Wednesday, March 27, 2024
HomeMust ReadRemedies For Hairballs In Cats

Remedies For Hairballs In Cats

Cats Prone To Trichobezoars Include

How to Treat Hairballs in Cats
  • Long-haired cats
  • Cats that groom excessively
  • Cats that are not groomed adequately
  • Cats with high hair loss that are stressed or have health issues

Caution

Never attempt to medicate your cat at home with human products or those that have not been advised by your veterinarianthe wrong product can be life-threatening!

Cat Hairball Or Vomit

When a cat coughs up a hairball, she is in fact vomiting. However, cats can vomit for other reasons that dont involve hairballs. Many cats that regularly bring up hairballs have an underlying intestinal motility problem like Inflammatory Bowel Disease .

Even if you see hair in your cats vomit, it may not be due to a hairball. On average, cats spend about 3.5 hours per day grooming, so there will often be some transient hair in their stomach. If your cat vomits and is acting ill it might not be a simple hairball.

Its also possible for a cat that does have a hairball in her stomach to vomit without producing any hair, so a lack of hair in the vomit is not always indicative of whats causing the vomiting. If your cat experiences repeated vomiting, it always warrants a visit to the veterinarian to investigate the cause.

What Do Cat Hairballs Look Like

Hairballs typically have a cylindrical, feces-like shape and usually come up with some clear or yellow liquid. If your cats eaten grass recently, grass or bits of undigested food may also come with the hairball.

Hairballs typically have a cylindrical, feces-like shape and usually come up with some clear or yellow liquid. You may or may not also see food or grass in the vomited hairball mass.

Cat hairballs all look different, but they are generally wet wads of hair, saturated with a clear or yellow liquid that might be foamy or slimy-looking. Although called hairballs, they are not always ball-shaped when your cat vomits them up.

The hair becomes stretched and compressed as it passes through the esophagus. For this reason, cat hairballs usually look like long, thin tubes of compacted hair. If there is a lot of liquid or food in the vomit, it may sometimes be difficult to see the wad of hair.

Don’t Miss: Who Manufactures 9 Lives Cat Food

Why Do Cats Get Hairballs

Cats are meticulous groomers, and they use their tongues to get the job done. They much prefer bathing themselves over their humans bathing them.

Cat parents who have enjoyed the occasional affectionate tongue bath from their kitties will be familiar with the rough tongues our furry friends have. According to Cornell University, the reason why their tongues are so rough is because theyre actually covered by tiny barbs, or papillae, which are perfect for removing dirt and other debris from their coats. Theyre also perfect for grabbing excess fur and loose hair, which they then swallow.

Pin Me!

Much of the time, this fur can pass through the stomach and intestines and come out the other end with no trouble. However, when a large amount of fur becomes trapped in kittys stomach, it gets regurgitated back up in the form of a hairball, or a cat furball.

What are other symptoms of cat hairballs and what can you do if your cat is getting hairballs?

All That Cleaning And Removing Fur You See Your Cat Constantly Do Leads To Them Swallowing A Lot Of Hair Which Can Collect Into Balls In Their Stomachs Here Is What Cat Hairballs Are And How You Can Help A Cat With Hairballs

Is There A Natural Hairball Remedy for Cats?

Cats are very good at keeping themselves clean. They naturally know how to self-groom, and rarely need bathing. However, during the self-grooming process, they can swallow loose hair and this leads to a cat hairball. Most cats get hairballs from time to time and its usually nothing to worry about. But if you are wondering what is causing them, what are the symptoms you should look out for and how to help a cat with hairballs, here is everything you need to know.

Read Also: How To Tell If A Cat Is Blind

Pumpkin Can Help With Fibre A Lot

One of the more interesting sources of fibre used by cat owners for cat hairballs, is pumpkin. This isnt as common an ingredient as some other fruits and vegetables. But, the combination of the lubricating juices and the fibrous pulp can make a big difference. The taste is pretty good too. You can add this to your pets food either from a can or fresh. Fresh takes a lot more preparation and is seasonally dependent. But, canned pumpkin could have less nutritional value and more sugar.

When To Call A Veterinarian

Hairballs per se arent dangerous when they are dealt with in the correct way by your cat. If a blockage does occur, you need to be on the lookout for the symptoms and take your cat to see the Vet urgently.

If a hairball causes a blockage, this can be potentially life-threatening for your cat, depending upon where the blockage is and how large it is. Its not worth taking any risks, so if you notice any of the symptoms below, seek help immediately.

  • Constant, or very regular, attempt to vomit, without actually ejecting a hairball. This also includes gagging, retching, and hacking coughs, without any productive end result
  • Changes in appetite, e.g. not wanting to eat
  • Becoming lethargic and not wanting to play, when they normally would be quite active
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • A hard stomach
  • Your cat may also stay in their bed or their usual sleeping place, and not want to interact with you

A Vet will treat a hairball blockage according to its severity, and it may be that an urgent scan is done to assess the size and location of the blockage.

