I hope this helps, good luck!

It's actually very serious when a cat won't eat. If they go long enough without eating, they will develop a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment. You need to take Tabitha into a vet now to diagnose what is causing her symptoms.