Hairballs?

Hairballs are overrated as a problem in cats.  A true hairball is hair wrapped in saliva and requires no treatment.  Hairballs almost never cause illness in pet cats. 

On the other hand we should see your cat if she vomits frequently - whatever the vomitus is! If she is turning her nose up at her dinner or hiding then we should see her as soon as possible. Normal cats eat several times a day so even a single day of poor appetite is significant.

If she vomits a lot but doesn’t feel poorly she may still have a problem. Some cats are very sensitive to specific proteins like chicken, beef or lamb. A change to a diet free of the common proteins that cause hypersensitivity or to one that is specially treated to reduce reactions often helps these cats.

Often the only sign of inflammatory bowel disease or cancers of the bowel is frequent vomiting. Eventually affected cats lose weight or stop eating, but this is when the disease is well advanced. If a cat does not respond within a few weeks to a change of diet as mentioned above then we investigate more closely.  

Friends for Life

The American Association of Feline Practitioners has released a fabulous new brochure for owners of older cats.  It covers signs of aging, nutrition, disease, dental care, in fact all of the issues we've been grappling with here!  Download and enjoy!!

Friends for Life brochure

Surprising seniors!

Our cats are living longer lives than ever before because of desexing, better diet and improved health care. Many of Hall Veterinary Surgery’s feline patients live well into their teens and your cat could too.

Cats are very good at hiding illness and discomfort. It is easy to overlook subtle changes in appetite and behaviour. Changes in bodyweight are often the first sign of disease. Regular examinations of the mouth, joints and eyes pick up some signs of disease. Increased blood pressure warns of kidney or thyroid disease. Many serious health problems in cats are only picked up with blood and urine tests.
Diseases commonly seen in older cats include arthritis, dental disease, kidney insufficiency, hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus and bowel disease. Often cats have several of them at a time. If we detect problems early and manage them appropriately then our feline friends can enjoy longer, happier and more comfortable lives.
The key to detecting and managing most of these diseases is regular monitoring of body weight, body condition and blood pressure. Urine and blood tests are important in kidney and thyroid disease while serial examination of joints, eyes and teeth triggers early preventative strategies.

Annual checkups are adequate until 10 years of age. Because cats age four times more rapidly than humans we recommend twice a year checks from 10 years of age on.