Comments on: How to Prevent Hairballs in Cats

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.

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.

on 12/12/2005 If you feed your cat oily fish once a day the hairballs slide through the digestive system. If your cat is short haired, every other day will suffice.

on 11/22/2005 Moisten the tip of you finger and lightly touch it in baking soda. Dip your finger in the cat's water. Do this every 2 days for a short-haired cat, or every day for a long-haired cat. The cat will never notice, and any hair ingested from grooming will pass straight through the digestive system. Using this method, neither of my cats has ever produced a hairball.

on 11/22/2005 Dampen the tip of your finger, and lightly dip it into some baking soda. Dip this same finger into your cat's water. Do this every second day for short-haired cats, and every day for long-haired.

on 11/22/2005 Brushing your cat can help to prevent hairballs.

on 11/22/2005 A friend of mine swears that performing the Heimlich Manuver (as you would for a choke victim) will clear those hairballs right out.

on 11/22/2005 Our vet suggested rubbing petroleum jelly on the front paws of our cat. She licks her paws constantly throughout the day, so she would ingest it without one of us losing a finger trying to get it into her mouth.