Your cat’s tongue plays an important
role in the grooming process
It's equipped with hundreds of tiny barbs designed to snag
the dead and loose fur, as your cat licks. With a mouth full
of hair, the only thing your cat can do is swallow it.
Hopefully, most of the swallowed fur will simply pass through
your cat’s digestive system
and be eliminated in his stool (poop).
But once in the stomach, those hairs
- which are not easily digested - can start sticking to
other stomach contents such as saliva, undigested food,
and gastric juices … and the hairball is born.
Like rolling snowballs, cat hairballs grow larger. They then
begin to irritate your cat’s stomach - which
usually triggers vomiting.
When your cat is ridding itself of a hairball he or
she will probably have your attention – with coughing,
gagging, retching, and other happy sounds associated
with throwing up.
Should your cat not be able to rid itself of the hairball
by vomiting or leaving it in the litter box, your cat could
be in real trouble. Cats can choke on hairballs and in severe
cases, an impacted hairball requires surgery to remove it.
If your cat has a stubborn hairball symptoms can include:
... constipation
... loss of appetite
... weight loss
... depression
... loss of energy
Your cat might regurgitate (throw
up) undigested food.
Cat hairballs do not actually look like balls. They are, in
fact, tubular or sausage shaped and can easily
be confused with poop. Usually, the easiest way to find a
discarded hairball is to walk around in the dark with bare
feet.
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A green tip
for removing cat hairball stains from carpets
As soon as you see a hairball stain, pour
some club soda on it and leave it on for
a minute or two. Gently blot with a paper towel or cloth
and then let the carpet dry. This works best with fresh
stains. Simple, and it usually works well for us.
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Sometimes, health problems can cause your cat to lose and
then swallow a lot of hair
Excessive hair loss in cats can be a symptom
of poor health. As a rule, feline hair loss should not be
patchy, but fairly uniform. If parasites or allergies are
making your cat itchy he or she will scratch, lick and swallow
more hair. Skin disease or a poor diet can cause hair loss.
Give your cat the best cat food you can afford.
Stress can cause a cat to over groom,
and lifestyle … older and overweight cats who aren’t
very active can spend more time grooming.
Vomiting the occasional hairball is normal but reoccurring
vomiting is not. If you have concerns, contact
your vet.
Cat hairballs can be life threatening ... my cat's scariest
experience
My huge, long-haired Maine Coon, does not like being groomed
... at all. One evening he began to unsuccessfully gasp for
air and run around in crazy circles. I thought he was having
some sort of attack. After a minute or so, up came a hairball.
He then tried to run off but couldn't keep his balance and
staggered on down the hall.
He was okay after that but it served as a strong reminder
to give him his hairball lubricant on schedule.
What you can do to help your
cat
... give your cat a hand with grooming
... offer hairball lubricants or oils
... a diet higher in fiber
Your best solution for preventing hairballs ... remove some
of that loose hair
Some cats loved to be brushed … and others don’t.
Many cats have sensitive skin - often the
stomach and lower back areas. For that reason, it is best
to start with the neck or upper back.
(Some of these brushes are pretty rough.
If you run the brush through your own hair it's easy to
understand why some cats don't like being brushed.)
If your cat isn't co-operating begin with shorter sessions.
You know your cat and what will work.
After a nice meal, cats usually
relax and groom themselves.
The after dinner hour is an
opportune time to brush their coats.
Ideally, you should brush your cat at least every few days
but that isn’t always possible.
A good solution for removing pet hair is
to use a deshedding tool, such as the Furminator,
which removes much more loose hair in just one grooming
session.
Don't expect to remove all the loose cat hair
with a deshedding tool, in one go, as you see on commercials.
If your cat fusses, you may only be able to do a bit in
one session. I use the Furminator and some
of my cats can't wait for their turn.
Offering your cat a lubricant is one effective hairball
remedy
Pet stores and vets carry hairball lubricants. They come
in a tube and are flavored so they appeal to cats. This
hairball medicine will lubricate your cat’s digestive
system allowing the hair or hairball to pass through.
Many are petroleum based. There is some concern that
too much petroleum lubricant can
interfere with absorption of nutrients from your
cat’s food. Vetbasis hairball gel contains natural
oils and is boosted by vitamins and antioxidants.
In order for any lubricant to be effective and safe,
follow the package instructions. Never use human medications
on your cat.
Some cats like the taste of the hairball
lubricants and will lick it right off your finger. For
those who don't, smear it on the front of the leg or paw
in a thin layer. If you only dab it on, your cat can flick
it off and make a mess of your walls.
Give your cat plain sardines packed in oil
about once a week.
If your cat is on a budget
... try a small amount of fish or olive oil
mixed in with some wet food.
... cats like butter, and some will
lick it right off your finger. It can also be melted
and added to wet food. Butter is not the best solution
for cats that are overweight, on a salt restricted diet
or not well.
... some cat owners use vaseline;
give about 1/4 teaspoon for a few days then weekly.
Add more fiber to your cat's diet
Some cat foods have been specifically
developed to help control hairballs. Hairball cat food
contains more fiber which assists in the passage of hair
through the digestive tract.
You can also add fiber to your cat’s diet by providing
organic cat grass or catnip. Cats gobble
it up and some will then vomit it back up shortly after.
This is nature’s way of ridding your cat’s
body of unwanted hair. Some pet stores carry little pots
of grass.
Another good source of fiber is canned pumpkin
(not the pie filling which has sugar and spices added).
Add about a teaspoon or so to your cat's wet food daily.
If your cat can't eat a can of pumpkin in a few sittings
try freezing some in ice cube trays. Some brands of canned
pumpkin have a higher fiber content than others.
Cat hairballs and other ingredients
House cats swallow string, thread, twist ties and other
odd things. Once in their mouths, cats can't spit them out.
Do try to keep your floors clear of these items so your
cat can't get at them.
If you think your pet has swallowed anything unusual,
don't try to remove the object yourself by pulling it. You
could damage your cat's organs.
Give your vet a call immediately. Your cat could be in
serious - even life threatening - trouble.
Prevention is the best hairball medicine
Brush your cat or use a deshedding tool. Offer a high fiber
diet and use some form of lubrication to help the hairball
move along.
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More information about cat hairballs
Why do cats eat grass?
Cats are naturally attracted to grass. It promotes digestion
and can also help your cat's stomach rid itself of unwanted,
indigestible hair.
