Hairballs In Cats: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Needless to say, cats love to groom and keep themselves clean … This, in addition to having a rough tongue, can also cause some digestive problems. Why? Because of the hairballs in cats, the animal often vomits, feels down, or has stomach pain. Find out how you can prevent this in the following article.
How are hairballs made in cats?
If you own a cat, you’ve probably seen it groom many times. This task can take many hours … Until she is 100% sure that she is clean and combed, she will not stop. Sometimes it can even cause wounds or injuries caused by the “scratchy” tongue that all cats have, which tickles us when they show us their affection.
Hairballs in cats are very common because of this habit. In reality, she always swallows part of her fur, but without even realizing it. And until when? Until she tries to vomit, spit, or sheds her hair with the feces.
It wouldn’t be a problem if she could keep shedding the hairballs. But that doesn’t always work. In some cases, they are “trapped” in the stomach or intestines, causing pain, discomfort, constipation, and even a bad mood.
If your cat has been feeling nauseous, bulging, or feeling depressed for more than a day, it is very likely that a hairball has formed or that he has some other digestive problem. Don’t hesitate to take her to the vet for an exam.
When should I pay attention to hairballs?
What we should also consider is the fact that the cat is vomiting hairballs, which is not as normal as it seems. In reality, even if she loves hygiene, they shouldn’t be formed in her stomach in the first place.
When this happens, it can be a sign that something is not working well in your digestive system. Or more precisely in their intestines. If the animal does not defecate properly, the hair is collected along with other excrement.
One of the theories to understand why the cat is prone to developing these disgusting hairballs is because of today’s diet. Although the diet contains all of the protein she needs, her diet should consist of other foods too, including meat and fish.
Of course, you can also add wet food to completely lubricate the digestive system to prevent what is known as “inflammatory bowel disease”. This increasingly common disease is caused by the amount of dry ingredients in feed (including rice and other grains).
What to do about hairballs in cats?
Once we have verified that there is a serious animal health problem, it is best to avoid the formation of hairballs in cats. Follow these advice:
1. Provide her with a healthy diet
The vet can usually tell you what type of food and what amounts are good for the cat. Balance the grain and carbohydrate diet with high-protein canned food. When you have a little time to cook, prepare your liver, chicken, fish, or meat. There are thousands of homemade cat food recipes out there.
2. Brush regularly
If you have a cat with very long hair, such as Persian, Angora, or Maine Coon, you should brush the fur at least once a week. We encourage you to start this habit from an early age so that they see it as a game or pampering, rather than something bad or disruptive. This way, she has fewer loose hairs to swallow while cleaning.
3. Help her get rid of the hairballs
There are certain herbs and plants that you can feed your cat to help the cat shed its hair with a mild laxative effect. This is the case with wheat, barley or what is known as “cat grass”. Check with the vet before putting pots everywhere.
Some owners give the cat a teaspoon of petroleum jelly or sunflower oil to put in the food (or directly in the mouth) to help them expel the excrement faster.
