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One of the most common complaints of feline guardians is why their cats vomit. Depending upon the grooming practices of a particular cat, numerous cats may develop accumulation of hair in the stomach leading to the vomiting of hairballs. While many healthy cats dissolve ingested hair, other cats have problems breaking down the hair thus leading to enhanced vomiting. The problem in these cats is believed to be due to a contraction issue of the stomach wall of affected cats.
While the occasional hairball is nothing to be concerned about, if vomiting of hair increases, or a cat chronically vomits food or yellow bile, or exhibits an acute intense flare-up of symptoms accompanied by loss of appetite and energy, than a veterinary workup is recommended. This workup may include X-rays for detection of any potential obstructions, stool checks for parasites, and blood work to guideline out metabolic problems of the liver, kidneys or pancreas. If needed even more imaging such as ultrasound or endoscopy can be done in those cats who do not respond to supportive or symptomatic treatment. In terms of hairball prevention and treatment, there are numerous commercial products available such as Laxatone, Lax’aire or Petromalt to name a few.
While these can be potentially helpful, I find that the high sugar content of these products makes them less desirable for me to recommend their frequent use. In numerous cases I will have clients use a teaspoon of olive oil mixed in with the food once daily for one week then a few times weekly after that in treating and avoiding hairballs. I also find that slippery elm preparations and probiotics can soothe an inflamed stomach or digestive tract in helping as well. in some cases prescription medications such as Metoclopromide or Reglan can be helpful in managing chronic hair balls but it is essential to guideline out some of the above chronic illnesses first with a full veterinary workup.