Hairballs In Cats: How To Prevent Hairballs In Cats Naturally

Cats are lovely pets that love to groom themselves on a regular basis. Knowing how to prevent hairballs in cats naturally is a necessity, as they tend to ingest these loose fur in their stomachs.

As you read this article, you will realise that there are factors that determine how often your cat should be brushed, such as age, skin texture, etc.

You will find this read quite interesting.

 

What Do the Hairballs in Cats Look Like?

One would expect hairballs to have a round ball-like shape, but that is far from what it actually looks like. Due to the interaction between the hairball and your cat’s digestive system (esophagus), it comes out with a tube-like shape.

However, according to research, if the hairball does not pass through your cat’s poop and stays in the stomach of your cat, it comes out having a ball-like shape.

 

Read also: How To Administer the Clavamox For Cats

 

How Do Cats Get Hairballs?

For a fact, if you are a cat owner, you must be very conversant with their obsession with grooming themselves. Grooming is something that they often do to make their appearance neat and their bodies clean.

My pet cat will usually spend hours grooming, that is, licking and cleaning its fur. Just like my cat, I suppose your cat is also fond of this general cat habit.

Do you want to know how cats get hairballs? Well, there you have it. It is definitely through the constant grooming process that they carry out for hours.

Yes, the grooming process is good because it keeps your cat clean and neat, but the effect of this process can cause some issues in your cats that can be avoided.

One would wonder: Why do they get that many hairballs in their stomachs by just licking their furs? Well, the tongue of the cat is quite unique, with very rough surfaces that are capable of grappling the loose fur.

Before knowing how to prevent hairballs in cats naturally, you should be aware of how these hairballs are formed:

• The loose fur (quite a lot of them) goes into the stomach of your cat.
• In the stomach, it forms into what we’ve come to refer to as hairballs and is passed on to the digestive tract without being digested.
• The hairball passes out from your cat’s body in 2 different ways:
  • Through your cat’s poop.
  • It remains in the stomach of your cat and is passed out as vomit, usually covered in mucus.

 

What are the Signs of Hairballs in Cats?

Unlike in humans, the digestive system of cats is designed to handle hairballs and will readily eliminate these hairballs from the cat’s body either through the cat’s poop or its vomit.

The hairballs may look less of a threat, but they tend to keep increasing and pose a great risk the more they form in your cat’s body.

Below are the dangers of hairballs in your cat’s body and why it is important to know how to prevent hairballs in cats naturally:

• The hairballs may form and become too large to pass through the narrow sphincters (the ring-shaped muscle that relaxes or tightens to open or close the cat’s anus).
• The hairball will become stuck in the small intestine due to its large size, hence creating a blockage.
  • Your cat may experience a great deal of discomfort due to the blockage.
  • The blockage can result in digestive problems in your cat.

Below are the signs to look out for to know if your cat has hairballs in its stomach:

• Lack of energy.
• A lack of appetite.
• Constipation.
• Diarrhea.

 

Read also: Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potato Fries? [Feed Your Pet The Right Way]

 

How To Prevent Hairballs in Cats Naturally

• Brush Your Cat Regularly:

One of the ways to prevent hairballs in cats naturally is by brushing them frequently. This way your cat will not need to spend hours grooming itself.

In brushing your cat, there are certain factors you must consider, and these factors are what will determine how often you will need to brush your cat.

Below are the factors to consider:

• • Cats with soft and silky fur will require more attention (brushing).
  • Cats with short hair may require at least 3 to 4 brushing sessions every week.
  • Cats with long hair will require being brushed on a daily basis, at least every 10 minutes.
  • Old cats will not experience the issue of having hairballs in their stomachs, as they tend to lose interest in grooming themselves as they grow older. However, it is still important to groom them to keep their fur neat and clean.
• Add Olive Oil to Your Cat’s Food:

Adding olive oil to your cat’s food is another natural way of preventing hairballs. The olive oil acts as an emollient that is capable of softening the fur of your cat.

After feeding, your cat may want to proceed to grooming (licking its fur). The olive oil ensures that the skin of your cat is lubricated enough to avoid ingesting loose hair in the process.

• Add More Fiber To Your Cat’s Diet:

Fiber in your cat’s food prevents constipation and other digestive tract problems. With the aid of the fiber in your pet’s food, the loose hairballs are able to pass through your cat’s digestive system without any blockages.

Fiber in your cat’s food provides them with energy while also preventing the following:

• • Diarrhea
  • Diabetes
  • Digestive problems
  • Constipation
  • Obesity, etc.

Below are the additional benefits of adding fiber to your cat’s daily diet:

• • Softens your cat’s poop.
  • Increases the size of your cat’s poop.
  • Eases the passage of food through your cat’s digestive system.
  • It supports the growth of bacteria that is required in your cat’s gut. Yes, there are beneficial bacteria!

Some high-fiber foods include the following:

• • Sweet potatoes.
  • Pumpkin
  • Apple cellulose, etc
• Include the Omega 3 Supplement in Your Cat’s Diet:

Omega 3 supplements are also capable of reducing the effects of hairball blockages in your cats, just like fiber.

Omega 3 supplements prevent hairball blockages and reduce inflammation as well. Some food items that contain the omega-3 supplements include the following:

• • Krill oil
  • Fish oil
• Regular Intake of Water is Necessary:

The importance of frequent intake of water cannot be overemphasized. Giving your cats enough water comes with the following benefits in relation to hairballs:

• • Water keeps the fur of your cat healthy and well-lubricated, hence reducing the possibility of ingesting loose hair.
  • It allows food and loose hair to pass through the digestive system of your cat with ease.

It is important to monitor the water intake of your cat to ensure that they are properly hydrated on a daily basis to keep them healthy and their furs healthy as well.

• More Fish is Required in Your Cat’s Daily Diet:

Fish is a good source of protein, not just for humans but for cats as well. Fish is a great source of the omega-3 supplements earlier discussed and will greatly benefit your cat in preventing hairball formation and digestive blockages.

Before feeding fish to your cats, it is important that it is properly cooked and free of bones. Feeding fish to your cats will not just provide them with protein but also allow easy passage of hairballs.

 

Read also: Do Bengal Cats Like Water?

 

Conclusion

There is a popular belief that petroleum jelly will help keep your cat’s skin moist by treating the dry skin of your cat. However, this must be avoided as it reduces the vitamin A deposits in your pet.

In this article, we have mentioned and explained how to prevent hairballs in cats naturally, and if you must apply any natural products to your cat’s skin, we will advise the following:

• Coconut oil
• Almond oil

Vaseline is another great option, as it is less toxic while also doing the job effectively. Thank you for reading, and please do well to leave your wonderful comments in the comments section below!

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