Grooming itself is a daily ritual for cats. They lick their body for cleaning purposes and in the process of doing so swallow many lose and dead hair. Although some of these hairs are passed out through stool but some remain in the stomach and over time are formed into a hairball! The problem of hairballs is seen more often in longhaired cat or cats that groom themselves excessively.
Although one or two hairballs in a month is not considered a problem but if your cat is coughing up hairballs more often than that, it is time that you take it to the vet to rule out any serious medical problems. Hairballs can block the digestive tract of the cat which can result in serious pain for the cat.
Symptoms of Cat Hairballs
The following symptoms are an evident of hairball problem:
• Cigar shaped masses on the floor or furniture
• Constipation in cats
• Hard stool which has hair in it
• Frequent coughing and especially after meals
• Lack of appetite
• Lethargy
• Dry and matted coat
Your cat will make a coughing sound while trying to expel the hairball and it might do so in places you would not wish it to happen such as on your sofa, on a favorite rug or even your bed! Hairballs are a nuisance not only for the cat owners but also for the cats, so it is advised that you look into this problem and try to solve it for the betterment of your home as well as your cat.
Treatment of Cat Hairballs
Prevention is the best way to handle any disease. And in case of hairballs regular brushing and combing helps in getting rid of dead and lose hair. For short haired cats use a narrow toothed comb and for long haired cats a wide comb is the best tool. Most cats enjoy being brushed and this treatment would also help in bonding with your cat.
Other treatments include giving your cats some lubricants which would lubricate the digestive tract and the cat would easily pass the hairball through its stool. These lubricants can be given to the cat in the form of special hairball formula food as well as special gels and granules that can be sprinkled on the food. The main thing to remember is to add a little fiber to the diet of your cat.
Some pet owners give their cats a small amount of butter two to three times a week which is a good lubricant. Most cats love dairy products so it would not be too difficult to convince your cat to swallow some butter. Moreover treats that are rich in fiber also help in the treatment of hairballs as well as diarrhea and constipation.
A tried and tested remedy used by many cat owners is giving their cats a small amount of petroleum jelly. This can be given in its plain form or you can also find it many cat attractive flavors such as tuna, malt and liver!
Although occasional hairballs are not problems but if the frequency of hairballs increases or your cat may not be able to cough out the hairball it can block the digestive passage and in severe cases might need a surgery to remove the mass.
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