Hair balls, or something more?

lickcreek · #1 01/07/09, 08:31 AM

We have a new to us pair of half grown kittens. This week, of them started "hacking" like it was trying to cough up a hair ball. I noticed a couple days ago that her purring is louder and rougher/rattlier than it was before, and her eyes seem to be a bit watery, although not running or dripping, and I don't see any matting of the eyes, and no runny nose.

Could she have something caught in her throat? Is there any home remedy I can give her to help her if it is a hair ball or cold? We cannot afford a vet bill right now, and I would like to help her. She is a great mouser.

I am new to the "pet" forum, but I tried googling her symptoms, and got way more info that did not pertain to her than was helpful. So I decided to ask here, since I've gleaned so much knowledge from the collective wisdom on other boards here, I was sure someone here could answer my question more directly. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Ardie/WI · #2 01/07/09, 09:53 AM

Is she pooping, urinating, drinking water and eating?

GoldenMom · #3 01/07/09, 09:53 AM

Could easily be an upper respiratory infection. Have the kittens been vaccinated? If it is an upper resp. than it's most likely viral and needs to run it's course (like us with a cold). They will need to go to the vet though if they get lethargic, stop eating, or get yucky snotty noses.

If it's a hairball, you can buy a hairball remedy over the counter at pretty much any store that sells pet supplies (including Wal-Mart, etc). Don't be stingy on dosing! You need to get a good amount down them (like the length of your index finger). A little dab on their paws is not enough. Do this once or twice a day for at least 3-5 days to see a difference. The great thing is that even if it's not a hairball, the remedy won't hurt them so it's definitely worth a try!

lickcreek · #4 01/07/09, 02:18 PM

Sorry I didn't answer your questions sooner. She seems fine in all other aspects. She's definitely eating, playing and pouncing with her sibling. By all other indications, at least so far, she seems fine.

Maybe I'll look into some hairball remedy, to see if this helps. I feel so sorry for her when she starts hacking. Especially if it won't hurt if it's not the answer. Is it hard to get down them?

Also forgot to mention, we have been doing some remodeling, and DH had the saw set up on the porch. There was a lot of sawdust for a while, and since we started this before Thanksgiving, and have had it cleaned up for a couple of weeks, it didn't occur to me to ask if she might have had an effect on her?

Ardie/WI · #5 01/07/09, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lickcreek

Sorry I didn't answer your questions sooner. She seems fine in all other aspects. She's definitely eating, playing and pouncing with her sibling. By all other indications, at least so far, she seems fine.

Maybe I'll look into some hairball remedy, to see if this helps. I feel so sorry for her when she starts hacking. Especially if it won't hurt if it's not the answer. Is it hard to get down them?

Also forgot to mention, we have been doing some remodeling, and DH had the saw set up on the porch. There was a lot of sawdust for a while, and since we started this before Thanksgiving, and have had it cleaned up for a couple of weeks, it didn't occur to me to ask if she might have had an effect on her?

Maybe she is allergic to the sawdust.

Yes, by all means, get the hairball stuff. We use it three times a week on our inside cats.

GoldenMom · #6 01/07/09, 05:04 PM

Some cats are great to give the hairball remedy to. They will lick it directly out of the tube! Others (like mine) are sure it's medicine and I put it in a syringe and squirt it down. Otherwise you can put a little bit on the tip of your finger and scrape it off behind their front teeth (you'll need to do this several times to get enough medicine in).

jennigrey · #7 01/07/09, 10:03 PM

Is it hacking or is it more like wheezing? Our indoor Siamese has kitty asthma. When she has an attack, she gets in the "hairball" position but makes a sharp exhalation that sounds wheezy. It's like invisible hands are compressing her abruptly like a dog squeeky toy. Her eyes water when she is having an asthmatic kind of day.

I think one of our outdoor barn kitties has asthma also. She, however, does have a noisy rough burbling purr in addition to the wheezing. I have put her through a round of antibiotics that did nothing. She's occasionally slightly snotty, but it's mostly clear snot.

lickcreek · #8 01/08/09, 09:34 AM

Thank you all for your input! I got some hairball remedy on the way home last night, and DD gave her her first dose last evening. She is not excited about it, so I appreciate the suggestions for getting it down her. We will see if this helps before moving on to more expensive options. So far, she seems fine other than the "hairball/hacking attacks", slightly watery eyes, and the "rough, burling purr" (thanks jennigrey, that explains it quite well!) We will soon be done with the remodeling that will require dust/sawdust on the porch, and maybe that will also help clear things up.

We did notice last night that she want to be petted, but seems to "duck" under your hand when you try to rub her along the back from head to tail, almost like she doesn't want you to put any pressure on her. But after a few moments, she is back to normal, allowing you to "rub" on her. I don't know if this has anything to do with her other problems.

Again, thank you all so much for your suggestions.