what is the best treatment for hairballs in cats

12 Surprising Home Cures For Your Cat's Hairballs

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Full Answer

What is the best hairball remedy for cats?

After brushing your cat, wipe them with a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic baby wipe. Alternatively, you can use a damp paper towel. A moist cloth such as these helps to …

How to reduce hairballs in cats with home remedies?

Apr 11, 2022 · Long-haired cats may especially benefit from this. Some cats will also respond well to over-the-counter diets marketed for hairball prevention or petroleum-based supplements designed to help hair move through the GI tract more readily. What should you do if you find your pet is exhibiting signs of having a hairball?

Can cat get sick from having hairballs?

Jan 11, 2022 · If your cat has a problematic hairball, laxatives, IV or SQ fluids, or even surgery may be needed to treat it and remove it. Sometimes an overnight stay in the hospital will be necessary to adminster IV fluids and oral laxatives but if the hairball is not able to be passed naturally, surgical removal of the hairball will also be warranted.

Does my cat have too many hairballs?

5 rows · Apr 06, 2022 · For our fish-loving cat friends, the Hartz Hairball Remedy is a salmon-flavored gel that you can ...

What is a natural remedy for hairballs in cats?

Add a teaspoon of olive oil or melted butter to your cat's food once a week. Provide your cat with a small amount of canned tuna or sardines occasionally. Another effective option is to dip your cat's paw into some petroleum jelly.Nov 17, 2020

What do vets recommend for hairballs in cats?

Reviewing The Best Cat Hairball Remedies4.1 Sentry Hairball Relief for Cats, Malt Flavor,4.4 Ounces.4.2 Hartz Hairball Remedy Plus Salmon Flavored Paste for Cats and Kittens.4.3 Nutri-Vet Cat Hairball Support Paw Gel | Hairball Remedy for Cats | Tasty Salmon Flavor | 3 Ounce Tube.More items...•Jul 4, 2021

What do vets prescribe for hairballs?

In some cases prescription medications such as Metoclopromide or Reglan can be helpful in managing chronic hair balls but it is important to rule out some of the above chronic illnesses first with a full veterinary workup.Dec 30, 2010

How do I know if my cat has a hairball stuck?

Gastrointestinal blockages require prompt surgical intervention, so if your cat has any of these symptoms of a possible blockage, see your veterinarian immediately:repeated unproductive retching.lethargy.lack of appetite.constipation.diarrhea.Feb 6, 2020

How do you dissolve hairballs in cats?

We recommend these three approaches.Brushing/Hair Removal. Brushing your cat more frequently is the easiest way to reduce hairballs. ... Digestive Aids & Fiber. Adding digestive enzymes to your cat's food can help dramatically reduce hairballs. ... Fish Oil.Feb 20, 2021

How much olive oil should I give my cat for hairballs?

The generally accepted amount that's appropriate for hairball prevention is 1 teaspoon of olive oil over your cat's food once a week.Jan 30, 2021

How much does hairball surgery cost?

Surgery costs vary widely based on your location and the severity of your pet's condition. You can expect to pay anywhere from $800 up to $6000 or more. Your vet will provide you with a more precise estimate when discussing surgery with you.Oct 14, 2021

Does wet cat food help with hairballs?

Does wet food help with hairballs? Yes, they do. Wet food aids in the passing of hair through the tract because it's easy to digest, which means it passes through the body quickly, not allowing hair time to form a ball. Therefore, cats that are on a diet of just wet food will have reduced hairballs.Jul 6, 2020

Can cats poop out hairballs?

While most of the swallowed hair eventually passes through the animal's digestive tract and gets excreted intact in the feces, some of it remains in the stomach and gradually accumulates into a damp clump — the hairball. It's not uncommon, says Dr. Goldstein, for a cat to regurgitate a hairball once every week or two.

Can I give my cat olive oil for hairballs?

A teaspoon of olive oil every week or so should do the trick. Oil throughout the digestive system will help your cat eliminate hair in its stools and aid in digestion. This should cut down on stomach aches associated with hairballs. Other oils, such as mineral oil, corn oil or saffron oil can also help.Feb 2, 2018

How long can a hairball last in a cat?

