Groom Your Cat To Avoid Hairballs – Kitty Will Love You For It

As loving cat owners we hate to think that our beloved pets are
feeling unwell. That can be the first impression when your cat
starts making hacking noises. Usually this is the first signs of
the cat trying to get rid of a hairball.

If you see a blob of disgusting stuff on your floor, it is
likely to be a hairball. Cats need to do this in order to remove
hair from within their stomachs to keep them from getting sick.

What is it? It’s a mass of hair and probably some food from the
inside of a cat’s body. When a cat grooms himself, he removes
loose hair from throughout his body and it ends up in his
stomach. Sometimes, the hair comes together and forms a ball in
there. If he can not pass it, it is likely it won’t break down
but will come up instead.

Most cats have trouble with removing hairballs. If the cat can
not get them up, it can get into the intestines and cause a
blockage. This is life threatening to the pet. If your cat seems
to be constipated it may be a sign of a blockage. If the cat is
lethargic and his coat is dull and unhealthy looking, this too
may be a sign. Watch that he eats as he normally does. If not,
you should call and take him to see the vet who will then find
out if it is a hairball and then he’ll remove it.

You can prevent this type of problem yourself though. One of the
best ways to do this is to groom the pet. The long haired cat
need to be combed and brushed each day to remove excess hair. If
you start to groom him when he is still young, he will learn to
tolerate it. He may even look forward to being groomed. Some
cats will bring their combs to their owners even. If he doesn’t
like to be groomed, use a grooming glove instead.

If the cat still seems to have trouble with hairballs, you can
add dietary aids to his diet. One of these is a dry cat food
that can help to prevent hairballs. Don’t just buy the first bag
of the formula that you find. Make sure it is still a good
quality food for your pet, one that is high in protein and other
nutrients. If your cat has a hairball, you can shop for the gel
that can be added to the food which will help the hairball to
pass. Make sure to talk to your vet before using one of these
hairball remedies for long periods of time though.

You can try some of the more natural remedies as well but you
should insure they are okay with your vet first. Some will
actually cause your pet discomfort or will remove important
nutrients from his body. These include such things as pumpkin,
mineral oils and even butter. If your cat continues to have
trouble with hairballs, talk to your vet about what you should
do to improve this.