Hairball - size of index finger...help please

Sabrina just throw up a really large hair ball (size of my index finger - length and width). While she was trying to do so she looked like she was choking or something, her abdomen contracts a few times, tongue hanging out and eyes open wide. I am already feeding her Science Diet Hairball formula and brushing her once a day. What else can I do? I was so scared she was going to die....please help...

How long has she been on the Science Diet Hairball Formula? How often does she throw up a hairball? She is a long haired cat--correct?

All I can say from my own personal experience is that sometimes when a cat is coughing up a hairball it can look really bad but I have never heard of a cat becoming quite ill or choking to death on a hairball. You can get a hairball remedy from your veterinarian to help out the situation.

Sabrina is a short hair cat but she grooms herself a lot. I have been giving her Science Diet hairball formula ever since I adopted her, so about 8 months now. However, I have been mixing sensitive skin and oral formula in her diet (much less fiber in these two kinds, about half of the hairball formula). Could this be the reason causing the huge hairball? I am going back to pure hairball formula today hoping it will help her better. I tried to feed her malt taste hairball remedy but she doesn't like. Are there any other kind? Thanks again. She is also snoring now...why is that?

How are you feeding her the hairball remedy? My cats don't like it either but if you put it on their paw they *should* lick it off... especially if they're obsessive groomers.

Placing about 1/2 to 1 inch on the paw works well for me too.
I do recommend mushing it into the paw hair though since if you just leave it on top of the paw the cat will probably whip it off.

I know it looks godawful and pitiful to see them "hork" one up, but don't be scared. This the normal way for them to get up that hair especially if they are meticulous groomers. The size of it seemed normal (index finger) as well.

Have you just switched to Science Diet hairball?? Incidently, my cat had an increase of hairballs with tthat food too.(coincidence?-don't know) but I thik some foods increase the ammount of hairballs, especially initially, and some foods encourage that the hair travels more smoothly the intestinal tract and comes out the other end. I'm not a vet, just a cat owner who's tried a lot of foods for that specific problem. Have you tried Nutro's?? I also would try a little (tsp?) of Vaseline mixed with soy lecithin--a great emulsifier.I get the capsules and just break one, that way it stays cleaner, and mor hygenic(sp?) The soy is great for their coats as well and the Vaseline just makes it easier to take--plus my wierdo Frankie wouldn't take it without the Vaseline.... :rolleyes:

Ya, I have four here and I would say the 'index finger' size is about the norm. I have seen larger and smaller as well. I try to give them hairball remedy about once every two weeks, but with all this fur around here they do have one from time to time. And ya I know what you mean about the panick... I know that when I lived at my mom's I'd be in a dead sleep and if Cordelia started horkin one up down in the dining room, I'd shoot out of bed and down the stairs. :rolleyes: Sometimes they really look like they have a hard time getting it out, but as long as a hairball comes out you have nothing to worry about, that's all quite normal. It's when they are making that noise and no hairball comes out that you have to worry (Buddy was like that and it was a very severe throat infection).

Usually mine show a few warning signs about a day to a few hours before... they start to eat a bit less, have smaller or no bowel movements, and may throw up a little saliva too. When they start that I give them an extra dose of the hairball remedy and sometimes it works, sometimes not. But it is good to know that I need to start keeping an eye out for the furball, instead of stepping on one during my mid-night potty run! :yuck:

I have a DMH.Casper would hork up a hairball at times.But I have noticed that when I switched him to Performatrin Ultra,he has not horked one up.And he is a shedder.He has very soft fur.More like angora.As for the hairball remedy,what you can do is put some on your finger and actually put it in the cats mouth.I had to do that to my previous cat who hated the stuff.