[Misty]

I'm a first time owner and I'm a little concerned about my kitten. He takes moments when he's trying to cough up a hairball (sounds like a little bark). My husband (lived with a cat before) asures me this is ok and he'll get rid of it when he's ready. How often do cat's bring up hairballs? He's an indoor cat and I've never found one. I'm worried he's having difficulty. Any advice would be great.
P.S. I'm considering another vet as the last one had two vets who kept giving totally different advice so haven't asked them about hairball.

 

[Tae]

Try vaseline.

Mine loves to lick vaseline off my fingers, but I've been told that some cats won't do it unless you put it on their front paws. Just a little dab will work great. Don't overdo it, or your cat might get annoyed. A tiny "snack" of vaseline every morning or evening should be fine, but I've found with my cat every few days is enough.

 

[stormy]

i buy hairball remedy for my cats, it comes in a squeeze tube.
some brands call it cat laxative. but it does help them get rid of their hairballs.

 

[drjean]

hairballs

If the coughing persists without ever bringing up a hairball, it could be asthma. However, I agree with trying Vaseline or one of the hairball products (which are mostly just flavored Vaseline) and see if that doesn't fix the problem!

Cheers,
Dr. Jean