Feline Hairball Treatment
Cats and hairballs seem to go together like bees and honey. Many cat owners have been startled awake by the sound of their cat trying to relieve themselves of a hairball, or have stepped in a wet patch of sloppy fur that was left by their cat. It’s not a pleasant thing, but cat owners around the world often have to put up with the never-ending hairball dilemma.
Nearly every cat suffers with hairballs at some point in their life, but some cats are more prone to them than others. While long-haired cats may be more likely to develop hairballs, short haired cats can get them too.
Hairball Remedy
Thankfully, there are remedies for hairballs. The best way to treat a hairball that a cat has already been sick from is a lubricant designed specifically for this purpose. This treatment comes in a toothpaste-like tube and can be fed to a cat inch by inch. Some cats like the taste, as flavors now include tuna and chicken, but other cats will need to be held down and forced to take their medicine. Usually after a day or two of this kind of product, a cat will be able to either cough the hairball up, or pass it out in their stool. Some owners have found it helpful to give a biweekly dose of this type of treatment as a preventative measure.
Hairball Prevention
Other prevention techniques include special formulated food that helps the digestive tract break down the hair. This type of food is effective in some cases, but in cats that are prone to frequent hairballs, it may take more than just the food to prevent them.
Brushing a cat regularly will help reduce the risk of hairballs, because it removes the extra hair that would normally be groomed and swallowed by the cat. Most cats love to be brushed, and even those that don’t will learn to tolerate it if it is done regularly.
Hairballs are not usually dangerous to cats, as most cats are able to eventually cough them up. But occasionally a cat’s digestive tract will become so blocked with hair that they can’t pass the hairball. Cats in this situation would stop defecating, would vomit everything they eat, and would become lethargic and dehydrated. In these cases, more drastic treatment may be necessary, including surgery to remove the hairball.
