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Tip
69 - Hairballs in cats - cat has hairballs - treating a hairball
problem
Hairballs (trichobezoars) are balls of hair that end up in a cat's
stomach when the cat licks its fur as part of its regular grooming routine. Since cats spend about 10% of their waking hours grooming
themselves primarily by licking their fur clean, hairballs in cats
can be a very common occurrence. Many cats have no problem with
hairballs whatsoever. Sometimes though, especially in long-haired
cats, hairballs can cause your cat to engage in gagging or retching
in an attempt to vomit up the hairball. The cat may or may not
actually vomit. On occasion you can actually see the balls of hair
in the vomit, but sometimes the hairball will just upset the stomach
and the cat will bring up food or liquid and not the hairball itself.
Occasional hairball episodes (1-4 times a month) are normal for
most cats and usually prevention is the best treatment. If your
cat is vomiting more than this, or if the cat recently starting
vomiting more than usual or the cat is vomiting repeatedly, then
this can be a sign of a completely unrelated medical problem and
the cat should see a vet. In fact the individual cat owner should
bring their cat to a vet whenever their cat exhibits unusual behaviour
that involves vomiting.
The best treatment for hairballs in cats is the prevention of
hair buildup in the first place. This can easily be accomplished
with daily brushings of your cat's fur. Less loose fur on the cat
equals less fur in its stomach. This brushing should become part
of a daily routine when you first get the cat and most cats simply
love it. Besides the grooming benefits to the cat, daily brushing
can increase the bond between human and cat. If daily brushings
aren't working then other treatments for cats with hairball problems
can include a cat food with a hairball control component (usually
extra fibre). You can even try a teaspoon of canned pumpkin mixed
in with their regular food or mixed with some tuna water from the
can. There are also petroleum based laxative type medications that
you can put on you cat's paw and it will lick it off. These medications
should only be used as directed.
Note: Any hairball problem that cannot be solved with extra
daily brushings should be referred to a veterinarian. Cats vomit
for different reasons, sometimes extremely serious reasons, and
you should not automatically assume that the vomiting is hairball
related.
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2007
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