Advice on fur balls

[Natane 10]

I have had my 3 month old kitten just over a week, and since yesterday he has been making all kinds of funny noises and wretching. Someone sid it is probably a fur ball he was trying to bring up. He isnt very well with it. Stopped playing, hardly eaten and looks very unhappy. His body keeps shaking off and on, his breathing is like he has a bad cold and he cant meow properley. he is normlly very talkative and has been eating very well. Now he just wants to curl up and sleep most of the time.

 

Are these symptoms of a furball (perhaps his first one and he's struggling with it) or could it be something else?

 

The websites ive read say dont worry about it, but he looks in pain and unhappy. The breed is a Snowshoe, which is very shorthaired and i groom him daily and rarely see any loose hairs, so I am surprised it is a furball, unless its because he was licking the fur of the other kittens he was with before I got him because some where long haired exotics.

 

He was last vaccinated mid July so he's up to date with those.

 

Any advice would help.

 

Thanks

[baileys_mum 10]

If he's becoming uninterested in things you need to take him tothe vets in my opinion

[medusa 16]

In my opinion, 3 month old kittens (unless very long haired) are very unlikely to have fur balls, and if they do, then they usually just bring them up and carry on playing, eating and shredding the house regardless.

 

Fur balls DO NOT make a cat or kitten unwell or disinterested. Get him to a vets- there are lots of gastroenteritis bugs that can and do make kittens dangerously ill.

[katkin 10]

Definitely a vet's trip, even if only for peace of mind- he may have swallowed something he shouldnt have. Hope all is ok, keep us posted xK

[Natane 10]

im going to the vet tomorrow. he is still not well. When the 'attacks' come on every so often, he hunches up starts to try and cough something up, a bit of sneezing, and then he drops onto his side and stretches out his neck whilst making some coughing/wretching noises. still not eating hardly anything. ive no experience of fur balls but im inclined to think its soemthing else unless theres an obstruction somewhere because breathing is still intermittent and noisey.

[Mathom 10]

Yes, please take him to the vets. My boy has always had furballs but he has never had anything like that. When he coughs one up (he actually swallows them down again once brought up, the naughty boy) he does lots of 'barking' little coughs, and crouches down while he does them, never lays down. Once he's finished coughing he runs around like an idiot as normal.

[sTaGeWaLkEr 10]

im going to the vet tomorrow. he is still not well. When the 'attacks' come on every so often, he hunches up starts to try and cough something up, a bit of sneezing, and then he drops onto his side and stretches out his neck whilst making some coughing/wretching noises. still not eating hardly anything. ive no experience of fur balls but im inclined to think its soemthing else unless theres an obstruction somewhere because breathing is still intermittent and noisey.

 

Vets vets vets!

 

Asap - the little one sounds like he's in a lot of discomfort.

[charlotte 2406 10]

How is your little one today is he ok

[Natane 10]

Hi all,

 

well we went to the vets, who gave no actual diagnosis other than saying he did have a sore throat. She gave him 2 injections, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory for his throat.

 

He's still sleeping a lot but seems a tad better this afternoon, and has made attempts to eat. The wretching has subsided but he has sneezing fits and it must be mucus in the back of his throat making him cough. Hopefully now he will improve once the injections kick in.

[katkin 10]

Glad to hear it was a worthwhile trip to the vets- now you're reassured, your little one has been given medication and hopefully should be on the mend soon. Lovely cats, snowshoes, striking colours - when he's feeling more perky, we'd love to see a photo of him.