Archive of ‘Cat Hairballs’ category

Using Wheat Bran to Treat Hairballs in Cats

Healthy digestion and bowel regularity are both important to the health of your cat, no matter what its age. Unfortunately, cats that suffer from frequent hairballs may experience constipation, which can ultimately result in kidney damage and other health problems. Still, there are many remedies for hairballs in cats, including the use of wheat bran.

Homemade Wheat Bran Treatment

If you’re looking for a natural remedy for your cat’s hairballs, try mixing the following ingredients together:

  • one tablespoon of wheat bran
  • one teaspoon of rice bran, or two teaspoons of canned pumpkin

Add this concoction to your cat’s regular food or serve as a treat on the side (many cats enjoy the taste of canned pumpkin). You can repeat this meal once every few days, but you shouldn’t feed your cat this too regularly, as it can be high in calories and fattening. In fact, this recipe is best for cats that are an average weight already and suffering from hairballs.

How does this work to help your cat get rid of hairballs? Essentially, it’s a way of adding a large amount of fiber to your cat’s diet. Since fiber helps stools pass, this homemade wheat bran recipe is a great way to help your cat pass hairballs through the digestive tract.

As a result, your cat will receive the relief it needs from constipation while also expelling hairballs that could otherwise be dangerous. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy finding fewer hairballs coughed up by your cat. It’s a win-win situation for everybody.

There are many treatments for constipation in cats, especially constipation caused by hairballs. However, if you’re looking for a natural treatment that you can whip up with just a couple simple ingredients at home, this is definitely one worth trying.

How to Treat Hairballs

Cat napping

Cat napping (Photo credit: popitz)

Experiencing hairballs once in a while is a pretty normal phenomenon for a cat. However, if your cat has hairballs every day or a few times every week, or even if your cat has difficulty getting hairballs out, you might need to help your cat.

Be sure to take your cat to the vet if he really has difficulty getting the hairball out or if he experiences them too often. Otherwise, some natural methods can ease the process or even prevent hairballs from forming.

Common Causes of Hairballs in Cats

Since cats clean themselves by licking, they inevitably swallow a fair amount of fur in the process. Some of the fur will go through the cat’s system and come out through waste, but some of it becomes stuck in the stomach and small intestines, creating a ball of fur.

Some cats experience hairballs more than others. These include cats that lick excessively, long-haired cats and cats that shed a lot.

Sometimes, hair balls can be a symptom of something worse like inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal lymphoma. If your cat is getting hairballs frequently, it’s worth taking him to the vet to rule out a more serious condition.

How to Naturally Treat Cat Hairballs

You could try lubricants or other specially-formulated hairball treatments. However, the David Suzuki Foundation notes that petrolatum — or petroleum jelly or mineral oil — which is used in these products, has been associated with a risk of cancer and other health problems. VetInfo notes that using these products over a long-term basis can prevent your cat’s body from absorbing fat-soluble vitamins. Therefore, you might want to try a more natural approach to hairballs.

An easy way to prevent or minimize hairballs is to regularly brush or comb your cat. This act will take away much of your cat’s loose fur without him licking it off. Plus, grooming provides quality bonding time between you and your cat.

Changing your cat’s lifestyle can also prevent hairballs. Eating healthier with fewer snacks and more fiber, and exercising, can create a healthier digestive system that keeps the hair moving. Also, you could try hairball-reducing cat food or treats. The Natural Cat Care blog recommends trying a grain-free diet to see if it helps your cat. You could also add canned pure pumpkin and/or probiotics/enzymes to your cat’s diet.

Hairballs and Digestion

English: White she-cat with long hair and kitt...

English: White she-cat with long hair and kitten. Français : Chatte blanche à poils longs et son chaton. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cat owners are always concerned for their pet’s health and one of the most frequent concerns is hairballs. Hairballs are not only unsightly and a mess to clean up, they can cause blockage to your cat’s digestive system and in some situations can cause death.

The main reason your cat gets hairballs is because by nature, they are clean creatures. When they give themselves a bath, the loose hair sticks to their tongues and that hair gets swallowed. The hair can then lodge in the digestive system until it is thrown up, passed through in the cat’s stool, or in some cases, it will stay in the cat’s system where it grow until it totally blocks him.

One way to prevent hairballs is to either brush or comb you cat every day. If the cat has long hair, you should use a steel tooth comb to make sure that the undercoat hairs are combed out. If the cat has short hair, a brushing three or four times during the week should be fine.

If your cat has hairballs, there are several natural ways to help in preventing, or at least treat the hairball before it harms the cat. Let’s take a look at some of the ways.

  • Use Lax-eze Treatment.Your vet will let you know if your cat should be on this treatment. It is all natural, and helps with vomiting due to hairballs. There are no side effects and it could help your cat’s digestion. It can also give your cat a glossy coat and helps your cat shed less.
  • Feed your cat grain-free food.Grain-free food has no grains such as rice, corn, barley or wheat.
  • Try 100% Pumpkin.Try feeding your cat one teaspoon several times a week. Check the label on the can to make sure it does not have any spices or preservatives. You can also us fresh cooked and mashed pumpkin. Pumpkin is a great natural way to help your cat’s digestion.
  • Use Plant Probiotics and Enzymes. These will help your cat digest and absorb nutrients and should be given with wet cat food.
  • Select Chewable Hairball Relief.Vets Best has an all natural chewable pill that is holistic. Some of the ingredients are elm bark, papaya and no petroleum based ingredients.

If these tips don’t do work, make sure you take your pet to the vet and ask for his advice. Make sure you tell him you would prefer a holistic solution.

