Safest, Best Hairball Remedy?

I've read alot of threads recommending lots of different things to treat hairballs, and I just ended up confused. I'm certain Max has a hairball, as last night he walked around hacking for a few minutes, but never threw up. I know my 3 groom each other alot, so I'm not really surprised. I just hoped that they wouldn't start this so soon. (They are only 9 months old.)

Anyway, I'm going to the store this afternoon, so I'll look at what they have, but I don't really want to get anything with petroleum jelly because of the issues with that over the long-term. I am going to try feeding them wet food only for a few days, so I'm hoping that will help. I'd prefer something natural, like butter or pumpkin, but I want to know that it's safe. So, what do you do and recommend?

The holistic vet I went to told me to use a little butter, never tried it tho.

I've been using plain ordinary "Vaseline Petroleum Jelly." It's odourless, tasteless and nontoxic. And it doesn't have the laxative effect that you find in the malt hair ball remedies.

I use a teaspoon of pure canned pumpkin daily for a few days and the problem usually goes away. Don't use too much or they can get the runs. I don't know how often, on average, cats can throw up hairballs, but it has never happened to my cat yet in the 1.5 years I've had him. The majority of his diet is wet and when he does make the hacking sound, the pumpkin works like a charm.

It's definitely safe. I don't think it can get much more "natural" than this.

I have used butter or pumpkin( squash also works ) ... I avoid petroleum based when I can ... Mineral oil is a very old time remedy, would ask a vet about any and all as I have a few animals allergic to dairy and pumpkin ... for my allergic they get a bit of olive oil

Thanks for the advice. I gave Max a bit of olive oil with his wet food yesterday, and that was not a big hit. He is not a picky eater at all, but once he got a few bites of food in, that was the end of that meal. He apparently doesn't go for Mediterranean food! But I also haven't heard any hacking at all since Friday night, so I'm waiting to see if it returns before giving him any butter. I forgot to pick up a can of pumpkin, although I'm hesitant to use that right now as he's also been having some loose stools lately. I need that to clear up before I try anything with alot of fiber.