How to Help Your Cat Deal With Hairballs
Cleaning up nasty soggy hairballs is something that most cat owners have learned to live with. But hairballs from cats are not only unpleasant for the one who has to clean them up but especially annoying and uncomfortable for your pet too. Hairballs are pretty common among felines especially since they groom themselves all the time. However, serious cases of hairballs can cause intestinal blockages and other health problems in cats.
As a responsible pet owner, it’s your job to help your feline friend deal with hairballs better.
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Cat Hairballs Causes and Symptoms
To learn how to deal with hairballs, first, you should know what causes them and the early symptoms your cat may exhibit when they catch it.
Hairballs develop in your cat’s stomach from his healthy and fastidious grooming routine. Cats have hook-like structures on their tongues that catch loose dead hair which they swallow. While most of these hairs pass through the digestive tract smoothly, some fibers stay in the stomach and form a hairball. Long-haired cat breeds are more likely to throw up hairballs.
Hacking, gagging, and retching are common symptoms that cats manifest when trying to vomit the hairball. Watch out for the following hairball symptoms that may pose life-threatening risks to your pet:
- Ongoing vomiting without producing a hairball
- Lack of appetite
- Lethargy
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
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Remedies for Hairballs
While hairballs aren’t typically dangerous for your pet, they can be unpleasant for them to cough up. Here’s what you can do to help your cat get through it better next time:
- Groom your cat regularly. Less loose hairs mean less fur down your cat’s digestive tract.
- Feed your pet specialized “hairball formula” cat food. Instead of regular cat food, feed specialized cat food formula with natural fiber to control hairballs.
- Give your cat a hairball laxative. If your cat is having a hard time coughing up hairballs, give him some hairball medicine or laxative to help him expel the hairballs and treat related constipation.
With your cat’s hairball problem dealt better, you will not only ensure your cat’s good health but also a great relationship with your pet.
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