cats and hairballs

So cats just cough up hairballs, right? I mean, my cat gets all hocky and chokey and looks a little like he is possessed but eventually he's going to hock the thing up right? My wife gets worried that he's going to choke to death and my opinion is that this is kind of what cats were made to do from an evolutionary standpoint. It's going to be ok, right? And if he dies from a hairball, it's because he was naturally unfit to live, right? (I am mostly joking about that last part. If there is a real risk, please let me know and I will change my attitude.)

Oh I shoud probably add that there's this hairball goop (laxatone) that my wife likes to smear all over the cat's front paws because when he licks it off it helps the hairball hocking process. I personally think this is a bunch of crap and the stupid cat will hock it whether or not we put the goop on him. And he gets really pissed off about the goop. So I say let him be. Opionions?

I think the cat's unlikely to die of a hairball. But, frequent hairballs ARE rather unpleasant to live with (for you, anyway, if not for the cat!). Have you tried ant anti-hairball cat food? It works pretty well in my experience. :)

I have two cats. One hocks up hairballs. The other one occasionally just hocks up dinner. She's been doing it for 11 years, so apparently it's not a problem.

This has been another pointless anecdote from fachverwirrt^tm Pointless Anecdotes and Irrelevacies LLC.

The goop isn't exactly for helping them cough up the hairballs. It actually prevents hairballs from forming by helping hair pass through the digestive track instead of clumping together. It may be of some small assistance once a hairball has already formed, but it's largely a preventative measure. I started giving it to my cat when she started shedding at the end of winter and she stopped getting hairballs, which was a relief. No more gagging and retching all over the place!

Yep, the laxatone/petromalt stuff helps the hair and mucous make its way out the other end of the cat, so there's less hoarfing. It does actually help, but might not do much for a hairball that's already formed. I know in rabbits bromelain and papain enzymes can help break down a formed hairball, but I'm not sure the same applies to/is safe for cats.

If your cat has been trying to cough up a hairball and is really struggling (attempting several times a day for several days), a vet appointment is probably in order. There might be something more going on, or the hairball may be too large to pass.

Yeah, the goop really does work. Some cats actually like the taste and will lick it off your fingers, rather than the paw trick (which always pisses them off.)

The Cat candy as we call it does wonders for some cats. But not all. But hairballs are pretty normal overall. In extreme cases of stress if they are not eating well and only coughing up bile, it is a case for concern though. If food and/or hair is coming up, normal.