cat vomiting

Question
I have a male tabby cat who is about 8 years old. In June he was vomiting anything, including water. I took him to the vet and they found he had a blockage in his intestine of hair blocking any food or water from passing. He went through quite a lot, having lost weight, dehydrated and having surgery to remove the hair. He vomited a couple days ago. Last night he was vomiting very frequently. He'd eaten some dry cat food earlier in the evening--last I saw him try to eat. In the middle of the night it was just watery vomit. If he is building up another hairball, is there something I can try giving him to pass it through his system? I can't put him through the trauma of surgery again--and it was very expensive. If you have any ideas I'd appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible. He's still looking healthy, but sad. Thank you.

Answer
Hi Liz,

You can give him a lubricant laxative like Laxatone or Petromalt to see if a hairball may be the issue. These are petrolatum-based hairball treatments that work by coating the digestive tract and anything in it with a slippery film. It should help things move along through the gastrointestinal tract easily, provided there is no actual obstruction already beginning to form. You can buy these products at most pet stores. I would start with a heavy dose. Typically, this is going to be around a teaspoon on the first day. If it causes diarrhea, skip treatment until it resolves, and go with a more modest dose for maintenance.

I would really recommend having him diagnosed by a vet, however. Not all vomiting is caused by obstructions, and it may be possible he's suffering a viral, bacterial or protozoan infection. Medications against nausea and some against the germs themselves can help with these. But he might require a dose of fluids under the skin (very quick in the office, unlike being hooked up to an IV) to help relieve dehydration.

As your cat is getting a bit older, the vet might suggest blood work, especially if his kidneys feel small, his skin or eyes show jaundice or he does not respond to other treatments. Vomiting can be common with kidney failure and sometimes liver disease. Many times, you will notice a slow wasting of body condition with these diseases before the cat stops eating, though.

Good luck!
Jessica