Enemas or suppositories may be given, in order to help relieve constipation, and these should be given to your cat exactly according to your Vets instructions. You should never attempt to use enemas or suppositories on your cat without first being told to do so by a professional.

Prevention is always better than cure, to try a few of the home remedies we discussed earlier on and see which works best for you.

Also Check: Cat Veterinarians In My Area

What Are Cat Hairballs

A cat hairball is one of those things that is exactly what it sounds like: a ball of hair, originating from a cat. The scientific name for hairballs is trichobezoar.

Hairballs occur when cats ingest their own hair while grooming themselves. Although hair should normally pass through the cats digestive tract , sometimes hair remains inside the stomach.

This is due to either an excessive intake of hair or a decreased ability of the stomach and intestines to propel material through to the colon. Healthy cats do not vomit hairballs regularly.

Since hair cannot be digested, any hair that doesnt pass out of the stomach and into the intestines balls up inside the stomach, where it remains until it is vomited up. If the cat does not expel a large hairball , it can cause a potentially life-threatening obstruction of the intestinal tract.

Adding Canned Pumpkins To Your Cats Food Is A Good Idea

Kitten & Cat Care : Home Remedy for Hairballs

Halloween isnt the only time to use pumpkins. Theyre also good for preventing hairballs. Pumpkin is high in fiber, but it also possesses bending properties that can help you pass hairballs and excrement.

If youre going to add pumpkin to your cats diet, make sure its a pure pumpkin. Because this is heavy with sugar, you cant use the type of filling youd use in a pumpkin pie.

Its also a good idea to warm up the pumpkin before adding it to your cats food if they have a sensitive stomach.

Read Also: Sheba Perfect Portions Cat Food

Potential Causes For Hairballs In Cats

It is important to note that cats are somewhat designed to consume hair as they groom themselves, each other and through the ingestion of small furry creatures such as mice. So why do some cats vomit hairballs and some cats do not? Your veterinarian should ask you detailed questions in regards to the health of your cat to obtain more information. For example, cats that have anxiety, allergies and or even fleas may appear to be “over-grooming” and therefore ingesting more hair than usual and this can contribute to your cat throwing up more hairballs than usual. Also, cats that have intestinal disease (Inflammatory bowel disease/IBD, intestinal cancer, esophageal disease, and others will often cause an increase rate of hairballs in cats.

So, when should an owner be concerned about the amount of hairballs their cat is vomiting? Well, every cat is different but generally speaking, if your cat is vomiting 1 hairball per month it is usually not a concern but you should bring this to the attention of your veterinarian.

How Often Do Cats Get Hairballs

Hairballs are difficult for pet owners to deal with. We feel bad for our beloved cats as they cough, heave, and make noise, yet we cringe when we find those gross, little presents on the carpet. Not to mention, they smell bad and can stain fabric! We wonder if they can get stuck in our cat, if they hurt, if they can kill our cat, or if their occurrence means that we aren’t doing a good job of grooming them.

Hairballs are so prominent in the feline world that April 28 is now official Hairball Awareness Daythat’s because cats spend 25% of their day grooming and most cats get them once or twice a month. But when are they dangerous?

As cats age, they groom themselves more and more and the hair amasses in the GI tract it is eventually expelled in a tubular shape. Hairballs, too, happen to cats of all hair lengths and breeds. Even regular grooming may not necessarily prevent them from forming. But how do you know when a hairball is stuck and causes an intestinal blockage and more serious health problems? Can a hairball kill a cat?

You May Like: What Can You Give A Cat For Constipation

Temptations Hairball Control Treats

I love these hairball control treats not only because they help eliminate hairballs, but they also clean your cats teeth! You can use them as a low-calorie treat or as a meal topper.

The chicken flavor is tastes good to most cats, so you wont have to convince them to take their cat hairball medicine.

Cat Hairball Or Feline Asthma

Natural Hairball Remedy for Cats (50 Soft Chews)

Cats suffering from an asthma attack will wheeze, which can look and sound very similar to the coughing and gagging sounds a cat makes when attempting to bring up a hairball. Diagnosis of asthma is often delayed by a cat owner thinking that an asthmatic cough is just a hairball.

It can be difficult to distinguish between a cat that is coughing and a cat that is vomiting up a hairball. During an asthma attack, a cat will often hunch down very low to the floor and stretch her head and neck out as she attempts to suck in more air.

If your cat is having regular episodes of coughing or vomiting, the best plan is to have her checked by your veterinarian. Finding the underlying cause for these symptoms will help your veterinarian find the best strategy to keep your kitty as comfortable as possible.

Read Also: Best Cat Food To Prevent Urinary Blockage

Remedies For Hairballs In Cats

While hairballs arent typically dangerous, theyre not pleasant for your cat to cough up. Its also not enjoyable for you as the owner to hear your cat go through the experience. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help prevent hairballs or reduce their frequency.

Try Cat Food Formulated for Hairballs

If your cat coughs up hairballs regularly, you might consider switching to a diet specifically formulated to help reduce the issue. Many cat food brands have a product to deal with hairballs. The formulas typically include things such as increased fiber, oil, minerals, and vitamins that can help the swallowed hair pass through the digestive system naturally.

