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Hairballs in Cats
Why Is My Cat Vomiting?
Hairballs in cats are very common. Most pet owners know some of the symptoms such as vomiting. This article helps cat owners to understand what causes hairballs, what are the symptoms, what increases the risk of hairballs, and what can be done to prevent and treat hairballs in cats. Ferrets and rabbits can also develop hairballs. Dogs rarely develop hairballs because of their body size and structure of their tongue.
Cats Getting Hairballs
Cats have a unique tongue that contains many rough projections called papillae. These projections help them groom. Cats are very fastidious groomers. A healthy cat hardly ever has to be bathed. With this grooming, the cat ingests fur, which can stay in the stomach or small intestine causing an incomplete blockage. This is what is called a hair or fur ball.
Hairball Symptoms
Vomiting is the most common sign of a cat with hairballs. Sometimes the vomit will contain fur, other times it will not. Other frequent symptoms are not eating as well, hiding because they don’t feel good, and smaller more numerous fecal droppings. Often, the bowel movements will appear as slightly smaller than grape size, but connected together by fur. Other times they have diarrhea from the food having to squeeze around the hairball.
Increasing the Risk of Hairballs
Most of the things that increase the chances of getting a hairball cannot be completely eliminated. But it is a good idea to know if your pet cat or kitten may be at risk in developing a hairball. The prime candidate for getting a hairball is an inside, longhaired, soft-coated cat that likes to groom. The most susceptible breeds include the Himalayan and Persian cats. Inside cats can have more time on their paws and tend to spend it grooming. Soft and long fur can form a ball easier than shorter and coarser fur. Plus, the soft fur sticks to the papillae on the tongue easier and is ingested more often. Sometimes a friendly cat will groom its housemates and develop a hairball from them and not from the fur on its own body.
Hairball Prevention
Preventing hairballs is better than having to treat them. The problem is that you cannot tell if your pet cat or kitten is getting a hairball until he or she starts with the symptoms.
Prevention relies on reducing the fur ingested and helping the fur that is ingested to pass through the intestinal tract. The best way to reduce the amount of fur ingested is by daily brushing with a Slicker Brush. A slicker brush acts a lot like the rough tongue of a cat and grabs that soft long fur on the cat. Most cats love being groomed with a slicker brush. Brushing is done slowly and from head to tail. You do not want to brush against the direction the fur is falling, that is from the tail to the head.
The best way to help the fur pass through the intestinal tract is by giving an intestinal lubricant by mouth. The lubricant keeps the fur from sticking to the stomach and intestinal lining and aids in its passage out of the body. A good hair and fur ball preventative is Lax'aire. Lax’aire helps the fur to pass and does not cause diarrhea. As a preventative, use an intestinal lubricant twice weekly. There are some feline diets that contain high levels of digestible fiber that seem to work well. Make sure to use a reputable brand as some foods do a better job than others.
Hairball Treatment
Hairball treatment centers around the use of an intestinal lubricant to lubricate the fur ball so it will pass out of the stomach and small intestines. Treatment involves using a large dose daily for 3-5 days with a product such as Lax’aire. If this is not successful endoscopy or surgery may be needed to remove the hairball. Vomiting multiple times a day is a sign of a more serious medical problem and needs to be addressed by a Veterinarian immediately.
This is just an overview of hairballs in cats and their treatment. If you are interested in purchasing some of the medicines listed above, please visit our online store at www.ACatDog.com.
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