Kahler: Don't blame hairballs for all vomiting

When a cat grooms itself, a certain amount of hair is taken into the digestive tract and can ball up in the stomach.

Most of the time, the hair passes through the digestive tract and is expelled in the stool. If enough is left in the stomach, a hairball forms and a cat vomits it up. This vomiting is normal, but if the frequency is high, there may be an underlying problem.

Marla treats her 10-year-old feline, Rotunda, periodically with an oral paste to prevent hairballs. Recently, the frequency of Rotunda's vomiting has increased to once or even twice a day; it's not always associated with hairball production.

There are many causes for vomiting in cats. Hairballs can be a cause, but more often than not, hairballs are a result of the vomiting and not the cause. Remember, there is almost always some hair in the digestive tract of a cat so when they vomit, it is common to find hair and sometimes even a hairball or two. Do not always assume the hairball is the cause.

An abdominal radiograph might reveal the cause of Rotunda's vomiting.

For instance, a cat that overgrooms because of fleas will have increased hairball production and increased vomiting. I do not suspect such a scenario in Rotunda's case, but a trip to the veterinarian will certainly shed light on the underlying cause of the problem.

Jeff Kahler is a veterinarian in Modesto. Questions can be submitted to Your Pet in care of LifeStyles, The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352.