How to Use Olive Oil to Prevent Hairballs

If your cat suffers from hairballs, you know how unpleasant it is to watch your cat cough up a hairball and then have to clean it up. Before you spend money on expensive hairball treatments, try using olive oil to get rid of hairballs. Olive oil is a safe alternative to products with digestion-threatening ingredients like petroleum.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Purchase wet cat food in flavors that your cat enjoys. Check labels for high-fiber content, as fiber can encourage your cat to naturally pass the hairball.

2. Measure out 1 tsp. of olive oil and add it to your cat's food. Mix it so that the food and the olive oil are thoroughly incorporated into the cat food's juices.

3. Feed your cat the mixture of cat food and olive oil.

4. Continue dosing your cat's food with olive oil for 3 days.

5. Check your cat's stool for signs of the passed hairball. Ingested olive oil acts as a lubricant and laxative and your cat should expel the hairball after 2 or 3 days of eating the cat food and olive oil mixture.

6. Incorporate small amounts of olive oil into your cat's daily diet. Adding between 1/8 and 1/4 tsp. of olive oil to your cat's meals prevents hairball accumulation in your cat's digestive system.

Tips & Warnings

• Groom your cat's coat regularly to ensure that your cat's chances of experiencing another hairball are minimized.
• Your pet cat should pass the hairball within three days. If your cat hasn't passed the hairball after this time, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian, as your cat may be experiencing an impaction.