Your cat’s health is important. Your veterinarian can
teach you all about the many health conditions your cat could
experience, but it is also important to learn about such things
on your own. If you want to be sure that you cat is getting the
best care possible, you need to watch for signs that something
may be wrong with your pet. One common medical condition that
affects many cats is hairballs. While hairballs are normal for a
cat to some extent, you should contact you veterinarian
immediately if you think the problem is out of control.
Cats get hairballs mainly because they spend so much time
cleaning themselves. Although cats do not like water, they do
like being very clean at all times, and they do so, of course,
my licking their fur. You cat probably grooms many times every
day. Because cats also shed, they swallow a lot of their own
hair. Most of this passes naturally through the cat’s system,
but occasionally the hair becomes matted and entwined in the
stomach, causing a hairball that is too large to pass through
the system. When this happens, the cat vomits the hairball.
If your cat seems to have an abnormally high amount of
hairballs, you should talk to you veterinarian. About a quarter
of all digestive blockages in cats come from hairballs that
cannot pass or be vomited and this can make you cat very sick.
Huge hairballs that size of baseballs have been known to form in
a cat’s stomach. A hairball of that size can easily kill your
cat.
There are a number of signs you will see in a cat having a
problem with hairballs. If your cat is retching often, has a
change in digestion, or has a swollen abdomen, he or she may
have a problem with hairballs. Your veterinarian can give you
cat flavored medication that your pet will love. Contained
inside are non-digestible oil lubricants that will help your cat
pass hairballs easier. Taking this medication regularly will
prevent your cat from ever forming such hairballs. Another great
way to prevent hairballs from forming is a high-fiber diet,
possibly including a fiber supplement. Home remedies, on the
other hand, are not a good idea, because they could cause other
problems with your cat’s digestive system.
When in doubt, call your cat’s veterinarian. Animal doctors are
specially trained to help you help your pets. When you report
health abnormalities to your veterinarian, you are able to best
keep your cat healthy and safe, no matter how many hairballs may
form.