My cat won't eat after hairball. When should I worry and see a vet?

Hi and thanks for posting! Hard stool can certainly be an indication of constipation and while a hairball formula can help, you can also try a higher fiber diet (one that is formulated for hairball control) or just give a few teaspoons of plain canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) in her food which can help. However, if she is not eating and is acting lethargic, you may want to take her in to see a veterinarian to get checked out. Sometimes underlying health conditions such as liver or kidney disease or certain endocrine problems like diabetes can cause dehydration and can lead to harder stools and episodes of constipation as well as decreased appetite and lethargy. Certainly worth a veterinary visit if the hairball cream doesn't seem to be making a difference in her appetite or energy level. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lilly. A longhaired cat should only produce 3-4 hairballs per year. Any more than that is considered abnormal. If her initial blood panel came back normal, I typically recommend a secondary panel that checks for pancreatitis, a disease known as pancreatic exocrine insufficiency as well as cobalamin and folate levels. This can reveal the cause of the vomiting or give some treatment options for her. Inflammatory bowel disease is common cause of chronic vomiting. This will typically result in a low cobalamin levels. It can not be diagnosed without intestinal biopsies, but those are very invasive. An abdominal ultrasound can give a lot of information and rule out other causes of vomiting. If I suspect this to be the case, I will treat the patient with a prescription hydrolyzed diet to help decrease inflammation and sometimes medication as well. I hope this information helps!

Poor Simba! There are many things that can cause cats to stop eating, so I wouldn't necessarily assume this is due to a hairball. Simba could have a GI problem like pancreatitis or an intestinal obstruction, a systemic illness such as liver or kidney disease, or may have ingested something toxic. If he hasn't been eating since Tuesday, this is very concerning and warrants an immediate vet visit. If your regular veterinarian isn't open, then I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic today to be seen. The veterinarian there can do blood work and x-rays if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what kind of treatment is needed.

Thanks for the images. It doesn't appear to be blood. Blood in vomitus is usually much darker. That appears to be a mix of chewed or partially digested food, bile and hair. Monitor for continued vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite. These are symptoms that should be addressed by your veterinarian. Consider a short fast, maybe 12 hours, then offer a bland diet in small, frequent amounts for a day or two. Transition slowly to the regular diet afterwards. If Luna will allow, increase brushing or grooming to decrease the amount of hair ingested. You can also use Laxatone or PetroMalt paste to help her pass hairballs.Find either in the local Petco.

I'm sorry Snowdrop is so sick! You did the right thing by taking her into the vet. I would not give her a laxative without speaking to her vet first. Without seeing her in person, I can't say if it's safe to do or not. Give her vet a call. It may be a hairball, and I do hope she feels better soon!

I strongly recommend getting your cat seen by your vet right away. Lethargy is a worrying sign after such an incident and she must continue to eat or she can develop liver disease in a matter of days. There may be more hair that cannot get back out or that may be causing an intestinal blockage. If this is the case, without treatment it can be life-threatening. Your vet will do an exam, x-rays, possibly lab work, and base don these results will be better able to tell you what is wrong and how best to treat it.

HI, first you it’s important to make sure that you ar dealing with a fur ball and nothing else. Once this has been established, you might need to try to give her lactulose by mouth at regular intervals to promote her going to the toilet. If this is also failing in 2 days time maximum, it might be that Tiny requires a surgery. Hope this helps !