One of the most common cat health problems is cat hairballs.

Cats with long hair are more likely to suffer from them, while kittens usually have this problem less often.

What causes cat hairballs?

Your cat may swallow its fur while cleaning itself. When the amount of the swallowed fur becomes too much, the cat vomits it back. If this happens several times a month, it’s a reason to get worried.

How can you recognize cat hairballs? Like every health problem, cat hairballs have signs and symptoms, which, fortunately, are noticeable:

• Coughing hairballs
• Loss of appetite
• Hair in feces
• Retching or coughing
• Gagging or hacking

How should you help your cat?

Cat hairballs can be prevented by certain medications and proper care. First of all, comb your cat’s hair daily. By the way, veterinarians suggest to use combs instead of brushes, because they remove the excess hair better.

Pay attention to the right choice of comb:

• Consider flea combs, if your cat has short hair.
• Consider wide-toothed combs, if your cat has long hair.

It’s also very important to feed your cat with quality food (your vet will give you advice on what kind of food would be the best for your cat). Also let him/her eat grass as it helps to eliminate hairballs.

I have heard that Petromalt (a petroleum-based hairball remedy) helps to remove hair from a cat’s digestive system. And Slypper Elm Bark is an herb that reduces the amount of hairballs. But in case you want to use them, consult a veterinarian to learn if they can be useful and effective for your cat.

Photo © J-Lia

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