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Is my cat's diarrhea, vomiting, and low energy related to a hairball?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 4 years and 4 months old | 13 lbs

My cat had diarrhea earlier in the day, so I took away his food. He recently vomited a hairball and some liquid- could these things be related? He seems a little low in energy, but his eyes are bright and his coat is not dull.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 4th, 2017

Yes they could definitely be related. Any thing that is potentially stuck in the GI tract, including hair balls, can disrupt the normal bacterial flora, leading to loose stools. It is good that Max was able to expel the hairball however and hopefully he returns to normal. You can add a probiotic (Culturelle over the counter works almost as good as the pet formulated ones- Fortiflor and Proviable) in his food daily to support the good bacteria in the gut and continue with a bland diet of tuna and white rice to see if you can get the stools to return to normal consistency. If he is still not better or seems to be getting much worse by tomorrow, then it is a good time to take him to your vet to look for other causes of his illness and to get him treated right away. I hope Max continues to improve however, saving yourself a vet visit on Super Bowl Sunday. Take care!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    It is possible the two are related. GI upset has many causes. If Max strains enough while having diarrhea, that could cause vomiting. Likewise, if he ate something he shouldn't have, that may cause either or both symptoms. If he is behaving normally otherwise, you can try withholding ALL food for 24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. Resume feeding a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until the symptoms resolve and the stool is normal before transitioning slowly to his regular diet. Consider a hairball remedy such as Laxatone or PetroMalt to ease passage of hairballs. More frequent brushing can also decrease the incidence of hairballs. If his symptoms do not resolve, an exam with your veterinarian would be recommended.

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