Cats and Hairballs

Hairballs Treatment and Prevention

If your cat is prone to getting hairballs, there are several things you should do:

Brushing

Brush your cat regularly to get rid of dead hair before your cat has a chance to swallow it in the course of its own grooming. This is probably the best way to prevent hairball problems.

Laxatives

If your cat suffers from hairballs despite constant brushing, you may consider using a hairball prevention product such as Petromalt. These are basically mild laxatives based on mineral oil or petroleum jelly. The cat can't ingest this type of fat and it lubricates the inside of the digestive system and enables the excess hair to move forward and be expelled naturally in the feces.

Many cats like the taste of hairball prevention products and they will often lick it directly off your finger. You can also get the cat to ingest it by putting a dab of the laxative on the top of the cat's paw or on its nose and let it lick the stuff off while grooming. In her book, Think Like A Cat, feline behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett warns that some cats may shake their paw to get rid of the laxative instead of licking it off. Make sure that your cat actually ingests the gel or paste rather than smearing it all over the walls.

High Fiber Diet

Cats with chronic hairball problems may need a change in diet. A high-fiber diet can help to increase bowel movements, thus preventing hairball blockages. Consult your vet, if you think your cat may need a change in its food. There are commercial cat foods especially designed for cats with hairballs problems.

Anne Moss is the founder and owner of TheCatSite.com. She is a cat behaviorist and a member of the Cats Writers Association.