How to Prevent Hairballs in Cats

Hairballs can cause vomiting, loss of appetite and constipation in your cat. In rare cases, removal may require surgery. Spare your cat from these problems by following these guidelines.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vaseline
• Mineral Oils
• Cat Combs/brushes
• Cat Foods
• Hairball Prevention Preparations
• Teaspoons

1. Brush your cat daily, especially while she's shedding, to help prevent hairballs from forming in the stomach.

2. Use a bristle or rubber brush for shorthaired cats.

3. Brush longhaired felines with a wide-toothed comb or wire slicker brush.

4. Feed your cat a "hairball control" cat food high in vegetable fiber, or administer a commercial hairball prevention preparation available from your veterinarian or at pet stores.

5. Alternatively, mix 1 tsp. mineral oil or petroleum jelly per 10 lb. body weight into your cat's food, as a home remedy. (The average cat weighs 8 to 10 lbs.)

6. Understand that feeding other oils, such as vegetable oil, to your cat will be ineffective, because they will be digested and absorbed.

7. Make sure you use your cat's body weight in your calculations, not your own (a common error).

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[smirkitty]

on 6/7/2008 Hairball remedies using mineral oils or petroleum jellies should not be used with meals, as they coat the lining of the stomach and prevent the absorption of nutrients from the food.

[smirkitty]

on 6/7/2008 Hairball remedies containing mineral oil or petroleum jellies should not be given at meal time, as they coat the lining of the stomach and intestines and prevent the absorption of nutrients from the food.

on 9/11/2006 My vet always told me to try to avoid anything with mineral oil in it, because taken in quantities, mineral oil can deplete the body of vitamin A. If using one of these formulas, ask your veterinarian if a vitamin A supplement might be in order.

on 3/8/2006 The mineral oil/Petroleum jelly tip is also helpful during the Christmas season when many cat owners put tinsel on their tree. Cats have been known to try eating the tinsel, which can also bind them up.

If you insist on having tinsel on your tree, please make sure that you use one of the hairball remedies to allow the tinsel to slide through their system.

on 2/25/2006 This may sound a little funny, but it's cheap and works! I have one cat. I used to buy him those hairball prevention treats, but they didn't work very well. On a whim once, I jokingly bought one of those lint rollers for $3 (it does say 'removes pet hair'). After my cat sat on my lap, I lint rolled him. He loves it! I roll him every other day (he's short-haired). It doesn't hurt him at all and it does pick up the dead hair. If you have a cat that will sit on your lap, I suggest you buy a lint roller (the kind that has the tear off sheets). They last awhile. Mine always last maybe 4-5 months and it beats having to clean up hairballs or invest in some medicine.