Other hairball symptoms can include your cat nibbling on grass, as well as constipation and lethargy. If your cat doesn't pass the hairball, and these signs last for more than two to three days, book a check-up with your vet to make sure nothing else is amiss.

Can cats choke to death on hairballs?

A large hairball ( known as a trichobezoar) can cause a blockage in a cat's intestinal tract and cause your cat to choke to death.

How to get rid of hairballs on cats?

After brushing your cat, wipe them with a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic baby wipe. Alternatively, you can use a damp paper towel. A moist cloth such as these helps to remove any remaining loose fur, which helps to reduce the amount that ends up in your cat’s stomach and reduces the risk of hairballs.

How to keep hairballs from growing on cat?

Canned food may also provide enough hydration to help keep the digestive system moving properly, reducing the risk of hairballs. Lubricate the Digestive Tract. Incorporating oil into your cat’s diet can help to lubricate the digestive tract , making it easier for hair to pass through naturally.

How to make a cat feel like he's being petted?

With these pet-friendly gloves, your cat will feel like they’re being petted rather than brushed. If they’re resistant to brushing and petting, you could also consider shaving the hair down. Continued. Use Baby Wipes. After brushing your cat, wipe them with a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic baby wipe.

What to feed a cat with hairballs?

Even so, adding some extra fiber to your cat’s diet can help to lower the risk of hairballs by helping to move things through their digestive system better. Some forms of fiber to add include: Pumpkin (or pumpkin powder) Apples. Carrots.

How to help a cat with dry food?

If you’re unsure of how much to add, talk to your cat’s vet. Increase Water Intake. If your cat eats dry food, their diet likely isn’t providing enough water to meet their hydration needs. As such, their digestive system may not be able to function as well as it should. Offer your cat a clean, fresh water source.

Do cats have hairballs?

If you have a cat, you’ve likely come across a hairball in your home on at least one occasion. You may have woken up early in the morning to hearing your cat coughing one up. Whether you’ve seen it or stepped in it first, these gooey masses are anything but pleasant. Cats clean themselves frequently.

Can cats cough up hairballs?

Remedies for Hairballs in Cats. While hairballs aren’t typically dangerous, they’re not pleasant for your cat to cough up. It’s also not enjoyable for you as the owner to hear your cat go through the experience. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help prevent hairballs or reduce their frequency.

What is the best treatment for cat hairballs?

Here are some cat hairball remedies and treatments that you might try: Laxatone: This is a palatable oral gel that can help bind hair in the stomach and make it easier for the hair to pass through your cat’s GI tract. These gels can help with hairballs in some cats.

How to get rid of hairballs on cats?

Regular brushing will help to minimize the mats and tangles that your cat will try to resolve on their own. Spending some extra quality time each day to brush your cat will help reduce and/or prevent hairballs, and it helps promote bonding. Featured Image: iStock.com/hsvrs.

Why does my cat vomit so much?

If the vomiting episodes become more frequent or persistent, or if your cat is not eating, they should be seen by their regular veterinarian for an exam. Other underlying diseases that can cause vomiting in cats include a bacterial overgrowth, intestinal parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, or GI lymphoma.

What happens if a cat coughs up a hairball?

Cats will typically vomit a long, tubular mass of hair when coughing up a hairball. This can be distressing for both you and your cat. Here are a few ways to help treat and prevent cat hairballs.

How to prevent cat from getting hairballs?

One of the best ways to prevent your cat from having hairballs is to groom your cat frequently. Combing and/or brushing your cat’s coat helps to remove the loose hair, which reduces the amount of hair your cat ingests. Limiting the amount of hair your cat swallows can help decrease ...

What happens when a cat grooms?

When a cat grooms, they will typically swallow hair. Some of the hair will pass thorough their digestive tract and into their feces with no complications. In some cats, the hair will collect in their stomach and develop into a hairball.

Can cats have hairballs?

How To Treat Cat Hairballs. As a cat parent, you have probably experienced your cat having hairballs occasionally. Cats will typically vomit a long, tubular mass of hair when coughing up a hairball. This can be distressing for both you and your cat.

What Are Hairballs?

Technically known as trichobezoars, hairballs are compacted wads of fur that are ingested and collect inside your cat's stomach. They are tube shaped, like your cat's esophagus, and typically full of slimy fur.

Causes of Hairballs in Cats

There is really only one reason why cats get hairballs and that's because they ingest hair. Hair ingestion regularly occurs when a cat is grooming itself or another cat.

Diagnosing a Hairball in Your Cat

Some experts note 1 that an occasionally vomiting a hairball is not a concern, but if you suspect your cat has a hairball that is causing an obstruction, this is not something that should be ignored. If your cat is showing signs of an obstruction, your veterinarian needs to get involved.

Treatment of Hairballs in Cats

If your cat has a problematic hairball, laxatives, IV or SQ fluids, or even surgery may be needed to treat it and remove it. Sometimes an overnight stay in the hospital will be necessary to adminster IV fluids and oral laxatives but if the hairball is not able to be passed naturally, surgical removal of the hairball will also be warranted.

How to Prevent Hairballs in Cats

The best way to prevent your cat from getting a hairball is to brush it regularly to cut down on the amount of potential fur it ingests. Haircuts can also help, especially if your cat has long hair.

Does your cat need a hairball remedy?

Some cats are prone to hairballs, while others rarely seem to suffer at all. How often you find yourself cleaning up icky patches of chucked-up hair will help you determine if you need to consider hairball remedies.

Gels, tablets, or liquid hairball remedy?

The form of hairball remedy that will work for your cat can be trial and error. Cats always seem to know when they’re expected to eat something, even if it’s for their benefit, and they won’t want to touch it. Finding a method that they’ll be happy to accept may take experimentation.

Alternative remedies to hairballs

There are other ways to help prevent your cats from suffering from hairballs. The first and probably most obvious is brushing your cat’s fur. This will remove loose hair and stop your cats from eating it when they clean themselves. If your cat doesn’t like brushes, you can get pet grooming gloves or use a damp paper towel.

When to see a vet

If you’ve tried all sorts of methods to ease your cat’s hairball problems to no avail, it’s time to check in with your veterinarian. They’ll be able to give you a prescription for a stronger remedy that might work better.

The best hairball medicine overall

Tomlyn Laxatone Hairball Remedy for Cats provides quick relief from hairball-related constipation and supports your cat's digestive tract to prevent hairballs in the future.

The best hairball relief supplements

Support your cat's digestion and prevent hairballs with Vet's Best Hairball Relief Digestive Aid supplements, which are made from natural ingredients.

The best gel hairball medicine

Not only is this Nutri-Vet Hairball Paw Gel free from petroleum-based ingredients, but it contains natural ingredients that lubricate your cat's digestive tract, support healthy skin and coat, and minimize shedding.

The best hairball prevention treats

Loaded with chicken-based protein and plant-based fibers, these Feline Greenies Hairball Control Smart Bites work to minimize hairball formation and aid digestion while also giving your cat a boost of healthy nutrition.

Check out our other buying guides for cats

Pet expert Jackie Brown has spent 20 years following her passion for animals as a writer and editor in the pet industry. Her expertise includes dog and cat health, care, nutrition, feeding, grooming, behavior, and training.

How to stop cat from getting hairballs?

Nothing can be done to totally prevent hairballs in cats, but there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood your cat will have hairballs or reduce their frequency. Groom your cat regularly. The more fur you remove from your cat, the less fur that will end up as hairballs in their stomach. Combing or brushing your cat on a daily basis can be ...

Why do cats throw up hairballs?

Usually, your cat will vomit the hairball to get rid of it. Because hairballs pass through the narrow esophagus on the way out, they often appear thin and tube-like, rather than round. Hairballs in cats are more likely to appear in long-haired breeds, such as Persians and Maine Coons.

How to stop cat from licking coat?

Discourage excessive grooming. If you suspect that your cat’s hairballs are a result of compulsive grooming, try to train your cat to do another enjoyable activity instead of licking their coat. This might include teaching them to play with a new toy on their own or finding a fun toy you can play with together.

What happens when a cat grooms itself?

When your cat grooms themselves, tiny hook-like structures on their tongue catch loose and dead hair, which is then swallowed. The majority of this hair passes all the way through the digestive tract with no problems. But if some hair stays in the stomach, it can form a hairball.

Can cats get hairballs?

4 Hairball Remedies. No two ways about it: Hairballs in cats are unpleasant. And they’re not just disagreeable for the person who has to clean them up -- they can cause intestinal blockages, which can be a serious health problem for your cat.

Do cats get hairballs when they get older?

This is quite normal -- as cats get older they become more adept groomers and therefore more proficient at removing fur from their coats with their tongues, which means more hairballs for you to clean up.

Symptoms of hairballs in cats

Hairballs are relatively easy to identify at home. If your cat is vomiting large slimy mats of hair, these are hairballs. Hairballs occur as a result of your cat’s normal grooming behavior. When your cat grooms, hair becomes caught in the barbs on cat’s tongue.

Treatment of hairballs in cats

Hairballs can be a disgusting nuisance, but luckily they are relatively easy to treat. Most hairballs can be remedied with over-the-counter hairball treatments.

Preventing hairballs in cats

The best way to prevent hairballs in your cat is through regular grooming. Long-haired cats require daily brushing to help remove loose hair and prevent hairballs, while short haired cats may only need to be brushed weekly or every other week depending on the cat’s grooming behavior.

When to visit the veterinarian

Hairballs are a common and normal occurrence in cats, but they shouldn’t happen more than once every week or so. If your cat is having frequent hairballs despite providing appropriate preventive care, it may be time to see your veterinarian.

Is it a hairball or a cough?

Pet owners will often describe their cats as “trying to bring up a hairball” or having a hairball that is “stuck”. If your cat is hacking unproductively, it may not be hairballs at all! In many cases, this hacking is actually your cat coughing.

Conclusion

Feline hairballs are more than just a messy nuisance; they can also be a sign of a problem! If your cat is having more hairballs than usual or has hairballs frequently, then it may be time for a visit to your veterinarian to look for underlying problems.

How to make sure your cat doesn't get hairballs?

The best thing you can do to make sure that the hair doesn’t become a problem is to take steps to improve his digestion. Healthy digestion is the key to smoothly passing hairballs instead of vomiting them up, but it will also boost your cat’s absorption of key nutrients for better overall health.

Why does my cat throw up hairballs?

If too much hair accumulates and cannot be passed, the cat vomits it up instead. Sometimes hairballs are a sign that something else is going on in your cat’s digestive system, causing vomiting and other symptoms. All cats groom themselves and therefore have the potential to develop hairballs.

Why is it important to make cat food whole?

This is why it is important to choose a cat food made with whole food ingredients – especially if your cat is prone to digestive issues. Low-quality ingredients, by-products, and additives can upset your cat’s stomach and make problems like hairballs and vomiting worse.

What is the best food for a cat with a sensitive stomach?

This Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Dehydrated Cat Food is an excellent choice because it supports healthy digestion as well as complete and balanced nutrition, using only the finest natural ingredients. This recipe features fresh chicken as the main ingredient with grain-free carbohydrates including fresh fruits and vegetables for energy and digestive support. Overall, this food contains 39% protein, nearly 30% fat, and over 2% crude fiber. Most importantly, however, it is dehydrated rather than cooked which means that the nutritional integrity of the raw ingredients is preserved. It also means that you can rehydrate it before feeding to maximize your cat’s moisture intake for improved digestion.

What is the best food for hairballs?

Our Top Pick for the Best Wet Cat Food for Hairballs: If you’re looking for a great hairball control wet cat food, try this Solid Gold Tropical Blendz with Chicken & Coconut Oil Pate Grain-Free Canned Food. Though not specifically designed for hairball control, this recipe features coconut oil as a natural source of medium-chain fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. Plus, it is free from grains and gluten to reduce the risk of triggering food allergies and sensitivities but made with supplemental sources of fiber for optimal digestion. This recipe features fresh chicken as the main ingredient with supplemental proteins like tuna and eggs, plus fresh fruits and vegetables to provide natural sources for key nutrients.

What does it mean when a cat coughs up a hairball?

Every cat owner knows that coughing, wheezing, retching sound a cat makes when it is coughing up a hairball. If the sound doesn’t make you gag yourself, it probably has you running for a paper towel. If you’re lucky, you can clean up the mess fairly quickly.

Why does my cat cough?

In the same way that respiratory conditions can cause chronic bouts of coughing, exposure to chemical irritants can cause episodes of acute coughing. Chemical sprays, powders, and propellants can cause your cat to develop a sharp cough that sometimes sounds like a hairball.