Cat Hairballs - Yuck!
For countless cat owners around the world, the topic of hairballs is something they
would rather not discuss, let alone deal with. However, deal with it they must, as cat
hairballs are a fact of life for most cats and their owners. Everything about hairballs
is gross, there is no doubt about that from the hacking, coughing and vomiting that a
cat goes through to produce one, to the wet, sticky, smelling mess that is often
stepped on by the unsuspecting owner in the middle of the night. So what is one to do
about this unfortunate part of cat ownership? Prevention.
Prevention of cat hairballs is the key to eliminating it from your life, if not forever,
at least for the majority of the time. Before you can prevent a hairball, you need to
understand how they come into being. As everyone knows, cats are fastidious about
grooming. This is their downfall when it comes to hairballs. Hairballs are made up of all
of the tiny hairs that the cat swallows while grooming. Since hair is very hard to
digest, it sits in the intestines and causes a blockage. Soon it will be hard for food and
water to get through the mass of hair, this will in turn cause the cat to have
constipation, coughing spells after meals and eventually to produce the ever dreaded
hairball.
Given the fact that cats are so particular about grooming, many of them take kindly to
being brushed. Brushing your cat on a regular basis, at least once a week will greatly
reduce the amount of fur that is ingested. It also has the added benefit of less hair on
your furniture. While a good grooming regimen is a good place to start, it is not the
only option that you have to prevent the appearance of hairballs.
Another avenue that should be explored when attempting to prevent cat hairballs is the
food that the cat eats. A number of cat food manufacturers are targeting this issue.
They recognize that pet owners are looking for a way to help that fits into the daily
schedule. These foods have additives, extra oils and lubricants that help the body to
naturally pass the hair through the intestines. While this method does work, it takes
time for the body to process the extra ingredients properly.
A quicker method on the same premise is a lubricant that is fed to the cat as a treat
or that is sprinkled onto the food. These will work quickly to help the intestines move
the hair through the body, thereby preventing the dreaded hairball. One note of
caution, always follow the recommended dosage and usage on the label. Many of these
treatments will contain some form of mineral oil, when used too frequently, can cause a
depletion in vitamin A. As always, if you have any questions, please consult your
veterinarian.
Another, less expensive alternative is to give your cat a touch of butter, baby squash
or canned pumpkin, generally, a ½ teaspoon every other day will be enough. This will act
as a natural lubricant for the digestive tract.
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