Homeopathy for Hairballs

English: Sleeping long-hair cat

English: Sleeping long-hair cat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you own a cat, you are probably well aware of hairballs. Since cats are creatures that are constantly grooming, their hair gets stuck on their tongue and that hair gets swallowed..

Some of the hair can pass through, but some of it doesn’t. The hair that doesn’t pass through will turn into a hairball and cause discomfort to the cat. If the hairball gets too big, it could result in blockage in the intestinal tract and it may not be able to be passed from either end. If left untreated, the results could be fatal.

Over the counter treatments contain petroleum jelly. On one hand that is good because it will lubricate the hair ball which can aid in passing it through. On the other hand, remedies that contain petroleum jelly can keep the cat from absorbing nutrients that are vital. These include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

There are homeopathy treatments that will not harm the cat and may also prevent hairballs. This would be a comfort for both you and your feline. Let’s take a look at some of them.

  • Brushing your cat every day to get rid of dead and loose hair.The less lose hair, the less there is for the cat to swallow.
  • Give your cat grain-free food.Grains are hard to digest and could increase a hairball problem by not letting the hairball pass through.
  • Give 100% Pumpkin a try.Giving your cat 1 teaspoon a few times a week can also help. Make sure the label states that there are no preservatives and no spices. Pumpkin is a natural way to help your feline’s digestion.
  • Try plant based Probiotics and Enzymes.These help in the digestion of your cat and will also help your cat absorb more vital nutrients. These would be best served with wet cat food.
  • Choose a chewable hairball relief tablet.There are all natural pills that the cat can chew. Some ingredients include elm bark and papaya, but best of all, they do not contain petroleum jelly.
  • Use Lax-eze Treatment.Ask your vet if your cat should be on this treatment. This treatment will help with vomiting caused by hairballs and will not create harmful side-effects.

Make sure that you take your cat for regular check-ups. This can prevent hairballs from becoming more serious.

Help your cat get rid of hairballs the natural way

It’s a sound that you dread hearing from your cat: That deep-throated hacking with your cat’s head bent low as eventually a big wad of wet fur lands on the rug. Hairballs are disgusting, and can cause many health problems for your cat if not treated properly. Unfortunately, many cat owners don’t do anything to prevent hairballs from happening, believing it’s just a part of nature for a cat.

What Causes Hairballs A cat is a very meticulous creature when it comes to personal grooming. You may watch your cat take over an hour licking its fur to get rid of dirt and burrs as it straightens out each hair to its designated place. When a cat licks itself in this manner, sometimes hairs loosen as the cat swallows the fur.

Cat photo

Cat photo (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

A cat’s digestive tract isn’t suited to break down fur into natural proteins and minerals the cat’s body needs. So most hair passes through the cat’s intestine and ends up in its feces. Unfortunately, some hair wads up in the stomach. This may happen when a cat has very long hair or grooms itself excessively. It can also happen more often in the spring when a cat is shedding its thick winter coat used to keep warm from the cold.

When the hair wads up, the stomach naturally tries to eject it. The cat coughs up the hair as you get to see a large ball of hair covered in digestive fluids.

Getting Rid Of Hairballs Naturally To lessen the number of hairballs your cat swallows, which can cause diarrhea and other health issues if the cat doesn’t retch up the hair from the stomach, you should brush your cat’s fur on a regular basis. By removing the loose hair, your cat won’t swallow as much as it can pass natural through their stomach and intestines.

Another remedy is petroleum jelly that is an intestinal lubrication, although many cat owners dislike having their pets swallow such a product. Instead, change your cat’s diet to a high-fiber regimen. This will allow more objects to pass through their system. Also give your cat plenty of exercise. This is just sound advice for your cat’s overall health.

You may also introduce probiotics and enzymes designed for animals into the cat’s food. It will help with the cat’s digestive system. There are also many homeopathic anti-constipation products designed for cats to help lessen the amount of hair sitting in the cat’s stomach that can accumulate into a hairball.

Before adopting any type of home remedy, make sure you take your cat to the veterinarian. With a full check-up, you can ensure that you cat isn’t suffering from any other type of medical condition that is contributing to your cat’s digestive problems and the number of hairballs in their stomach.

Cat Hairballs: Treatment and Symptoms

Cats are very clean animals, but they can’t simply hop in the shower when they need to remove dirt or oils from their fur. A cat relies on their tongue for all of their cleaning chores. Unfortunately, this can lead to a lot of ingested hair, especially as the seasons change and your pet undergoes a major shed. Loose hair accumulates in the stomach or intestines, creating a hair ball. Watching your pets for signs of these internal issues and treating them promptly could help you avoid costly surgeries or a mess on your rug.

Both long and short haired cats can develop these wads of hair, but long haired felines are definitely at a higher risk. When your pet has a full ball developed in its stomach, it may try to vomit it back out. Most cat hairballs become too large to pass through the other end very quickly. Regular vomiting, attempts at vomiting, and general loss of appetite often indicate a blockage. You may notice your pet is worn out or has a hard and bloated stomach as well. If they stop using the litter box, invest in immediate vet attention. Complete intestinal blockages are possible and will threaten the life of your pet.

There’s no need to worry about hairballs if you add a few simple and natural products to your routine. Most commercial hairball treatments are based on petroleum jelly to lubricate the hairball. However, this jelly also blocks vitamin absorption through the digestive system. For long term use, choose natural hairball treatments containing fish oils, psyllium husks to help push the hair through, and other safe ingredients. Brushing your pet daily during the shedding seasons will also minimize the amount of hair they ingest – and the amount of loose fur that ends up on your furniture.