Hack Gag Cough: Tips To Control Cat Hairballs

Though famous felines from Garfield to Puss in Boots get them, hairballs are no joke. Commonly a problem for cats, rabbits and even cattle, hairballs may be a symptom of more significant illnesses or cause issues themselves. National Hairball Awareness Day, on April 29, aims to educate pet parents on how to prevent hairballs and ensure their animals health and happiness.

A hairball is a collection of hair or fur that gathers in the stomach, often in a cylinder shape. The definition seems simple enough, but hairballs can get a lot more complicated. In light of the annual awareness initiative, , a Primary Care clinician and clinical instructor at UW Veterinary Care, answered some questions to clear up misconceptions.

Also Check: How To Check A Cat’s Pulse

Natural Remedies For Hairballs In Cats

Hairballs are a problem for many cats, especially if they have long hair. We expected to see some hairballs when we adopted our Maine Coon, Athena. The breed has fur that gradually lengthens from the top to the bottom of their body. They even have tufts of fur between the pads of their feet .

What we werent prepared for was a hairball obstruction that left her howling in pain. Luckily, her veterinarian resolved the issue before surgery was needed. I quickly designed a natural prevention plan to ensure she didnt have to go through it again.

Vetoquinol Laxatone Lubricant For Hairballs

Natural Hairball Remedy Treatment for Cats

This tuna-flavored laxative will make constipation a thing of the past and help your feline friend pass hairballs the natural way. And without feeling any discomfort or strain! The lubricating properties of this formula help swallowed hair to pass through your cats digestive tract with ease, so the effect is twofold: it will work to prevent the formation of the hairballs as well as help your cat get rid of the hair they swallowed by expelling them through feces. Easy to administer, this hairball remedy tastes like tuna- favorite flavor of most kitties.

You May Like: Purina Pro Plan Kitten Chicken And Liver

What Is Hairball Blockage In Cats

Contents

Firstly, we need to understand where hairballs come from, what they are, and how they can cause a blockage.

You will probably already be aware that cats are very hygienic creatures theyre always preening and cleaning themselves, trying to look their best and be as clean as possible. That is the plus side.

The downside is that hair always comes out, and when it comes out due to cleaning, it has to go somewhere.

Obviously, cats clean themselves by licking, and a cats tongue isnt smooth, it has tiny, raised hooks which can catch onto the hair. This hair is then swallowed routinely, without your cat even realizing it.

Most of the time, this hair simply follows the natural route down through the digestive system and exits the body in the usual way.

However, it is possible that some of the hair remains stuck in the stomach, stubbornly refusing to move. In this case, the hair will tangle, and as more hair is added to it, it will create a hairball.

Cats have their own way of getting rid of hairballs, and that is coughing, retching, and then eventually vomiting the hairball up. For you to clean up, obviously. Cats might be clean, but theyre not so great at cleaning up after themselves!

When the hairball comes out, it is often not round like you would expect, but in a long, tubular shape. This is because, in order for the hairball to actually exit the body, it passes through the esophagus, and this is also long and tubular in shape.

How To Help Cat With Hairball

Hairball in cats is defined as the accumulation of hairs in the digestive system. It is medically termed a Trichobezoar. According to several studies, hairball formation in wild cats is comparatively lower than indoor cats. Generally, cats love grooming because it releases a hormone called Serotonin, a pain relief factor. They possess a rough textured tongue, moreover like an emery paper. While cleaning process, the weak stranded hairs from its fur get stuck internally down to their digestive system. It passes through the digestive tract and gets deposited in the cats intestines. As an outcome of this, they tend to vomit. In some instances, this accumulation of hair gets released via faeces. Felines with long hair are more susceptible to cat throwing up hairball.

You May Like: Can Cats Eat Dog Food In An Emergency

Brush Your Cat To Remove Excess Hair

Perhaps the most obvious and natural solution to hairball problems is to make sure there is less loose hair on your cat for them to ingest. Especially if you have a long-haired cat, regular brushing and grooming help is a necessity.

Establishing a grooming routine with your cat early in their life is wise. The more you can show them how beneficial your ministrations are, the more likely they are to allow it! If your cat does not sit still for long enough to be groomed, try enticing them with treats to stick around for a good brushing.

Can A Hairball Kill A Cat

Is There A Natural Hairball Remedy for Cats?

Yes, they can kill cats if they pass into the small intestine and become lodged. Dr. Richard Goldstein of Cornell, explains:

This is uncommon, he notes, but it is very serious when it does occur. Without surgical intervention, it can be fatal.

If a trichobezoargets to be large enough, it can indeed cause health problems in your cat. If it gets to be too big, your cat won’t be able to expel it nor pass it in the GI tract. This can cause a cat to stop eating, act lethargic, or be depressed. In addition, a blockage can cause the tissues in the digestive tracts to become necrotic. Otherwise termed an impactionimpactions require veterinary care and treatment. If the impaction goes on for too long, your cat may require emergency surgery.

Read Also: Why Is My Cat’s Third Eyelid Showing

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular